CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
The Intervention: What does that mean for us?
Voices of Remote
Indigenous Child Care Workers in
the NT
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
VISIONBatchelor Institute: a site of national significance in Indigenous education ― strengthening identity, achieving success and transforming lives.
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
The Project• An Action Research project
• To support Indigenous children’s services workers
• To understand and voice their views on the recent Australian Government Intervention in their remote NT communities.
• Funded by BIITE Research Division
• July 2007-July 2008
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
South Australia border
Queensland border
Western Australia border
CommunitiesYirrkala
Groote EyandtYirrkalaWarruwiNgukurr
UmbakumbaBatchelorWadeye
CasuarinaMilingimbiLaramba
Alice SpringsAputula
BatchelorTenant Creek
GapuwiyakGoulburn Island
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Indigenous children in the NT
• Population of the NT - 210,000
• 30% Indigenous
• 35% of children are Indigenous and growing
• 50% of Australian Indigenous Communities are in the NT
• Many NT children don’t speak English as their first language
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Who was involved?
• 34 Indigenous children’s services workers
• 17 different communities across the NT
• All women
• Researchers were the BIITE Research Team & Children’s Service Workers
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Mid 2007: The Intervention
• Little Children are Sacred Report – (Wild & Patterson, 2007)
• Aug 2007 – Federal Liberal Government reacts with a
package of five Bills introduced into Federal Parliament
– resulting in ‘a comprehensive, compulsory intervention in 73 Northern Territory Aboriginal communities’ (Brennan, 2007)
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
The Intervention laws measures to abolish the Community Development
Employment Program (CDEP)
quarantine 50% of community members’ welfare payments, and 100% of those whose children are truants
deploy Australian Federal Police as ‘special constables’ to the Northern Territory Police Force
remove the permit system which governs access to Aboriginal land
acquire five-year leases over prescribed townships that are part of the emergency response
negotiate with interested communities on 99-year township leases
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Indigenous families have been consulted repeatedly….
• Talking Early Childhood (1995)• Pipirri Wiimaku “for the little kids” (2001)• Aboriginal Child Rearing Strategy (2002)• ‘Listen to us we’ve got something to say’
(1999)• ‘Both Ways’ Indigenous Children’s Services
Project (2004)• SNAICC, Indigenous Early Childhood Case
Studies (2004)• Kid’s Tracks (2004-2005)
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Consistent messages from Indigenous people…
Don’t put your ideas onto us – listen to us We want safe and healthy places for kids Child care can give kids good food Child care - by locals for locals - not just
people who are ‘passing through’ REAL ownership of the service Places for keeping culture strong Culturally appropriate training Get our kids ready for school Child care for making the community strong
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Intervention research asked three questions
1. What do you know about the Intervention?
2. How is the Intervention affecting your service?
3. How is the Intervention affecting your community?
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Data Collection Research Workshops• 5 workshops between
August - November 2007
• 1 workshop- July 2008
Research Methods• Survey • Discussions
ResearchersSelina GrantRowena GrantSue-Anne ThingleVanessa WatsonVeronica PompeiJude MaglisRenae Polly DaviesKim WhitburnPatricia LalaraLyn FasoliLyndal BarrettSaraswathi Griffiths-
ChandranRanu JamesRebekah Farmer
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Intervention Research workshop
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
What child care workers knew about the intervention…
In 2008
• Everyone understood more but still had questions
• Saw some small changes with CDEP but in some communities it stayed the same.
• Most people saw better attendance at school
• Some believed it was trying to stop child abuse but people still not reporting abuse
• All thought it helped to improve children’s health
In 2007
• Not many people understood what would happen.• Most people knew CDEP would change•Some people hoped it would improve school attendance.• 1/3 people thought it would stop child abuse•1/3 thought it would improve children’s health
In 2008
• Everyone understood more but still had questions
• Saw some small changes with CDEP but in some communities it stayed the same.
• Most people saw better attendance at school
• Some believed it was trying to stop child abuse but people still not reporting abuse
• All thought it helped to improve children’s health
In 2007
• Not many people understood what would happen.• Most people knew CDEP would change•Some people hoped it would improve school attendance.• 1/3 people thought it would stop child abuse•1/3 thought it would improve children’s health
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
What Child Care workers knew about the Intervention
2007• Some people thought it
was about removing the land permits
• Not many people knew the word ‘pornography’ before Intervention
• People didn’t know what it was about.
• Not many people knew about income management
2008• They understand it’s not
about removing land permits
• No signs of pornography
• People agree it is trying to fix problems (alcohol and drugs)
• Everyone knows about income management and some people are happy about it.
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
ConcernsMoney concerns • People still worry about money• People still on CDEP & people still worried about CDEP
being taken away again.• Need more money for food.• Payments have changed
– Some people have gone from Centrelink, to CDEP, to Local Council to new Shire Council.
– ITEC– From weekly payment to fortnightly payments– Need to change budget to survive 14 days instead
of 7 day intervals.– big families still don’t have enough money for food
• We’re concerned because we get pay from salary. • Salary people feel like new paper work is too hard.
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
ConcernsUnfair treatment• ‘Haven’t seen non-Indigenous children being
checked by army’• ‘Non-Indigenous children get abused too’• ‘Aged pensioners feel targeted by quarantining
when they don’t have responsibility for children.’• ‘We don’t need food vouchers but our family has
to use them’. • ‘We are treated differently by the government’• ‘Didn’t tell children their rights.’• ‘People still worried about too many changes.’
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Concerns
Lack of Information / Fear / Confusion• Some people still don’t fully understand,
scared and confused, • Some understand and accept the
intervention• Some think there has been a lack of
action • Some angry about cultural issues being
ignored for so long in child care– i.e. staff’s right to attend ceremonies & have
breaks like bush holidays to catch up with family.
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Ongoing Concerns• Government push for new child care services
– lack of appropriate spaces– no proper infrastructure (buildings etc)– lack of professional development & training– different communities need different kinds of training
• Still gambling even on quarantine– ‘Gambling is causing gross poverty in some families,
where some children don't eat at home cos they have got no money.’
• Family violence & child abuse still occurs outside the service.
– ‘Can’t speak up because it might cause problems towards other families’.
– ‘Families worried because drunken mob still come back to the community and start fighting and making trouble.’
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Concerns Too little to late!• Should have planned better before they acted. • No proper consultation with Aboriginal people.• Original focus for intervention misguided
– stress levels are still high throughout the family as a whole.
• Need more housing. • Need more child care places for the kids • Need more consultation with community.• People want interpreters to understand the
changes.• No information for staff on reporting abuse.
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Good things to come out of the Intervention
• Better regular attendance at childcare, preschool & school.
• Good idea to employ more police & special task force to crack down on drug & alcohol abuse.
• Removal of permits so intervention mob came in and sacked the white people who were not doing their job.
• More people coming to work
• Less grog coming in
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Child Care Workers’ Suggestions• Money management training• Breakfast programs in every school • More training or programs about drugs &
alcohol• Stop the gambling• More child care services for more children
needing care• Regular bus services between outstations and
communities so people can move out of larger communities to outstations
• Improve the roads • Fix up existing playgrounds
• More and bigger houses, with fences
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
Acknowledgements
• Thank you to the child care workers who participated in this project
• Thank you to Batchelor Institute for funding to do this project
• Thank you to the CEIEC Conference Committee
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
What did you learn from this presentation?
CEIEC ConferenceMelbourne Nov 13-15, 2008
What issues does this raise for us as a profession?