Events and News
(For more information
on any of these items please contact the SNAICC office). contact
snaicc
Registrations for SNAICC
National Conference now closed
6
September 2007 New!
The National Conference
in Adelaide is now
sold out, and no new registrations are now being accepted.
Responding to NT Child
Abuse Issues – What You can do
11
July 2007
SNAICC is asking people
and organisations to write to the relevant Federal, State and Territory
Ministers, and speak to local federal members of parliament, outlining
your concerns in relation to child abuse and neglect.
You should also write
to the Federal ALP requesting that they commit to a full and proper
response to child abuse and neglect.
Find
out how you can help here
NT Aboriginal
organisations respond to the federal government's intervention
11
July 2007
Aboriginal organisations
in the Northern Territory, in conjunction with other community sector
organisations such as SNAICC, have announced proposals to keep children
in Aboriginal communities safe from harm. It is a response the federal
government's intervention in the NT.
The document, A proposed Emergency Response and Development
Plan to protect Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory –
A preliminary response to the Australian Government’s proposals,
was developed by the Combined Aboriginal Organisations (representing
Aboriginal organisations in Darwin, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek
and Katherine) and community sector organisations from across the
country.
SNAICC contributed to
its development and supports its recommendations.
More
information is on the NT Update page
SNAICC's response to
the Federal Government's 'Emergency repsonse to protect Aboriginal
children in NT'
27
June 2007
SNAICC continues to respond
to the Federal government's announced emergency measures to respond
to child abuse in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.
Our response includes
a number of media statements issued since mid last week, comments
and interviews with the media, discussions with other Indigenous
organisations and the community sector, and discussions with federal
Indigenous Affairs Minster Mal Brough's office.
Find out more about SNAICC's
response here.
Building a bi-partisan
commitment to Indigenous children
29
May 2007
In a media statement,
SNAICC's Chairperson Ms Muriel Bamblett has welcomed the Federal
ALP' focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in
their first major Indigenous policy release, but has called for
bi-partisan effort to fully commit to what’s required and
to go further.
Read SNAICC's full media
statement here.
SNAICC Submission to
NT Board of Inquiry into sexual abuse of Aboriginal children 2007
24
April 2007
SNAICC has recommended
a major overhaul of the child protection system within the Northern
Territory.
Details on SNAICC's detailed
submission to the Inquiry are on the Briefing
Papers page.
Archive
2006
SNAICC Lobby Trip to
Canberrra 2006
27
November 2006
SNAICC's Chairperson Muriel
Bamblett led a lobby trip to
Canberra to put Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children's
issues firmly on the policy agenda in Canberra.
SNAICC Annual General
Meeting and Members' Forum 2006
13
November 2006
SNAICC members from across
the country met in Cairns, Queensland, for SNAICC's Annual
General Meeting and Members' Forum from
Wednesday 15 to Thursday 16 November 2006. Read the full story here.
New ordering system introduced
for SNAICC publications and resources
23
October 2006
SNAICC has introduced
a new publications and resources ordering and distribution system
to help our members and subscribers order our resources quickly
and easily. You can now order our resources directly online
or by fax.
Read the full story here.
SNAICC Resource Service
Project - Parenting and Men
September
2006
The SNAICC
Resource Service (SRS) has produced a series of posters portraying
the positive roles Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men play
in their children's lives.
View online the Parenting
and Men posters
The Launch of the posters
is reported in full on The
SNAICC media page.
Family Violence Resource
Page
July 2006
A new Family
Violence Resource Response page has been created on the SNAICC
site in response to the recent high public profile, Australian Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander families, children and communities have
been given in the mainstream media and in State and Federal Parliaments
in connection with family and sexual violence.
It contains a collection
of online resources, information and contacts to assist those developing
responses to family and domestic violence, sexual assault and child
abuse in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
State and Territory
governments must commit to a national approach to dealing with child
abuse and neglect
July 2006
Ahead of last June's National
Summit of Australian government ministers on violence in Indigenous
communities, SNAICC prepared a briefing paper for all State and
Territory Premiers and Chief Ministers that outlined the need for
a National Action Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
communities to prevent and respond to child abuse and neglect.
This policy briefing papers
is now available from the Briefing
Papers page of our website.
Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Children – Time for a National Strategy
SNAICC Media
Statement 17 May 2006
The Australian Government
must use its leadership role to develop a national strategy to outline
a long term commitment to Indigenous children, Muriel Bamblett,
Chairperson of SNAICC, Australia’s national peak body for
Indigenous children said today.
“The recent controversies surrounding the high rates of child
abuse and neglect in Indigenous communities highlight the need for
a national commitment to protect our children from harm and secure
for them the life opportunities other Australian children enjoy,”
she said.
“Australia’s Indigenous communities need long term constructive
support from Governments to deal with and move beyond the crisis
in family violence, child abuse and child neglect,” Ms Bamblett
said.
The full media statement is available here.
SNAICC National Executive
Elected for 2006
Updated
12 April 2006
The National Executive
for 2006 was elected through a postal ballot and the results confirmed
at SNAICC's Annual General Meeting in Darwin in November 2005.
The SNAICC National Executive
and Office Bearers for 2006 are as follows:
Muriel Bamblett
– Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (SNAICC Chairperson)
Garry Matthews
– Coffs Harbour Aboriginal Community Care (Deputy Chair)
Dot Bagshaw
– Gurlongga Njinjinj MACS (Perth) (Deputy Chair)
Dawn Wallam
– Yorganop (Treasurer)
Natalie Hunter
– Karu Aboriginal Child Care Agency (Darwin) (Secretary)
Shirley Wilson
– Allira MACS (Dubbo)
Kate Lindsay
– Aboriginal Child Family & Community Care State Secretariat
NSW (ABSec)
Tanya Ardler
– Wreck Bay MACS
Veronica P
– Remote Aboriginal Children’s Services Support
Unit (Darwin)
Tina Couzens
– Kura Yerlo Aboriginal Children’s Centre (SA)
Geraldine Atkinson
– Batdja Preschool/ Victorian Aboriginal Education Association
Inc. (Victoria)
Ian Davidson
– SA Aboriginal Family Support Services (South Australia)
Alison Overeem
– Aboriginal Children’s Centre/TAC (Hobart)
Desley Thompson
– RAATISCC (Cape York)
Ray Burrowes – Gundoo MACS (Cherbourg)
Debbie Hart
– Townsville Child Protection and Alternative Care program
Kathleen Pinkerton
– Yorganop (Perth)
Sharron Williams
– SA Aboriginal Family Support Services (South Australia)
Lisa Coulson
– Tasmanian Aboriginal Child Care Association (Tasmania)
2005
External Evaluator appointed
In October 2005, after
a very competitive tendering process, SNAICC was pleased to offer
the contract for conducting the External Evaluation
of the National Indigenous Family and Children's Resource Service
to Beyond and Associates.
Beyond and Associates
are a private consultancy firm in South Australia with excellent
experience in conducting evaluations and consultancy with Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander initiatives. The key members of their
team are Kathleen Stacey and Sharon Gollan.
We look forward to working
with them over the next few years as we work to ensuring the National
Resource Service does its best in developing children's and families'
resources and initiatives nationally.
SNAICC extends its sincere
appreciation to all those who participated in the tendering process.
SNAICC 2005 Annual General
Meeting
17– 18 November,
Darwin, Northern Territory
9 NOVEMBER
2005
This year, SNAICC will
hold its Annual General Meeting in Darwin.
Members from across the
country will meet to identify SNAICC's priorities and key policy
and project initiatives for the next year.
It will be a chance to
discuss significant concerns facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander child and family welfare and early childhood services,
including government policies.
The AGM will also receive the Returning Officer's report on the
election of the 2006 National Executive.
In Darwin, the new Executive will also have its first meeting to
elect SNAICC's Office Bearers and Management Committee for 2006.
SNAICC's full members are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
community controled child and family welfare, and early childhood
services and organisations from all states and territories.
Formal notifications and papers were sent to all members last month.
Further queries about the AGM can be directed to the SNAICC Office
Manager, Carmen Dunn.
Media inquiries should be directed to Julian Pocock, SNAICC'S Coordinator.
The AGM is only open to
SNAICC members, and only full members may participate in electing
the SNAICC Executive.
If you want to make find
out about SNAICC membership, go to the membership/subscription information
page.
2005 National Aboriginal
& Islander Children's Day - 4 August
Foster and
Kinship Carers – Keeping kids connected to community, family
and culture
2 August
2005
Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities and organisations across Australia will
celebrate the importance of children to our communities on National
Aboriginal and Islander Children’s Day, Thursday
4 August 2005.
Ms Muriel Bamblett AM, SNAICC Chairperson, said, ‘This year’s
theme highlights the significance of foster and kinship carers in
our children’s lives’.
‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have an inherent
relationship with their land, family and their community that is
the foundation of their identity, culture and spirituality. We must
ensure that those who care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
children – whether they are immediate family or foster or
kinship carers – are supported and encouraged to nurture this
relationship fully,’ she said.
The
full media release, is available here.
More information is also
on our Children's Day page.
Minister
opens SNAICC's new National Resource Service
05 May 2005
Senator
Kay Patterson, the Federal Minister for Family and Community Services,
opened SNAICC's new National Indigenous Family and Children's Resource
Service on Wednesday 4 May 2005.
The
Minister also launched the National Children's Services Directory,
an online directory to help find specialist services for Indigenous
children and families. The service directory has been developed
by Infoxchange Australia in partnership with SNAICC.
SNAICC
has been granted $4 million over four years by the Commonwealth
Government to establish and manage the National Resource Service,
which is housed as part of SNAICC's new premises in North Fitzroy,
Victoria.
Announced
last year under the government's National Agenda for Early Childhood
and Stronger Families and Communities Strategy, the funding enables
SNAICC to recruit more staff, establish the resource centre, develop
resources and assist local initiatives aimed at supporting Indigenous
children and their families.
The
online Service Directory is also funded by the Federal Department
of Family and Community Services, through a grant to SNAICC for
a Capacity Building Project.
2004
Establisment of National
Indigenous Children's and Family Resource Centre.
The Australian Government
is to provide SNAICC with $4 million to establish a new national
resource centre. Funding has been approved as part of the governments
National Agenda for Early Childhood and the Stronger Families and
Communities Strategy. The centre will focus on resourcing and supporting
Indigenous children's services to deliver programs focused on child
abuse prevention, early intervention, family support and early childhood
development.
More information about
the funding available under the Stronger Families and Communities
Strategy can be found at: Stronger
Families & Communities Strategy
2003
Our Future Generations:
National Indigenous Child Welfare and Development Seminar
As the major event to
recognise SNAICC�s 20th anniversary SNAICC convened Our Future
Generations the National Indigenous Child Welfare and Development
Seminar in July 2003.
The seminar to brought
together over 200 key Indigenous agencies working with children
and senior policy and Ministerial staff from the Commonwealth and
all States and Territories.
A full report with over
50 presentations papers is available from the SNAICC office. A copy
of the recommendations from the seminar can be downloaded here and
the individual papers will be added to the website shortly.
National
Seminar recommendations
Parenting Project
SNAICC carried out a parenting
consultation project in partnership with the Department of Family
and Community Services during the first six months of 2004. The
project consulted with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents,
carers and families to find out what additional parenting information
and support governments should provide.
The project included a
national workshop and the final report of the project was being
considered by the Government at the time the Federal Election was
called. SNAICC intends to publish a report on the project soon after
the election.
More information: SNAICC
Project Officer, Tracey Borg - 039 482 9380
SNAICC report on Child
Abuse in the NT
In July 2003 SNAICC published,
State of Denial: the Neglect and Abuse of Indigenous Children
in the Northern Territory. The report outlines serious flaws
in child protection policy and practice in the NT and includes a
series of reform proposals. Since the release of the report the
Northern Territory government has announced a review of the child
protection system. The review will consider the recommendations
from State of Denial, copies of which are available from
SNAICC or can be downloaded from;
snaicc
publications
Commonwealth AICCA Review
The Commonwealth Government
is to review its funding for Aboriginal and Islander Child Care
Agencies, AICCAs, over the next 18 months.
SNAICC and the Commonwealth have agreed on the need to review the
Commonwealth�s AICCA program and on terms of reference for the review.
SNAICC believes that the AICCAs need additional long term
support to work in the area of family support and primary prevention
to compliment their funding and activities in relation to child
protection and alternative care.
The review will be conducted
over the next 18 months and will include an external stakeholder
group with representation from SNAICC.
|