3. Background
• 14,578 Aboriginal Children (0-17 years)
• >50% of the aboriginal population was
under 19 years
• 1/2 one parent families
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4. What is ‘health’?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
means not just the physical wellbeing of
an individual, but also refers to the social,
emotional and cultural wellbeing of the
Text
whole community in which each individual
is able to achieve their full potential as a
human being.
- NACCHO, 2006
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6. Connection to culture and
community
• half all young Aboriginal people identify
with a clan, tribal or language group
• over half of young Aboriginal people
recognise an area as their
homelands/country
• half participate in cultural events
• almost all families speak English
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7. Social network
• 2x did not have a family member outside of the
household they could confide in
• 2x did not have a friend outside the family
household they could confide in
• 1/3 did not have any Aboriginal friends
• 1/3 Aboriginal children spent time with an
Elder/leader
• high proportion of parents/guardians and young can
get the support they when needed
• young Aboriginal people have a lower chance to
make decision at home about things that affect
them 7
8. Home and Environment
• 1/10 households need an extra bedroom
• 3x couple family household had both
parents unemployed
• more likely to spend >30% of household
income on housing
• 1/3 household had days without money to
pay for basic living expenses
• 1/5 households ran out of food and
couldn’t afford to buy anymore
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9. Parental health
• 1/4 parents/guardians had used illicit drugs
• 1/5 consumed alcohol during pregnancy; 1/2
smoked during pregnancy
• no difference at high risk alcohol intake
(4.3%) but higher at medium risk levels
(14.6%)
• 1/2 parents are smokers, 1/5 never smoked
• 1/4 smokers smoked inside the house
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10. Children’s health
• 2x likelihood of having low birth weight
• slightly higher birth defects
• neonatal and perinatal deaths are high
• breast feeding rate are high (80%)
• immunisation rate are very high
• asthma rates are higher
• oral health is poorer
• 2x hearing problems
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11. Children’s Health
• more likely need special health care
needs
• more likely need assistance with core
activities - disabilities
• exercise regularly
• 1/3 meet guidelines for fruit and vegetable
consumption
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12. Social and emotional wellbeing
• parents are more likely to be concerned
about their children's behaviour at school
entry
• 1/10 young people experience high to
very high levels of psychological stress
• admissions for psychiatric problems
increased and higher in Aboriginal youth
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13. Safety
• 1/5 young people (15-24) experienced physical
violence
• 2x more likely to be a victim of assault
• 3x more likely to be processed by the police
• 10x more likely to be in youth justice system
• adult prisoners more likely to be a parent
• 10x more likely to be a victim of substantiated
abuse, neglect or harm
• 11x more likely to be place in out of home care
• 6/10 in OOHC have been placed in accordance with
the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle
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14. Child development
• 60% has taken folate prior to or during
pregnancy
• 90% had regular antenatal checks
• lower Maternal and Child Health Service
participation
• 8/10 children 0-8 years had been read to by
main carer
• 1/3 children 0-8 years and 6/10 9-14 years were
assisted with their homework
• 80% of households experienced family stress
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15. Development and Learning
• 6/10 use childcare - more likely to be informal
care
• 2x vulnerable on >1 health and wellbeing
domain of the Australian early Development
Index (AEDI)
• fare less well in numeracy and literacy by 20%
point at year 9 level
• 94% 4-14 yo attend school
• 40% 12-17 yo aspired to attend university
• rate of being bullied on a daily basis higher
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16. Health of children in OOHC
➡ High levels of chronic and complex health
needs
➡ Negative effects of health issues on quality
of life – comparable to cystic fibrosis,
asthma, juvenile diabetes
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18. Child protection - reporting
•Doctors and nurses are mandated reporters in Victoria.
Responsibilities of a mandated reporter:
•You are legally obliged to make a report to Child Protection
if you believe on reasonable grounds that a child is in need
of protection.
•You must make a report without delay.
•You are required to make a report each time you become
aware of any further grounds for your belief.
•You don’t have to prove that the abuse has occurred.
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19. Child protection - reporting
• It is your responsibility to report your belief – it is not
the responsibility of your boss, supervisor, principal
• In instances where the supervisor directs you not to
make a report even where they believe that abuse is
occurring, you are still legally required to make a
report.
• Mandatory reporting requirements take precedence
over professional codes of practice where
confidentiality or client privilege is claimed.
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20. Child protection - reporting
• A report does not constitute unprofessional
conduct or a breach of professional ethics, nor does
it subject the person to any liability if made in good
faith.
• Ringing Child Protection: 1300 655 795
• After hours: 131 278
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14,578 Aboriginal Children (0-17 years) - 1.2% of the all children in the state >50% of the aboriginal population was under 19 years - in 2006 1/2 one parent families - compared to 1/5 all families (comparable to national data)
half all young Aboriginal people identify with a clan, tribal or language group - cf 62% of their parents/guardians over half of young Aboriginal people recognise an area as their homelands/country - 3/4 of guardians/parents half participate in cultural events - same with parents/gaurdians almost all families speak English as their first language - 1/5 speak some words of Aboriginal language, 1/4 in adults
2x did not have a family member outside of the household they could confide in - cf to non-Aboriginal parents/gaurdians (18.9% cf 8.6%) 2x did not have a friend outside the family household they could confide in - (23.6% cf 10.1%) 1/3 did not have any Aboriginal friends - 34.9% cf 4.3% friends of same ethnic background 1/3 Aboriginal children spent time with an Elder/leader - 12.3% did not know an Aboriginal Elder high proportion of parents/gaurdians and young can get the support they when needed - >92.3% young Aboriginal people have a lower chance to make decision at home about things that affect them - 50.2% cf 62.9%
1/10 households need an extra bedroom 3x couple families had parents unemployed more likely to spend >30% of household income on housing 1/3 had days without money to pay for basic living expenses 1/5 households ran out of food and couldn’t afford to buy anymore
1/4 parents/guardians had used illicit drugs - higher than national Aboriginal population 1/5 consumed alcohol during pregnancy; 1/2 smoked during pregnancy no difference at high risk alcohol intake (4.3%) but higher at medium risk levels (14.6% - cf 5.1%) 1/2 smokers (3x higher than non-Aboriginal parents), 1/5 never smoked (cf 56% nonAboriginal) 1/4 smokers smoked inside the house - 4x that of non-Aboriginal families
2x likelihood of having low birth weight slightly higher birth defects neonatal and perinatal deaths are significantly high breast feeding rate are high (80%) immunisation rate are very high - only slightly lower than non-Aboriginal children asthma rates are higher -but admission rates to hospitals are the same oral health is poorer - decayed, missing, filled teeth - major cause of admission to hospital (double the rate) 2x hearing problems - no difference with sight problems
more likely need special health care needs more likely need assistance with core activities - disabilities exercise regularly - more likely to meet guidelines than non-Aboriginal 1/3 meet guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption - similar to non-Aboriginal population
parents are more likely to be concerned about their children's behaviour at school entry 1/10 young people experience high to very high levels of psychological stress - same for non-Aboriginal youth admissions for psychiatric problems increased and higher in Aboriginal youth
1/5 young people (15-24) experienced physical violence 2x more likely to be a victim of assault 3x more likely to be processed by the police 10x more likely to be in youth justice system adult prisoners more likely to be a parent 10x more likely to be a victim of substantiated abuse, neglect or harm 11x more likely to be place in out of home care (more likely placed with relative or kin home based care) 6/10 in OOHC have been placed in accordance with the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle (national agreed standard - placed with child’s extended family, within child’s Aboriginal community, with other Aboriginal people) - low recruitment of carers due to underlying social financial barriers, unwillingness to be associated with welfare system, aging of the current pool of carers, impact of past removal policies on parenting
60% has taken folate prior to or during pregnancy 90% had regular antenatal checks lower Maternal and Child Health Service participation - 20% points lower than the whole population 40.3% cf 62.8% 8/10 children 0-8 years had been read to by main carer (past week) - higher than national figures for the Aboriginal population 1/3 children 0-8 years and 6/10 9-14 years were assisted with their homework 80% of households experienced family stress (experienced by self, family or friends) - doubled non-indigenous population; mental illness, serious illness and alcohol and drug related programs were more likely than national figures for Aboriginal Australians
6/10 use childcare - more likely to be informal care 2x vulnerable on >1 health and wellbeing domain of the Australian early Development Index (AEDI) fare less well in numeracy and literacy by 20% point at year 9 level 94% attend school (4-14 years) 40% aspired to attend university (12-17 years) - cf 70% in non-Aboriginal populations rate of bullying on a daily basis higher (12-17 years)
