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The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) has been emailing services, organisations and individuals in relation to the Federal Government's child abuse 'emergency measures'. They have also set up a dedicated webpage with media releases and news updates.
Overview of SNAICC's response
SNAICC has long advocated that the child protection system in the Northern Territory has failed to respond adequately and protect children from all forms of child abuse—including sexual abuse. In doing so we have not sought to blame but propose evidence-based, culturally safe solutions.
It is paramount that now, as always, we place the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children first. Children rely on others to protect and nurture them. SNAICC trusts and recognises that this is what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities have always sought to do. Sadly, as we know, many children have not been protected from abuse. This is true in all communities—not just Aboriginal communities.
It is likely that at this time young children may be feeling anxious about the current media stories and what they are hearing about abuse and violence. It is important that we reassure children, keep them close and safe, minimise their exposure to the media and talk with them about what is currently happening. Children's services and programs have a critical role at this time in supporting children and being on the look out for children who may be distressed.
Need for extra services
SNAICC supports the immediate provision of additional policing and child protection services to ensure children are safe and to support families and communities to speak out against child abuse without fear of reprisal. Of equal importance is providing additional resources and support to communities across the NT. Resources are required to prevent abuse, respond to abuse where it has occurred, heal victims and perpetrators, and deal with the chronic levels of poverty and inadequate service provision that have driven up the levels of child abuse and neglect.
We do not accept that the only way to have provided such additional policing and other services is through an 'emergency' response, designed with no input from communities and lacking longer term commitments to build healthy community environments for families and children. We have made it clear to Minister Brough that we would have preferred strong intervention, planned with input from SNAICC and other relevant organisations.
Status of health checks
In relation to children's health checks, the Federal Minister for Health, Tony Abbott, has stated that that the health checks are not compulsory, but he says they are not a new thing and he would like every Indigenous child to be checked:
'They're not going to be compulsory in the sense that a random breath test is compulsory.
'But we do very strongly encourage parents to get these or permit these for their kids in the same way that we very strongly encourage parents to get their kids immunised.'
Read ABC News' 'Indigenous child health checks "won't be compulsory"'.
Update page
SNAICC has created a dedicated NT Update page on their website, containing:
- media statements
- media comments from chairperson Muriel Bamblett
- published reports and briefings on child abuse
- links to the Australian Council of Social Service's open letter and the Little children are sacred report.
Visit the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care NT Update page.
SNAICC would welcome feedback on any aspect of the Commonwealth Government's interventions (positive and negative), on SNAICC's papers and statements and any other issues relating to child abuse and neglect.
Further reading
Other recent letters published in the media, by Pat O'Shane and Naomi Mayers, provide good analysis and perspectives.
Related news items on the Early Childhood Australia website:
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