The Intervention: What does that mean for us?

1. The Intervention: What does that mean for us? Voices of Remote Indigenous Child Care Workers in the NT CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

2. VISION Batchelor Institute: a site of national significance in Indigenous education ― strengthening identity, achieving success and transforming lives. CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

3. 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 Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

4. Communities Yirrkala Groote Eyandt Yirrkala Warruwi Ngukurr Umbakumba Batchelor Wadeye Casuarina Milingimbi Laramba Alice Springs Aputula Batchelor Tenant Creek Gapuwiyak Goulburn Island Western Australia border Queensland border South Australia border CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

5. 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 Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

6. 34 Indigenous children’s services workers 17 different communities across the NT All women Researchers were the BIITE Research Team & Children’s Service Workers Who was involved? CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

7. 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) Mid 2007: The Intervention CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

8. 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 Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

9. 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 Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

10. 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 Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

11. Intervention research asked three questions • What do you know about the Intervention? 2. How is the Intervention affecting your service? 3. How is the Intervention affecting your community? CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

12. Research Workshops 5 workshops between August - November 2007 1 workshop- July 2008 Research Methods Survey Discussions DataCollection • Researchers • Selina Grant • Rowena Grant • Sue-Anne Thingle • Vanessa Watson • Veronica Pompei • Jude Maglis • Renae Polly Davies • Kim Whitburn • Patricia Lalara • Lyn Fasoli • Lyndal Barrett • Saraswathi Griffiths-Chandran • Ranu James • Rebekah Farmer CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

13. Intervention Research workshop CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

14. 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 What child care workers knew about the intervention… • 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 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 CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

15. 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. What Child Care workers knew about the Intervention CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

16. Money 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. Concerns CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

17. Concerns Unfair 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 Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

18. 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 Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

19. 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 Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

20. 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 Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

21. 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 Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

22. 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 Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

23. CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

24. 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 Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

25. What did you learn from this presentation? CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008

26. What issues does this raise for us as a profession? CEIEC Conference Melbourne Nov 13-15, 2008