The politics of Aboriginal Children's Services in Australia

Abstract

The issue of services for Aboriginal children is highly politicised. Politicised not in the sense of it being a major issue with federal or state and territory governments, but more in that they have been the focus for political arguments between Aboriginal communities, their representative organisations, and governments. While this is not unusual in any sphere of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (A&TSI) affairs, the children's services field has appeared less permeable to A&TSI intervention and generally mirrors the ‘mainstream’. Broadly speaking there are three factors that influence the nature and landscape of Aboriginal children's services in Australia i.e. history, culture, and socioeconomic status of A&TSI people. This paper argues for a different approach that recognises these three elements.