Since our last newsletter, the Sector has seen a flurry of activity due to increased government investment and significant policy reform in the Youth Justice space. With a trial of Family Led Decision Making in Youth Justice cases currently underway, the QATSICPP team have been busily providing training and implementation support across our Sector.  We look forward to strengthening QATSICPP’s ability to provide direct support and more consistent engagement across all regions with the establishment of an implementation support team and recruitment of a Regional Manager in North Queensland. 

We have welcomed three new members to our QATSICPP team over the past month.  Garth Morgan joins us as our Manager of Social Policy and Research. Eva Ruggiero has been appointed to the role of Family Matters Campaign Coordinator, and Des Rogers has commenced in the role of Project Support Officer for the Youth Justice Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making Trial.  We look forward to finalising the recruitment of the regional reform implementation team and sharing our new organizational structure with you all over the next couple of weeks.  We expect that the changes will provide clarity of roles and responsibilities within the organization, better alignment with our strategic priorities and program of work and, importantly,  enable us to increase our visibility and capacity to support members, in all regions across the State.

The QATSICPP Members’ Conference on 26-28 June 2019 saw representatives from member organisations across the state come together and share inspiring presentations showcasing the innovation, ingenuity and successes of our sector. Delegates told us it was great to take a break from “doing”, and to have the time to reflect and think about their practice or even discuss new ideas with colleagues and peers. You can read more about the conference in our post conference report, which will be released next month.

A huge thank you to the past and current QATSICPP management and staff, board members and supporters who joined more than 230 guests at the QATSICPP 10 Year Anniversary Dinner. It was a privilege to acknowledge the legacy of the pioneers who had advocated tirelessly for the rights of our children and families since well before the establishment of the peak 10 years ago, and a great opportunity to catch up with familiar faces.

It has also been a privilege to receive testimonies about the incredible people who have been nominated in this year’s Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Child Protection Awards. Tickets are still available, and we look forward to celebrating the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, communities and organisations who are best placed to design and deliver services that provide the best outcomes for our children, young people and families. 

We again would like to acknowledge the leadership of our Sector and thank you for your continued support of QATSICPP.  As always, please feel free to get in touch with any of the QATSICPP Team, Council Members or Board of Directors.

We hope you enjoy this edition and look forward to seeing you at the 2019 Community Controlled Child Protection Awards on Friday 13 September.

In Unity,
Natalie

Nominees for the 2019 Queensland Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled
Child Protection Awards announced.

Congratulations to the Nominees for the 2019 Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Child Protection Awards.

• Anthony Satrick Wuchopperen
• Darcy Cavanagh REFOCUS
• Dylan Nelson ATSICHS Brisbane
• Jasmine Kennedy Mulungu
• Jennifer Parsons on behalf of Mulungu Family Care Service
• Katie Stevenson REFOCUS
• Kevin Maund Kurbingui
• Kevin Walker, Michelle Broughton & Heidi Cardinal Kummara Association
• Lavina Little CQID
• Lesley Barney CQID
• Rell Semmens on behalf of Yamani Meta, TAIHS
• Tamara Creamer CQID
• Tom Gower REFOCUS
• Ursula Barber CQID
• Vanessa Summers Kalwun

There will be 5 award categories. The Award Categories are:

1. Practice Excellence:  this award is to recognise an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled child protection worker who has demonstrated best practice in their direct service delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and/or families.

2. Cultural Leadership:  this award is to recognise an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled child protection worker who has demonstrated outstanding cultural leadership and mentoring within the workplace and/or community.

3. Youth Advocacy:  this award is to recognise an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled child protection worker who has demonstrated best outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people through strong advocacy skills.

4. Innovation within the Sector:  this award is to recognise an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled child protection worker who has demonstrated innovation within the sector to achieve best outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.  

5. Family: This award is to recognise families who are doing an amazing job of caring for and protecting their children.

The Awards will be held at the Queensland Cricketers’ Club in Brisbane on Friday 13 September, commencing at 7pm sharp. Zeek Power will be performing LIVE at the Awards. Read more about Zeek here.

Check out the gallery from the 2018 Awards Night here.

Mosquito Advocacy: Change Strategies
for Small Groups with Big Ideas

Article Provided by Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director
First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada

In 2007, the little NGO I work at, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada (Caring Society) joined with the Assembly of First Nations to file a human rights case against Canada. It alleged that Canada’s failure to implement Jordan’s Principle and equitably fund First Nations child and family service agencies was racially discriminatory and illegal. I knew two things for sure.  We were about to lose all of our funding from the Government of Canada and they would use every procedural tactic in their tool-box to quash the case and us in the process. Both came true but amazingly, the Caring Society not only survived – it thrived. More importantly, the children won the case and this past year Canada funded over one quarter of a million dollars in services and products to First Nations children that otherwise would have been denied. Mosquito Advocacy is a strategy used at the Caring Society to create sustainable and effective social movements based on culture, love and respect. This strategy informed the Caring Society’s 7 Free Ways to Make a Difference which is now used by children and teachers across Canada to transform reconciliation into action. One of those actions, Have a Heart Day, was actually inspired by Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day!

In June of 2019, I was honoured to attend the QATSICPP conference to share the Mosquito Advocacy model and to learn from the great QATSICPP team and conference delegates. We had the first ever Teddy Bear Tea Party for Reconciliation and we all practiced the Spirit Bear cheer! 

Happy 10th anniversary QATSICPP! I am so looking forward to learning from you and seeing many more years of the amazing work you do for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, youth and families!

Professor Cindy Blackstock presenting Master Class on Mosquito Advocacy

A look back on the
2019 QATSICPP Members’ Conference

The QATSICPP Members’ Conference continues to grow and showcase the great work being delivered in our communities across the state.  A record 193 delegates registered for this year’s event held at Rydges Southbank on 27 & 28 June 2019.

The Concurrent Sessions, linked to QATSICPP’s four (4) Strategic Priorities, showcased members’ local responses to meeting the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and families.  Sharing successful initiatives and learning from each other was a key goal of the conference and evaluations confirmed that delegates found these sessions to be most helpful to their work.

We started at the ‘Grass Roots’  
Mount Isa Murri Men Making Momentum

Mount Isa’s population of 200,000 people is made up of many cultures with a large number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from Mount Isa, other communities of the North West Region and the Northern Territory living in the community.  Mount Isa is considered a transient community with families travelling to and from the other communities.

Initially, informal ‘get togethers’ were held with a small group of young people from families referred to the Family Wellbeing Service and were designed to encourage engagement, build support networks and relationships, mentoring and to promote social and emotional wellbeing and inclusion for the young people.  As contacts progressed, Gidgee Healing then partnered with Ngukuthati Mens Group staff and they regularly got together and planned activities and BBQs at the lake.

QATSICPP 10 Year Anniversary Dinner

On 28 June 2019, QATSICPP celebrated our 10 year anniversary
with a gala dinner at Rydges Southbank.  

QATSICPP Chairperson, Rachel Atkinson acknowledged those key people who were instrumental in establishing the organisation and building strong foundations for the sector to support where we are today. 

Many former and current employees and board members attended the dinner and were acknowledged for their contributions.

Call for Expressions of Interest
Workforce Working Group

Do you want the chance to help shape the future of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Child Protection Sector workforce?

Do you see the workforce challenges facing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Child Protection Sector, and think you could be part of the solution?

Would you like the chance to work with others in the sector to address some of the key workforce challenges in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Child Protection Sector?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, QATSCIPP would be delighted to hear from you as we seek candidates to participate on our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Child Protection Sector - Workforce Working Group.

The key purpose of the Working Group is to provide advice and guidance and monitor implementation of the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Child Protection Sector Workforce Strategy 2018-2023. The Strategy and Implementation Plan can be accessed here:

WORKFORCE STRATEGY      IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Please contact Dion Tatow, Senior Workforce Development Officer via email dion.tatow@qatsicpp.com.au or phone 07 3102 4119 to express your interest or for further information.

In November 2017, Central Queensland Indigenous Development (CQID) expanded its service footprint into the Fraser Coast region with the establishment of its Family Wellbeing Services in Bundaberg and Hervey Bay.  This involved not just the establishment of the service in the region, but the additional challenge of building relationships and establishing a presence in a new community.

One of the new employees recruited to help us meet these challenges is Lavina Little, a Family Wellbeing Officer in CQID’s Bundaberg office.  Prior to starting with CQID, Lavina had previously worked at Phoenix House with children who had experienced sexual and physical abuse.

Lavina came to CQID because she wanted to see better outcomes for her community, and knew she could contribute to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families in need.

The Lowitja Institute International
Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference
18-20 June 2019 | Darwin

The Lowitja Institute International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference was held from the 18th to the 20th of June in beautiful Darwin and I was extremely fortunate to attend and present on behalf of QATSICPP. 

The conference highlighted the importance of having an Indigenous space that is built on First Nations knowledges and values.  There were 760 national and international conference delegates. 

QATSICPP to present at the 8th SNAICC National Conference in Adelaide

Strengthening Cultural Practice through Quality Workshop Training 

QATSICPP continues to deliver on the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Child Protection Practice Standards and Supervision Framework across the sector i.e: Family Wellbeing Services, Family Participation Programs, Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women. 

KEY PUBLICATIONS, RESOURCES & CONFERENCES

Click here to view a full list of current Publications and resources
including research articles, funding opportunities, submissions and consultations, conferences, events and training.