SNAICC has launched a new resource to support best practice across the nation to reduce the incidence and impacts of family violence on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
The resource, titled Safe for Our Kids: A guide to family violence response and prevention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families, was launched by SNAICC Chairperson Sharron Williams at the SNAICC Members Forum in Melbourne today.
“Family violence is a serious and corrosive issue in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities — as it is in the wider Australian society,” Ms Williams said.
“While governments have a critical role to play, our communities and organisations must also be empowered to come up with local solutions to keep women and children safe from family violence.
“The Safe for Our Kids resource offers communities and organisations key principles to effectively reduce the incidence of family violence, as well as an explanation of what these best practice principles mean and how they can be used to provide positive outcomes for our children.”
The new guide has been developed from consultation with Indigenous community-controlled service providers — drawing on their wealth of experience in delivering effective programs to prevent and respond to family violence — and a literature review of strategies that are working.
Ms Williams said the guide would improve the awareness of service providers, researchers, policy makers and other decision makers on successful family violence prevention principles and strategies.
SNAICC is holding workshops on the Safe for Our Kids resource to talk about how the principles support our services to respond to family violence. The workshops will assist in strengthening the use of the principles and provide opportunity for services to share experiences of their work and the supports needed to keep children safe.
The next workshop will be held in Melbourne, at Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place, East Ringwood, later in November.
SNAICC is also in the process of producing a companion video for the Safe for Our Kids guide. The video will be available in early 2015 as an accessible resource to provide examples of how services can use the key principles in everyday practice.
To obtain a copy of Safe for Our Kids, contact SNAICC on (03) 9489 8099. The resource can also be purchased from the SNAICC website.
Media inquiries: Frank Hytten, SNAICC CEO, on (0432) 345 652;
John Burton, SNAICC Resources Manager, (0401) 878 063
Giuseppe Stramandinoli, SNAICC Media Officer, (0419) 508 125
