Lucyna MacDermott, Lumac Group for Absec

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CHANGE YOUR LEAVES KEEP YOUR ROOTS INTACT
ABORIGINAL KINSHIP CARE
POSITIVE FUTURES 2006 ACWA
CONFERENCE,SYDNEY
Lucyna MacDermott, Lumac Group for Absec Terry
Donnelly, Absec
This presentation is an introduction to the topic
and issues of Aboriginal Kinship Care. A more
comprehensive position paper is being prepared by
Absec.
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THE FACE OF ABORIGINAL KINSHIP CARE
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Aboriginal Kinship Care and contemporary child
welfare system
ABORIGINAL KINSHIP CARE
Capacity
Factions
SOCIAL JUSTICE IS WHAT YOU FACE
IN THE MORNING
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ABORIGINAL CARE AND ITS FIT IN CONTEMPORARY CHILD
WELFARE SYSTEM
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ABORIGINAL KINSHIP CARE REQUIRES ITS OWN
STRATEGY, STRUCTURE AND FUNDING
THE SAME OR DIFFERENT
BUT How does the 110 kph speed limit apply to the
bicycle?
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Reclaiming Our Children through Kinship Carei

i Adapted from Jackson, S (1999) Paradigm
Shift in Kinship Foster Care (Hegar, R and
Scannapieco, M ) Oxford University Press. and
Bob Broad Reclaiming our childrenKinssip care
for Children in Need IASSW Montpelier Conference
30 July 2002 at http//www.aforts.com/colloques_ou
vrages/colloques/actes /interventions/broad_bob.do
c)
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Aboriginal Kinship Care
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WORKER ROLE- KNOWLEDGE - SKILLS
STATUTORY CARE
ABORIGINAL KINSHIP CARE
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OUR PATHWAY SO FAR

Other milestones Dubbo, Metropolitan,Tamworth
Strategic directions Structure Ready to Be
Heard Connecting our mob
TAMWORTH JULY 2006
Emerging picture of the Aboriginal carers daily
realities
260 CARERS DATABASE
Emotions, anger, uncertainty Sharing
experiences Call to action
SYDNEY NOV 2005
Resources Information/Education Placement
Information
HAVE A HEART BECOME A CARER
20 GROUPS START UP
Building relationships
VISITS TO COMMUNITIES 2005
History
MIMALI MATES 1998
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ACN ABORIGINAL CARERS
NETWORK
C.O.P.E CONNECTING
OUR PEOPLE EVERYWHERE

• LIVE WITHOUT FEAR AND GUILT
• CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF KINSHIP POLICY AND
  PRACTICE
• INTEGRATE THE TWO STREAMS OF CARING
• PAYMENTS AND SUPPORTS TO BE MADE CLEAR
• BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
  

HISTORY IS WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY
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OUR MODEL NETWORK OF NETWORKS
FUNDERS, POLICY MAKERS, HUMAN SERVICES SECTOR
ABSEC
ABSEC

• STATE GATHERING
• EARLY NOVEMBER
• DIRECTIONS FOR THE NEXT YEAR
• FEEDBACK LOOP FROM REGIONAL GATHERINGS

• REGIONAL GATHERINGS
• ONCE PER YEAR IN EACH OF THE 4 REGIONS
• TIMING FEBRUARY, MAY, JULY/AUG,SEPTEMBER

• CARERS AND CARER EPRESENTATIVES
• DIFFERENT LOCALITIES
• JOINT MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES

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Building Bridges and Choices
Extended family and community Care,
Elders/Grannies, Circles, the Dreaming, Life
Cycle
Aboriginal way
SEEKING SERVICE
Client
Mainstream way
Nuclear family, Clinical, Child Protection,
Investigations, Statutory Care, Family Support
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WERE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
Redfern
Dubbo
Moree
La Perouse
Nowra
Bathurst
Metro West
Tweed Heads
Orange
Moruya
Guyra
Parkes
DOCS
CARERS
WORKERS
Miimali Mates Emerton
Armidale
Central Coast
Broken Hill
Wagga Wagga
Wee Waa
Kari Carers -Liverpool
Bourke
Condoblin
Wollongong
Kempsey
Newcastle
Tamworth
ABSEC
Consultant