Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Outcomes Project : Report on national and international child protection frameworks for Indigenous children

Description

A range of legislative models for the delivery of child welfare services to Indigenous communities have developed in a number of countries within different historical and political contexts. In each country however, there has been a resurgence of Indigenous political demands for greater self determination and control over family life, particularly since the 1970s. Unfortunately there is limited information available on Indigenous child welfare services and even more limited is research conducted by andfor Indigenous organisations. For this report, the research conducted was collated using extensive database searches and by writing to departments and other Indigenous child welfare providers. Particular emphasis has been given to the Canadian provinceof Manitoba due to its perceived benefits to Indigenous children, families and communities as a whole and also because it is a model that has possible applications to Australia. The report has been divided into jurisdictions starting with an overview ofAustralia and the states and territories within it, and it follows with a review of Canada and its provinces, the United States and finally New Zealand. Where appropriate a critique of the particular jurisdiction has been made. The report then thematically considers some general issues relating to the delivery of child welfare services to Indigenous communities such as cultural competence and self government and self determination. The report concludes with a set of recommendations.

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