To what extent do Aboriginal families view the Family Group Conference model in New South Wales as culturally safe?

Abstract

The thesis examines the cultural safety of Aboriginal families participating in the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ)- Family Group Conference (FGC) program in New South Wales (NSW). FGC is a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provisions under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW). The FGC model aims to empower Aboriginal Kinship systems’ participation and decision-making for their children involved in child protection. Statutory child protection in Australia has been subject to multiple reports and inquiries and a Royal Commission into the ever-increasing rate of Aboriginal child removal in the wake of the history of the Stolen Generations of Aboriginal children removed from family, Kin, Community and Country. This research endeavours to contribute to the conversation of child protection practices in the state. The uniqueness of this thesis is through an Aboriginal lens. All participants are key Aboriginal stakeholders who have lived experience of the FGC from a Kinship or Professional role (n = 6). The whole of the dissertation adopts an Indigenous Standpoint and uses Indigenous methodologies to create authentic rich data that is truth-telling of the racist and ritualistic practices still employed by the government. With the goal to re-image NSW’s current FGC child protection practices, an Aboriginal FGC Engagement Model was developed. The model identifies best practices and uses the voices of the lived experiences of the Aboriginal participants.