QFCC Research in the Round: Family wellbeing and loss of identity

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QFCC Research in the Round: Family wellbeing and loss of identity

By Queensland Family and Child Commission

Date and time

Thu, 7 Jun 2018 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM AEST

Location

Mercure Townsville - Ballroom

166 Woolcock Street Townsville City, QLD 4812 Australia

Description

The QFCC is pleased to present its fifth Research in the Round forum. The theme is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family wellbeing and loss of identity.

Principal Commissioner Cheryl Vardon and Commissioner Phillip Brooks will be attending and will lead the event and welcome guests. Deputy Commissioner Cheryl Leavy will facilitate the event.

Professor Kerry Arabena, Dr Lynore Geia and Mrs Dorothy Savage will discuss their current research findings relating to various aspects of family wellbeing and loss of identity.

The presentation will be followed by an interactive panel discussion which will involve the presenters as well as respected Elders Mr Alec Illin, Mrs Rachel Atkinson and Mrs Florence Onus.

Presenters

Professor Kerry Arabena


Professor Kerry Arabena is Chair for Indigenous Health and Director of the Indigenous Health Equity Unit at the University of Melbourne. A descendent of the Meriam people from the Torres Strait, she has a Doctorate in Human Ecology and a degree in Social Work.

Professor Arabena is the Executive Director and Lead Investigator on the First 1000 Days Australia, an interventions-based pre-birth multigenerational cohort study designed with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. The model aims to provide a coordinated, comprehensive strategy to strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families so that they can address their children’s needs from pre‐conception to two years of age, thereby laying the best foundation for their future health and wellbeing.

With an extensive background in public health, administration, community development and research, her work has made significant contributions in areas such as sexual and reproductive health, family violence, gender issues, access and equity, service provision, and harm minimisation. Professor Arabena is currently a member of the Aboriginal Economic Board in Victoria, OzChild, Indigenous Community Volunteers, Kinnaway Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce and the Victorian Aboriginal Economic Board of Development. She is an author and business owner, a mother and a grandmother with interests in achieving equity for all Australians.

Professor Arabena's presentation is titled First 1000 Days Australia in Indigenous Context.

Dr Lynore Geia


Dr Lynore Geia is a Bwgcolman (Palm Island) woman, a registered nurse, midwife, researcher, and the Academic Lead of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health in the College of Healthcare Sciences at James Cook University (JCU). Lynore is passionate about her community and in her PhD explored the intergenerational strengths of child rearing practices of Palm Island families. Lynore’s vision is to see community development arising from the community itself, informing government and non-government organisations out of genuine partnerships and social investment into people, more than programs.

Mrs Dorothy Savage


Mrs Dorothy Savage is a proud Bindal and Biriah woman from the Birrigubba Nation of Queensland. She is a Traditional Owner of the Townsville area and also has South Sea Islander heritage. Mrs Savage has strong family values and cultural beliefs. She is currently employed as adjunct lecturer in Social Work at JCU. Her connections to JCU span many years and her career background includes 27 years working with Education Queensland. Mrs Savage sees her role at JCU as supporting students with academic studies and cultural and social wellbeing so they successfully can engage in university life. Her vision is to see more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people graduate and become leaders in their professional fields. Mrs Savage believes that with a strong sense of identity and belief in oneself, almost anything is possible to achieve.

Mrs Savage has contributed substantially to the social work program at JCU for approximately 7 years where she lectures in a social work subject that seeks to prepare Indigenous and non-Indigenous students for working respectfully and successfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities. She also provides guest lectures in a number of other subjects, and has been involved in a range of research projects at JCU, and has published in peer reviewed professional journals.

Mrs Savage is chair-person of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Work and Human Services Advisory Committee. This committee won an award for excellence in 2016. Mrs Savage, along with Associate Professor Sue Gair, Social Work, received a citation award for outstanding commitment to leadership, learning and scholarship in Social Work education in 2017.

The title of Mrs Savage’s presentation is Picking Ourselves Up, and Dusting Ourselves Off. Mrs Savage’s presentation will discuss the effects of racism on family wellbeing and loss of identity.

Panel Members

Mr Alex Illin


Mr Alec Illin is a respected Elder of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and has been a strong advocate for Indigenous Australians over many years. He is a former Chair of the Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service, National Aboriginal Health Organisation and Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council, and former member for the Mental Health Review Tribunal. The secure mental health rehabilitation unit at the Townsville Hospital, the Alec Illin Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit, was opened in 2016 and named in honour of Mr. Illin.

Mrs Rachel Atkinson


Mrs Rachel Atkinson, a Yorta Yorta woman, has dedicated her whole working life to improving the lives of her people. Mrs Atkinson has extensive lived-experience in working in rural, remote and urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Mrs Atkinson works from a strengths-based perspective, striving for empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and has a strong commitment to self-determination and supporting the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people nationally.

Mrs Atkinson has over 20 years’ experience as a CEO of non-government Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations. Mrs Atkinson is a current member of the SNAICC National Executive and Co-Chair of Family Matters Queensland, as well as a past President of the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council, former chair of the Partnership for Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak, and a former representative of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Reform Committee.

Mrs Aktinson is the General Manager of the Palm Island Community Company and has two degrees, a Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Community Welfare.

Mrs Florence Onus


Mrs Florence Onus is a descendant of the Birri-Gubba and Kairi/Bidjara clans of Queensland and is a Stolen Generations members.

Mrs Onus has undertaken significant work in the education sector, including providing support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, cultural training to staff and community engagement at James Cook University. Mrs Onus is the chair of the Healing Foundation’s Stolen Generations Reference Committee and has been instrumental in establishing a healing centre in Townsville. Mrs Onus also lectures to students studying social sciences at tertiary, secondary and primary levels on the impacts of past policy on Indigenous people, with a focus on the Stolen Generations.

Mrs Onus is a keen advocate for social justice and helps young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers who have had their children removed through current child protection policies.

Facilitator


The session will be facilitated by Ms Cheryl Leavy, Deputy Commissioner of the QFCC who joined the Commission in June 2017. Cheryl is passionate about promoting and advocating for safe, caring and connected communities and reducing the over-representation of First Australian Children in the child protection system.

Cheryl has enjoyed a notable career working with both the private sector and across state and federal governments in the health, taxation, education and transport portfolios. She has served on several boards including as a representative of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Cheryl has deep experience and expertise engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations.

A Kooma Traditional Owner, Cheryl’s country is in southern inland Queensland between Cunnamulla and St George.


The panel discussion will finish at 5:30pm with private networking, drinks and canapes continuing until 6:15pm.

Organised by

The Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) works collaboratively to influence change so Queensland is a safe place where children, young people and their families thrive in supportive communities. We do this by educating families, professionals and communities, enabling the child protection workforce to be strong and capable, and overseeing the child protection system and its associated reforms.

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