In October, Winangay’s Paula Hayden travelled to Adelaide to deliver training on the Aboriginal Kinship Carer Assessment Tool – a Winangay resource designed for assessors to use to support kinship carers and strengthen the connections Aboriginal children and young people have to culture, extended families and Country.

“The training enables assessors to work in culturally safe and trauma-informed ways that puts the families at the heart of the assessment,” Paula said.

“It gives Aboriginal children, young people and families a voice, so that we can listen and learn from them. We can recognise their strengths and resilience and we are able to deliver safe outcomes, working alongside Aboriginal communities.”

Staff from all three Aboriginal Kinship Care Support providers attended the training.

DCP Chief Executive Cathy Taylor shared the importance of involving Aboriginal organisations in supporting Aboriginal children and young people in care. “We recognise Aboriginal organisations are best placed to maintain and build children and young people’s sense of identity and connections to family, community and culture, as well as achieve longer term positive outcomes,” Cathy said.

“It is a fundamental right of Aboriginal children and young people in care to maintain and build these connections. Developing a greater understanding of who they are and where they come from, helps Aboriginal children and young people form a strong identity.”

The pilot program which has now commenced will help further embed the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle into the department’s work and have positive flow on effects for the broader Aboriginal business sector.