In and Against the State : Collaborative Social Work Research with Aboriginal Communities in Australia

Presentation to the Joint Social Work Education Social Work Research Conference Homerton College Cambridge 9-11th July 2008 Elizabeth Orr and Jim Walker

G’day from Jim

In and Against the State- working for change in Indigenous Contexts within Australia?

A Brief Overview of this presentation

1. Diversity and Disadvantage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) Australia. History of `special treatment’ by all governments and institutions in Australia and the Torres Strait.

2. The project- a practice story of collaboration to engage Aboriginal community providers and members as decision makers not merely informants in the development of a Tasmanian Aboriginal Family Violence Action Plan

3. In and Against the State- relevance of the London-Edinburgh Weekend Return Group to anti-oppressive and radical social work research practice in Australia

Map of Aboriginal Australia

Snapshot: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Disadvantage

Close the Gap Campaign instigated by Oxfam Australia provides some concise information about the disparity in health and life expectancy between Indigenous Australia and other Australians.

• Aboriginal Infants (0-2) die at 3 times the rate of other Australian infants

• Aboriginal people are hospitalised at twice the rate of others

• Compared with an average life expectance of 82 years for the general Australian popuation of women, Aboriginal women life expectancy is 64.8 years and aboriginal men is 59.4 years

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Disadvantage cont.

The rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care is over seven times the rate of other children (2007) Australian Institute of Heath and Welfare Child Protection Australia 2005-2006 AIHW Canberra

70% of all female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners in New South Wales jails have suffered from sexual abuse as children(NSW Child Sexual Assault Taskforce 2006, in Through Young Black Eyes 2007).

Most Aboriginal families have been affected by the removal of one or more children in one or more generations. A recent Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey has provided some useful analysis of the inter-generation impact of child removals.

Aboriginal children cared for by primary carers who were forcibly separated from their families are 2.34 times more likely to be at risk of clinically significant emotional or behavioural difficulties and had levels of alcohol and drug use twice of that children whose carers were not forcibly separated. (Silburn 2006)

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From :Developing a just andsustainable child protectionsystem in the Northern Territory Presentation by Julian Pocok at SNAICC ConferenceNgadluko Ngartunnaitya -For Our Children Adelaide 2007

National Child Protection Statistics 2005-2006

The Project

• External researchers engaged to consult with key Aboriginal services receiving ATSIC funding about Tasmanian Aboriginal FV strategy

• Context: COAG (Council of Australian Governments) trial site for Family Violence North West Tasmania and ATSIC Family Violence Strategy.

• Main Outcome- ongoing engagement with communities and follow through on consultation regarding specific Tasmanian Aboriginal education and training about Family Well-being-it was eventually funded and delivered in 2007!!!

Participants and Facilitators

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• Family Violence Action Plan and COAG trial in Tasmania-15 informal meetings with staff from Aboriginal community, family well being, legal, women’s services, children’s services, State and federal government departments, workforce development agency and corrective services.

• Government agenda to abolish elected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Regional Councils

• Collaboration between critical insider and community researcher- to engage community members/users as decision makers not merely informants.

• The story to continue and complete participatory community action research consultation

Telling our own practice stories: collaboration to undertake community

based consultation with Aboriginal communities

Collaboration to enable project continuation-Research Advocacy or Advocacy for Community Research

Public Servants – values & ethics• Australian Public Service Values- section 10(g) ‘the APS delivers

services fairly, effectively, impartially and courteously..and is sensitive to the diversity of the Australian public.’

• APS Discretionary Power-used to disperse funds to complete project

Social Work -values and ethics• AASW Code of Ethics -section 4 Ethical Practice• Towards an ethical and culturally accountable social work

research practice-’standing under’, giving up the power of dominance and having a preparedness to relinquish one’s own cultural ways of making meaning and to learn new ones (Quinn in Briskman 2007:18)

Project Strengths and Weaknesses, lessons in this story?

• Mixed attendance-age and gender- at consultation meetings- process as important as the recommendations

• Working partnership between TRAC and AIFS and building bridges between COAG and local TRAC agencies

• Limited voice regarding impact of abolishing elected indigenous representation

• Proposal to build Sustainable Aboriginal Family Well Being Training in Tasmania- accredited/meaningful course built with respect for cultural practices e.g. mutton birding season.

• Ongoing Challenges- Time-Frame and ethical practice how do we get Government to understand community processes and timeframes?

• Any relevance to UK?

References

Aitkinson, J. (2002) Trauma Trails Recreating Song Lines: The Transgenerational Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia, Spinifex Press, Melbourne.

Briskman, L. (2007) Social Work with Indigenous Communities, Federation Press, Sydney.

Altman, J. and Hinkson, M (eds) (2007)‘Coercive Reconciliation, Stabalise, Normalise, Exit Aboriginal Australia’, Arena, Melbourne.

Fook, J. and Gardiner, F (2007) Practising Critical Reflection: A resource handbook, Open University Press, Maidenhead.

London-Edinburgh Weekend Return Group (1980) In and Against the State Pluto, London.

Orr, L. and Turner, C.(2004) Tasmanian Aboriginal Family Violence Action Plan Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Council, Hobart (unpublished report).

Orr, L. (1990) Explanations of Family Violence, CH 4 in Family Violence: Everybody’s Business, Somebody’s Life Federation Press, Melbourne.

Pocock, J (2007) Developing a just and sustainable child protection system in the Northern Territory SNAICC ConferenceNgadluko Ngartunnaitya -For Our Children. Adelaide.

Silburn, S. (2006). The inter-generational effects of forced separation on the social and emotional well being of Aboriginal children and young people. AIFS Seminar Presentation. Melbourne, Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Websites

www.snaicc.asn.au - Secretariat National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care

www.atsisw.org - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Work Organisation

www.oxfam.org.au/campaigs/indigenous-health/ - Closing the Gap Campaign Oxfam Australia

Issues and New Developments to Tackle Aboriginal Family Violence

NT Intervention-women’s rights as human rights outcomes not just process

Aboriginal Representation on newly appointed -National Council on Violence Against Women and Children

SNAICC -Through Young Black Eyes local community workshops and training