The Department of Communities has announced the sites and cohorts for the Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making (AFLDM) pilot, due to begin in October.
In a statement, the Department said the implementation group, consisting of senior Aboriginal leaders, had chosen the Midwest/Gascoyne and Mirrabooka as the two locations for the pilot.
It said the AFLDM provided families with a culturally safe space in which to hold meetings facilitated by an Aboriginal practitioner and families supported to make culturally based and family-driven decisions.
“The pilot has been designed to strengthen Aboriginal self-determination and address the over-representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care,” the Department said.
“It will enable independent Aboriginal convenors to facilitate a culturally-safe process to support Aboriginal families to have input into decisions regarding their children who are involved with child protection.”
It said the implementation group had selected three cohorts for the pilot.
These were Aboriginal families engaged in pre-birth planning; Aboriginal families engaged in intensive family support, and Aboriginal families where one or more of the children in the family group were in care.
The Department said the independently-selected implementation group began meeting in February. The group is working in partnership with the Department’s Specialist Child Protection Unit.
Co-chair of the implementation group, William Hayward said the pilot was essential in the development of comprehensive and effective case-planning approaches reflective and responsive to Aboriginal peoples.
“Under this pilot, our children, young people’s and families’ voices are being heard in the development of meaningful and targeted solutions in children protection,” Mr Hayward said.
“These solutions are developed whilst working alongside child protection professionals to maintain safety and enhance wellbeing of children, and empowering families to reach their full potential.”
