Bringing Them Home

1
Bringing Them Home Link-Up Programs

• Funded by Office of Aboriginal Health and Office
  of Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Health
  Services (OATSIH).
• Managed by Great Southern GP Network.
• Address 106 Stirling Tce Albany
• Telephone [phone]
• Both programs service the Great Southern Region.

2
The Stolen Generations

• The Bringing Them Home and Link-Up programs were
  a recommendation of the 1997 Australian
  Government Bringing Them Home Report
• The report acknowledged the social and economic
  devastation caused to Aboriginal and Torres
  Strait Islander families and people by past
  government child forced removal policies.
• The report acknowledged the negative
  intergenerational family and personal issues
  created by these policies.

3
Aims of the programs

• Assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
  families and family members affected by past
  government forced separation policies to find and
  reunite with one another.
• Provide support to restore emotional well being,
  culture, history, and help create peace and
  acceptance in the community.

4
Who can use the Link-Up service?

• People and families affected by past government
  child forced removal policies.
• People who were adopted or fostered into white
  families who wish to trace their Noongar
  heritage.
• Parents who had their children taken away.
• Priority is given to people affected by forced
  removal policies before 1973 (first generation)

5
The BTH Link Up Services have2 Managers

• Cathy Roche Psychologist, Clinical Services
  Manager
• Avonia Donnellan Primary Health Integration
  Manager

6
The BTH Link Up Services haveeight other staff
members

• Averil Williams BTH Counsellor
• Pearl Draper BTH Counsellor
• Sally Dickinson BTH Counsellor
• Robin Gray BTH Counsellor
• Kenny Dean Link Up Coordinator Cultural
  Counsellor
• Paul Hayward Link Up Caseworker
• Wendy Hayward Link Up Caseworker
• Cheryl Dowell Programs Support for primary Health

7
Trained Staff

• Bringing Them Home and Link-Up staff are trained
  professionals.
• Workers are skilled in
• - Research
• - Advocacy
• - Counselling
• - Cultural awareness.

8
What does the Link-up Program do?

• We work with families and family members.
• We help trace and find families.
• We help arrange and support family reunions.
• We can advocate and make referrals to other
• services.
• We support community development projects.

9
Where people live

• Upper Great Southern
• Boddington 34
• Brookton 119
• Corrigin 18
• Cuballilng 8
• Dumbleyung 29
• Kondinin 83
• Kulin 20
• Lake Grace 14
• Narrogin 311
• Pingelly 111
• Wagin 79
• Wandering 9
• West Arthur 10
• Wickepin 14
• Williams 17

• Lower Great Southern
• Albany 891
• Broomehill 8
• Cranbrook 14
• Denmark 42
• Gnowangerup 106
• Jerramungup 9
• Katanning 367
• Kent 8
• Kojonup 113
• Plantagenet 90
• Tambellup 74
• Woodanilling 4
• (Dept of Health WA, 2004)

10
Where children were sent

• There are three mission sites in the
• Great Southern
• Carrolup Marribank
• Wandering
• Gnowangerup

11
Family Reunification-how does it work?

• Families and family members are traced and
  found.
• Support is provided to families and family
  members to help manage any issues.
• A reunion is planned and organised.
• The reunion is held and assistance is provided.
• After the reunion the family and family members
  are supported to talk about any issues or get
  other help.

12
What sort of support?

• Research (gathering family histories).
• Counselling.
• Assistance with practical planning and
  organisation of re-unions
• Accommodation
• Travel
• Food

13
Bringing Them Home and Link-Up Counsellors
provide

• Help to talk and deal with the consequences of
  the forced separation of parents and children.
• Provide positive emotional and practical support
  empower families and family members and help them
  know what they have accomplished.
• Advocacy.
• Referrals to other services.

14
Stolen Generation Issues

• Loss of land and country.
• Abandonment, separation, sexual, physical and
  mental abuse.
• Loss of family, culture, and identity.
• Substance abuse.
• Reduced lifespan-premature death.
• Lack of education.
• Poverty and unemployment.
• Imprisonment.
• Intergenerational grief and loss.

15
What Else?

• Provide community education services about the
  history and the continuing effects of past forced
  removal policies on stolen generation peoples.
• The Bringing Them Home program can help families
  and family members return to their country.
• Finally any questions.