Stolen Generation

First Nations children are eight times more likely to be receiving child protection services than non-Indigenous kids, and more than 10 times more likely to be placed in out-of-home care, a report has revealed.

Across Australia, 68% of children placed in care are placed with relatives or kin, other Indigenous caregivers or in Indigenous residential care, in line with the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle.

Summary by Helen Davidson (Guardian) and link to Full Report [node:read-more:link]

 Elders Report into Preventing Indigenous Self-harm and Youth Suicide pdf

We end up with ideas on suicide prevention that come from Canberra and bear no semblance to what is needed in the community and on the ground

Prior to the late 1990s, Aborigine children were widely regarded as "morally deficient," explains the "Bringing Them Home" report, and the government perpetuated the belief that they were helping disadvantaged children at risk in their own communities by adopting them into white families or government institutions.

Critics argue that assessments of neglect often fail to take Aboriginal culture into consideration.
 
"The classic example is the way Aboriginal children are raised not just by a nuclear family but collectively by grandparents, uncles and neighbors," says Paddy Gibson. "Just because Aboriginal kids are on the streets at night doesn't mean they aren't being watched." He said a lot of FaCS decisions are opinions based on hearsay or the assumption of neglect.

 The Audio File: Interview with Frank Hytten mp3

Right Now Radio - 2 July 2012 [node:read-more:link]