The alarming over representation of Aboriginal children and women in care and custody requires global attention.
We are the most incarcerated people group in the world representing no less than 65% of Women and 80% of Juveniles in Western Australia.
Longitudinal studies are a research activity that follows a person, a family or a group of people for more than 10 years. What we know from longitudinal studies in children who miss a day or more of school weekly are at high risk of not completing school and being exposed to trauma and at times criminal activity.
The way government responds to Aboriginal offending has had no tangible benefit to the life outcomes of Aboriginal people. The Government and community need to work together to prevent those at risk of offending, in the same way we need to lean in and support vulnerable families.
History had a stolen generation when a Chief Protector governed the life outcomes of Aboriginal people in WA. However, in many Aboriginal families, the government through court orders, statutory care orders and children been made ward of the state or women being under the care of the public trustee – takes away the right to selfdetermination and at times family led decision making.
We believe that our community women and girls need more advocacy, support and kinship placement options when trying to navigate the government system of child protection and corrective services. A Kimberley Aboriginal Children in Care Committee was formed in 2015 and will be supported by the Council in its ongoing regional advocacy.
Focus Area Five and Project Five focuses solely on us influencing government intervention activities to reduce the number of removals from families.
Focus Area Five - Project Five – Kimberley Statutory Care & Custody: Significantly reducing statutory care & custody orders over our women and children
Objective
Facilitating a regional policy response to support Aboriginal led localised programmatic responses that account for the critical role of women and girls in their service design, delivery and evaluation.
Input
Memorandum of Understanding with WA Police, Department of Communities, Courts and Corrective Services.
Outcomes
WA Government preferred supplier status as facilitator of regional planning and policy reviews by always partnering with local Aboriginal Community controlled organisations.
Output
Community education on the evidence trail, our Kimberley regional data story and its impact on life outcomes.
Close The Gap Impact
100% with a direct and positive impact on 15 targets and an indirect positive impact on two targets.
| Year | One | Two | Three |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Theme | Build self | Bridge with others | Broker Regional Reinvestment |
| Key Performance Measure | Develop project plan and funding submissions | MoU with Department of Corrective Services & WA Police | Facilitate participation and placement of regional joined up service delivery model |
| Lead Target | Support the development of a Kimberley Policy response to Kinship Care and apprehension at birth | Support the development of a Kimberly Policy Response to Family led decision making and Juvenile Recidivism | Co-design with government and community-controlled organisations a service matrix for vulnerable women and children with re-occurring and co-occurring complex needs |
| Critical Target | Spent Conviction Support Service for Kimberley Aboriginal Women | Aboriginal Community Controlled Regional network of NDIS opportunities & Mental Health service for Kimberley Aboriginal Women | Completed Human service map and gap study of Kimberley service offering and women and girls access |
| Resource Requirements | Seconded Department of Communities Policy Officer to KAWC Full time Project Officer | Seconded Department of Corrective Services Policy Officer to KAWC Two Full Time Project Officers | Seconded WA Police Policy Officer to KAWC Three Full Time Project Officers |
| Priority Communications | Annual Statement of Commitment | Annual Statement of Commitment | Kimberley Human Service Data story |
| Public Relations | Host Minister/s and Director General/s Forum biannually across Kimberley | Host a Human Services Summit with critical stakeholders Host Minister/s and Director General/s Forum biannually across Kimberley | Host ABC Q& A in the Kimberley or another prominent media program to increase public awareness of Kimberley position |