FORCED SEPARATION FROM NATURAL FAMILY AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING OF ABORIGINAL CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Until recently there has been little or no empirical data on the nature and extent of intergenerational effects caused by the policies of forced separations of Aboriginal people from their natural family and forced removals from their traditional homeland. The WAACHS sought to obtain information about the association between forced separations and relocations and its effects on the social and emotional wellbeing of subsequent generations.

An estimated 2,760 Aboriginal children (12%) aged 4 to 17 years were being looked after by a primary carer who had been forcibly separated from their natural family by a mission, the government or welfare. For more background information on the number of households affected by forced separations or forced relocations, and the children living in these households, see Volume One from the survey.

The WAACHS found associations do exist between the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal carers and their children (aged 4 to 17 years) and the past policies and practices of forced separation of Aboriginal people from their natural families.

EFFECTS ON CARERS

Aboriginal carers who were forcibly separated form their natural family by a mission, the government or welfare were:

  • more likely to live in households where there were problems caused by the overuse of alcohol or gambling
  • almost twice as likely to have been arrested or charged with an offence at some time in their life
  • less than half as likely to have someone with whom they could discuss their problems
  • one and a half times more likely to have had contact with Mental Health Services in WA prior to the survey.

EFFECTS ON CHILDREN

The children of Aboriginal carers who had been forcibly separated from their natural family by a mission, the government or welfare:

  • were over 2 times more likely to be at high risk of clinically significant emotional or behavioural difficulties after adjusting for age, sex, LORI and whether the primary carer is the birth mother of the child.
  • were more likely to be at high risk of clinically significant emotional symptoms, conduct problems and hyperactivity.
  • had significantly higher rates of overall emotional or behavioural difficulties in the 6 months prior to the survey.
  • had levels of both alcohol and other drug use that were approximately twice as high as children whose Aboriginal primary carer had not been forcibly separated from their natural family.

PROPORTION OF CHILDREN WHOSE CARER WAS FORCIBLY SEPARATED FROM HIS OR HER NATURAL FAMILY BY A MISSION, THE GOVERNMENT OR WELFARE, BY STRENGTHS AND DIFFICULTIES TOTAL SCORE OF THE CHILD

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No association was found between risk of clinically significant emotional or behavioural difficulties in children and the forced separation of the carer’s parents from their natural family. Also no association was found with forced relocation of carers from their traditional country or homeland, using measures available in the survey.

Last updated 5 September 2007