Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making

Background

In Western Australia, Aboriginal children represent more than 57 per cent of children in out-of- home care and spend more time on average in care than non-Aboriginal children. Working in partnership with the Aboriginal community to address this overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care is a priority of the Specialist Child Protection Unit (SCPU). 

Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making

AFLDM provides the family with a culturally safe space in which meetings are facilitated by an Aboriginal convenor and families are supported to make culturally based and family-driven decisions (SNAICC 2018).

The pilot

In October 2021, following a one-year planning and co-design process, the pilot commenced. The two-year project was outlined in the Western Australia Recovery Plan as a key project for supporting vulnerable people. The pilot will complement a wide range of other initiatives including the Aboriginal In-Home Support Service and, expansion of the Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations sector in Western Australia. The AFLDM approach also complements Signs of Safety Child Protection Practice Framework which remains Communities primary child protection framework.

Work undertaken to date

Communities held four roundtables in late 2020. These were facilitated by Pro Vice Chancellor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership from Murdoch University Professor Rhonda Marriott and Associate Professor from the Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia, Melissa O’Donnell. The majority of the roundtable participants were Aboriginal people or representatives from Aboriginal organisations.

Roundtable participants gave their input on cohort groups for the trial; pilot locations; selection process for convenors; ways of working with families; stages in the process; training to support the pilot and governance and evaluation of the pilot. The feedback from the roundtables will influence the ongoing implementation of the pilot.

Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations Wungening Aboriginal Corporation and Geraldton Streetwork Aboriginal Corporation have both been chosen to facilitate AFLDM meetings in the pilot locations, Mirrabooka and Midwest-Gascoyne,  respectively.  

Spirit Dreaming have won the tender to provide training to the AFLDM convenors and IPS Management Consultants have been appointed to conduct an evaluation of the pilot.

Implementation Group

In February 2021, an external Implementation Group was established to guide and make decisions on the design of the pilot. Members were selected independently and include:

• Ms Corina Martin, Aboriginal Family Legal Service
• Ms Emma Truman, Family Inclusion Network Western Australia
• Ms Glenda Kickett, Australian Childhood Foundation
• Ms Kate George, Price Waterhouse Cooper
• Ms Rekisha Eades, Department of Health
• Mr Damien Parriman, Aarnja Ltd
• Mr Glenn Pearson, Telethon Kids Institute
• Mr Jonathon Reid, Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia
• Mr Keiran Dent, Wungening Aboriginal Cooperation
• Mr Will Hayward, Curtin University.

Since the establishment of the Implementation Group members Kate George and Corina Martin have stepped down from the group. Department of Communities would like to acknowledge their contributions to the pilot.

In supporting the Implementation Group, the role of SCPU is to:

• create a forum where the Implementation Group can make decisions about facets of the model
• adopt processes which uphold self-determination for Aboriginal people
• ensure culturally informed and responsive decisions made by the Implementation Group are realised
• respond to Implementation Group feedback and advice on matters related to the pilot
• undertake the role of secretariat by organising meetings, generating agendas and associated papers, and providing further resources to enable the Implementation Group to make informed critical decisions
• manage and uphold the role and responsibilities of the Department of Communities as part of the co-design model.

Latest news

• Funding boost for Aboriginal-led child protection pilot to improve family safety (4 September 2022)
• Mirrabooka Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making pilot underway (5 October 2021)
• Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making pilot launched in Mid-West (30 September 2021)
• State Government acts to address overrepresentation of Aboriginal kids in care (26 May 2021)
• Geraldton to host Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making pilot (5 May 2021)

Any comments or questions about the pilot or AFLDM process can be directed to the Specialist Child Protection Unit  at childprotectionunit@communities.wa.gov.au.