IMPROVING THE ODDS for WA's vulnerable children and young people - April 2019 - Commissioner for Children and Young People
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IMPROVING THE ODDS for WA’s vulnerable children and young people April 2019
Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
The Commissioner for Children and Young People WA acknowledges the unique culture and
heritage of our Aboriginal peoples and the contributions Aboriginal peoples have made and
continue to make to Western Australian society. For the purposes of this publication, the term
‘Aboriginal’ is intended to encompass Western Australia’s diverse cultures and identities of the
First Peoples of Western Australia and also recognises those of Torres Strait Islander descent
who call Western Australia home.
Suggested citation
Commissioner for Children and Young People 2019, Improving the odds for WA’s vulnerable
children and young people, Commissioner for Children and Young People WA, Perth.
Partners
The Commissioner for Children and Young People’s Vulnerability Speaker Series was proudly
supported by Rio Tinto.
Alternative formats
On request, large print or alternative format copies of this report can be obtained from:
Commissioner for Children and Young People WA
Ground Floor, 1 Alvan Street, Subiaco WA 6008
Telephone: 08 6213 2297
Email: info@ccyp.wa.gov.au
Web: ccyp.wa.gov.au
ISBN: 978-0-9876376-1-1
About the Commissioner
The Commissioner for Children and Young People is the independent advocate for all children
and young people in WA aged under 18 years.
The role of the Commissioner is described in the Commissioner for Children and Young People
Act 2006. The Act requires the Commissioner to give priority to, and have special regard for,
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, and children and young people
who are vulnerable or disadvantaged for any reason.
The Commissioner talks to children and young people and others in the community about what
children and young people need to be healthy and reach their potential, and considers research
and evidence about children’s wellbeing.
From this information the Commissioner works with children and young people, their families
and government to improve policies, legislation and services that support children and young
people’s wellbeing.
2 COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WAContents
Message from the Commissioner............................................................................ 4
The Commissioner’s focus on vulnerability............................................................. 6
Overview of the research on vulnerability............................................................... 8
The views of children and young people............................................................... 12
Key learnings from the Vulnerability Speaker Series ........................................... 16
Discussion themes ............................................................................................... 19
Recommendations ............................................................................................... 28
Actions the Commissioner will undertake ............................................................. 30
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 31
Appendices............................................................................................................ 32
Appendix One: Vulnerability Speaker Series attendees........................................ 33
Appendix Two: High level summary report - Aboriginal forum .............................. 34
References............................................................................................................ 36
Improving the odds for WA’s vulnerable children and young people 3Message from the
Commissioner
It is a stark reality that despite the intentions My predecessors and I have consulted
and actions of governments and the thousands of children and young people on a
community, too many Western Australian range of issues and through this work many
children and young people continue to have highlighted their own experiences of
experience significant adversity and vulnerability.
disadvantage.
The voices of the children and young people
This is particularly the case for some gathered by my office show us that there are
Aboriginal children and young people, who common underlying factors that contribute
as a group experience significantly poorer to vulnerability. These include poverty,
health and wellbeing than the general family violence, physical, emotional and
population. sexual abuse, neglect, bullying, disability,
discrimination and disadvantage.
Western Australia has rising numbers
of children and young people entering Over the last year I have taken what young
out-of-home care and seven per cent of people have told us about their experiences
our children and young people are living and used these views to shape discussion
in poverty. There are various statistics, on what real change we are achieving.
including suicide rates, disengagement from
school and the number of young people in My Vulnerability Speaker Series brought
contact with the youth justice system, that together government, service providers,
show too many of our young people are practitioners and researchers over the
continuing to fall through the cracks. last year to share information and devise
improved strategies for the WA community.
The recent State Coroner’s Inquest into
the deaths of thirteen children and young What I found encouraging throughout
persons in the Kimberley Region, Western this Series was the strong interest from
Australia and the Royal Commission into government and non-government leaders
Institutional Responses to Child Sexual to hearing the views of children and young
Abuse both add compelling reasons for a people and a commitment to working
renewed approach to our most vulnerable towards reducing vulnerability.
children and young people.
In roundtable discussions, leaders were both
Vulnerability is complex, there is no quick open and honest in outlining the challenges
fix and no short-term response will achieve their organisations face in best meeting the
change on its own. needs of vulnerable children and there was a
general acceptance that we need to improve
We also know that without addressing how we work together.
the home, school and wider community
environments in which children and young
people live, programs and services are
unlikely to be effective or sustainable.
4 COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WAThis report is the culmination of the I will be monitoring and reporting annually
Vulnerability Speaker Series and it contains the progress towards reducing the number of
five key recommendations to government on WA children and young people experiencing
a way forward to more sustainably address vulnerability.
vulnerability in WA.
I urge government and the community to act
My key recommendation in this report is upon this report and its recommendations
to establish a statewide Child Wellbeing – our vulnerable children and young people
Strategy, with a priority on targeted, early urgently need an improved approach.
intervention for vulnerable children, young
people and their families.
This strategy should set clear outcomes and
targets that can be measured to ensure we
COLIN PETTIT
are making progress.
Commissioner for Children and Young People
I have made a further four recommendations
for government on strengthening oversight,
enabling Aboriginal-led solutions and
building community capacity.
“I do think I was vulnerable. And in a certain sense I do think I’m still
vulnerable…I was out there by myself and I was naked to the world. I was
desperately searching for things to grapple on to and slipping. I just needed
someone to scoop me up and be like ‘I’m going this way, down here, this is
where you’re supposed to go’.”
Young person
Improving the odds for WA’s vulnerable children and young people 5The Commissioner’s focus
on vulnerability
Since its inception 12 years ago, the Commissioner’s website. Four executive
Commissioner for Children and Young roundtables were held with guests including
People’s office has advocated for the rights government ministers and leaders from the
and wellbeing of WA children and young government, not for profit and business
people, with particular priority for Aboriginal sectors.
children and young people and those who
experience disadvantage for any reason. As part of the Series, a one-day forum
was held and attended by 72 Aboriginal
While many children and young people leaders in WA to seek the views of Elders
fare well and live in nurturing households and Aboriginal people whose work involves
and communities, some children and supporting the wellbeing of Aboriginal
young people who have participated in the communities, children and young people.
Commissioner’s consultations have shared The forum included facilitated discussion on
their insights and experiences of issues such creating Aboriginal-led solutions to address
as violence, abuse and neglect in the home, the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children
challenges with mental health, disability or and young people in vulnerability measures.
chronic health issues, disengagement from Senior Aboriginal leaders who attended
education, involvement in criminal activity the forum made clear statements on what
and alcohol and drug use. needs to change to improve outcomes for
Aboriginal children and young people.
The persistent disadvantage and poorer
outcomes experienced by vulnerable This report on the Commissioner’s focus on
children and young people in WA prompted vulnerability draws together the learnings
the Commissioner to focus on vulnerability from the expert speaker presentations,
by exploring current evidence and bringing Aboriginal forum and executive roundtable
government, service providers, practitioners discussions. It concludes with the
and researchers together to generate ideas Commissioner’s recommendations to build
and discussion aimed at developing more on the current efforts to improve outcomes
effective responses. for vulnerable children and young people in
WA. The Commissioner will monitor progress
The Vulnerability Speaker Series involved on these recommendations and continue to
three public seminars with seven expert work with agencies to advance solutions and
guest speakers. Videos and slides from advocate on behalf of vulnerable children
the presentations and other resources and young people.
relating to the Series are available on the
6 COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WAImproving the odds for WA’s vulnerable children and young people 7
Overview of the research
on vulnerability
“…it wasn’t always rainbows and butterflies. My mum and my dad were both
drug addicts, my dad was in and out of jail my whole life, there was a lot of
domestic violence and mental health issues in the home. So at the age of 14
my Mum took her life and then within that same week my Dad went back to
jail so it was me and my brother just living together. He was 16 at the time so
we were both going to school and working to try to pay off the mortgage.”
Young person
Risks Drivers
No single risk factor on its own causes In order to reach their potential, children
vulnerability and poorer outcomes for and young people need to grow up in
children and young people. Research shows healthy, safe and nurturing environments,
that risks are cumulative and their impact on with positive and supportive relationships,
children and young people vary depending and opportunities to learn and participate
on the child’s age, type of risk and length of in their communities. Research indicates
exposure.1,2 the key drivers of children’s development
and wellbeing are biology, the expectations
Children and young people’s probability of others hold and they have of themselves,
experiencing vulnerability is often understood and the opportunities available to them.3
as the interplay between risk factors
(circumstances or events that increase the
likelihood of poor outcomes) and protective Biology
factors (attributes or conditions that moderate Children’s physical, cognitive, social
risk and promote healthy development and emotional development is prompted
and wellbeing). Protective factors include by their biology. While the genes a
growing up in a loving and safe environment child inherits from their parents play a
with positive family relationships, living in significant role, they do not determine the
adequate and stable housing, and having child’s development and future pathways.
access to quality education and to services Children’s experiences in utero and
that support their healthy development. their environments, and experiences
and relationships in their early years of
Therefore, strategies to address vulnerability
life are built into the architecture of the
must respond to the multiple risks and
developing brain which influences their
exposures to harm, as well as build the
physical and mental health, learning
protective factors that positively influence
capacity and behaviour throughout life.4
children and young people’s development
and wellbeing.
8 COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WAdrug use, violence, mental health issues,
Expectations harsh parenting or bullying is present.
Children’s development is prompted by Social and economic disadvantage can
carers’ expectations about the capability also significantly constrain children’s
of their children to undertake tasks, development and wellbeing and may be due
achieve well and assume responsibility. to family unemployment, lack of suitable
Expectations of children also arise from and affordable housing, illness or disability,
other members of the child’s community racism and other forms of discrimination.5,6
such as teachers, peers and extended This can then manifest in social exclusion
family. This includes connection to culture and inequality, which in turn limits access to
and expectations set in a cultural context. high quality child care, health care, schooling
When the environments in which children and employment opportunities.7,8
grow up set high expectations of them,
Furthermore, families who experience
they are encouraged and enabled to
poverty and other disadvantage are less
achieve development milestones. This
likely to have the capacity and resources to
in turn influences self-expectations and
provide a safe and enriching home learning
confidence. On the other hand, low
environment for their children.9 For example,
expectations of individual children or
low family income status, among other
particular groups of children can constrain
factors, has been identified as a barrier to
their ability to grow, learn and achieve.
parent-child reading that is crucial for young
children’s literacy development and lifelong
Opportunities learning.10
The opportunities young children have
to engage with responsive caregivers
Trajectories
and participate in stimulating activities Children and young people who experience
prompts their socio-emotional and brain significant disadvantage and adversity in
development. Opportunities to live in a their early years can be set on a pathway
safe and loving environment and have of cumulative harm. If home, school and
access to education, health care and community environments do not offer the
employment are also fundamental in stability, safety and support these children
shaping the wellbeing of children and and young people need to overcome such
young people. Experiences children and challenges, they often seek a means of
young people are exposed to such as escape that can lead to drug and alcohol
sport and recreational activities, meeting use, mental health problems, school
new people, and travel to new places are exclusion, homelessness and criminal
also influential. behaviour.11 As they accumulate new
traumatic experiences along this trajectory,
opportunities diminish, they become further
Constraints marginalised and their disadvantage
There are a number of factors that can deepens.
constrain the development of children
and young people and have longer- In the absence of appropriate resources
term impacts on their wellbeing and life and opportunities at the right time to
outcomes. These include poverty, stress, support vulnerable children and young
trauma (from physical, emotional and people, the outcomes of these trajectories
sexual abuse, neglect, and exposure to can include disengagement from learning,
family violence) and family dysfunction unemployment and mental health issues,
including environments where alcohol and as well as more extreme outcomes.
Improving the odds for WA’s vulnerable children and young people 9These include sustained homelessness, •• in-reach family support services that are
multiple placements in out-of-home care, strengths-based and non-judgemental
repeat involvement with youth justice,
•• tailored, flexible support that meets the
suicide or permanent injury following risky
needs of each family.
behaviour, entrenched vulnerability to
abuse and neglect, and early parenthood The role of the broader community as
without adequate parenting capacity or well as families in supporting children
preparedness for adult life.12 and young people is also significant.
Emerging international research highlights
However, it is the unique and complex mix a mismatch of resources to need whereby
of biology, expectations, opportunities, and an estimated one in five (20 per cent) of the
the families and environments children and most vulnerable children and young people
young people grow up in that shapes their in a community do not receive help from
long-term wellbeing and life outcomes. intensive support services.14
Furthermore, vulnerable children and young
people often demonstrate great resilience Rather, the majority of children and young
in the face of adversity and remain active people who do receive intensive support
agents in how their life experiences play out. services are not those in greatest need.15
This largely depends on the support and Some children and young people identified
care they receive to persevere in the face as being most vulnerable receive help
of adversity and the opportunities they are from society (including family, neighbours,
given to make meaningful choices about mentors) however, an estimated one in 20
their lives and reach their potential. receive no support from services or society.16
Furthermore, if vulnerability is not identified
early enough, there are missed opportunities
Community for prevention or mitigation of risks and
Families are one of the most influential service responses may be less effective
factors on the wellbeing of children and later.
young people. Strong family relationships
In addition to targeted services and
are associated with positive outcomes
programs, the broader community, including
for children as they tend to provide an
families, neighbours, school staff and other
environment which fosters the development
local community members, also play a
of high self-esteem, provides positive role
significant role in supporting vulnerable
models and assists children to cope with
children and young people, both to mitigate
adverse life experiences and stress.13
the need for service intervention early on
Therefore it is essential to build the capacity
and later if children and young people fall
of parents, caregivers and families so they
through gaps in the service system.
are supported to provide environments in
which their children can be healthy, safe,
engaged in learning and have opportunities Relationships
to thrive.
There is growing recognition of the
Features of the support important for families importance of human connection and
and caregivers include: relationships for individual and societal
•• proactive early intervention support wellbeing.17,18
•• approaches that break the cycle of The Commissioner’s School and Learning
family intergenerational involvement consultation with almost 2,000 WA school
with statutory services students identified quality interpersonal
10 COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WArelationships, with friends, other students, These include having:
teachers and other school staff, as well
•• structure and limits and reasonable
as with their families, as the foundation
consequences for their actions
for students’ engagement with school and
learning.19 These relationships foster a •• a powerful identity
sense of belonging and of feeling valued, •• a sense of control over their lives
and enable students to develop patterns and believing in their own capacity to
of persistence and motivation and have overcome hardship
access to a support network. This is
important in the context of vulnerability as •• fair and just treatment in their
strong engagement with school can provide communities
an important source of early intervention •• physical and psychological safety
and support for vulnerable children and
•• a sense of belonging, life purpose and
young people and prevent escalating
spirituality/culture.22
poor outcomes associated with school
disengagement. Building respectful, trusting relationships
with vulnerable children and young people
The research of Dr Michael Ungar, the has a powerful impact and can be the
Commissioner’s 2014 Thinker in Residence, circuit breaker that disrupts their trajectory
highlighted the crucial role of relationships to of vulnerability and creates a pathway for
mitigate the negative impact of experiences positive change.23 The characteristics of
of harm and adversity.20 His research families, community members and workers
on resilience found children who have a who engage with vulnerable children and
positive, adaptive response in the face of young people are therefore pivotal.
significant adversity had at least one stable,
caring and supportive relationship with a Emerging research into ‘relational capability’
parent, caregiver or other adult.21 These identifies some of the core characteristics
relationships provide the personalised among workers who excel in relationships.
responsiveness, support and protection that These include optimism (a belief that almost
buffer children from developmental disruption everyone is capable of change and that
due to adversity. those facing huge challenges are ‘victims
of circumstance’ rather than bad people),
Dr Ungar’s research also identified other empathy, emotional maturity, tenacity, and
important factors that support children’s passion.24 Fostering the development and
positive, adaptive responses when exposed application of these skills and qualities
to adversity, which is strongly influenced among workers and the broader community
through the relationships with adults in their is important to enable people to build
lives. relationships with, and effectively support,
vulnerable children and young people.
Improving the odds for WA’s vulnerable children and young people 11The views of children and
young people
Since 2007, the Commissioner has Safe and supported
consulted children and young people across
WA on a variety of issues and themes. Many Children and young people clearly articulate
of these consultations have focused on the importance of feeling safe in their home,
children and young people who experience school and community environments, having
adversity or disadvantage, including those stability in their home life, and their desire for
who: strong boundaries and lots of support.
•• have disability
•• are culturally and linguistically diverse “A stable environment to go to. They’ll
allow you to say what you want to
•• identify as LGBTI say and not tell you to quiet down;
•• have experience in out-of-home care a positive place. Sometimes home
isn’t the best place to talk about your
•• have been involved in the youth justice
problems. A physically and mentally
system
safe environment.”
•• have experience of homelessness.
Children and young people overwhelmingly
This includes priority attention to identify family and strong family relationships
Aboriginal children and young people as central and formative in their lives. They
who are overrepresented in measures commonly discuss the importance of loving,
of disadvantage and vulnerability. From supportive families, being loved and cared
these consultations, children and young for and having respectful and trusting long-
people’s views on the underlying causes term relationships with family.
of vulnerability and what they need to build
their resilience and reach their potential
became clear. Their views are presented “Family things are important as they
within the domains of the Commissioner’s give you good memories, role models,
Wellbeing Monitoring Framework: a safe home and support.”
•• Safe and supported
•• Healthy and connected “My Mum and my Nan have really
been the rocks of my life and they’ve
•• Learning and participating.25
always stuck like glue and stuck
everyone together. Without them I
don’t think I would have gotten as
far, without their encouragement and
support.”
For young people who lack a stable,
nurturing family, sources of support may
come from building a relationship with
another adult in their lives, such as a teacher
12 COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WAor support worker. Young people have said it Healthy and connected
is important these adults are able to support
them in a way that respects their autonomy. Children and young people express a holistic
view of health and wellbeing that includes
physical, mental, emotional and social
“I was sent to a leaving care service
dimensions.
and I was speaking with a youth
worker who really made me believe
in myself, in who I was as a person “For me to be healthy I have to be
and showed me that I could be what I happy, feel safe, feel comfortable,
wanted. I wasn’t this kid in care, I was enjoy the people that I’m around, and
just [name]. And she’s been in my life to be healthy is not only not to be sick.”
for four years now and it’s the closest
attachment I’ve ever had to having a
“[To have a healthy and happy life,
parental figure or a mother/daughter
I need] acceptance, inclusion, to be
relationship.”
seen as a person with potential and for
help to reach that potential.”
Children and young people commonly
describe the value of people who provide
sources of support and role modelling “…in hindsight I now see that there
in their lives, particularly those who set were also things that were missing in
high expectations of them and give them my life…until I was maybe 14, I felt
opportunities to achieve. People who spend like I had to be there for my parents
time and connect with young people, and instead of my parents being there
independent people and supports outside for me... having that lack of healthy
of the young person’s immediate network of attachment, led to some significant
family or peers are also highly valued. mental health issues for me.”
Children and young people often talk about
“[I] need help from teachers, homework
the importance of feeling connected to
centres, mentors, family and most of all
their community and to support networks,
a lot of role models that are showing a
and feeling a sense of belonging and how
lot of young kids like me that they can
this positively influences their wellbeing. In
be somebody.”
particular, they describe the value of having
someone in their lives they trust and feel
“A bit more positive role models…just connected to, whether that be a parent,
to help the younger kids get back on carer, teacher, Elder, service worker or
track, tell ‘em, sorta like, tell ‘em what friend.
the consequences are really. And they
need to do stuff with ‘em a lot more – “I reckon everyone needs one good
instead of being out on the streets. I friend, one person that you can just tell
think that could take their mind off of everything.”
stealing, drinking, smoking, and that
sort of stuff.” Aboriginal children and young people say
Aboriginal culture and traditional values,
such as respect for Elders, sharing and
being close to family, and connection to
country, is of great importance to their
identity and wellbeing.
Improving the odds for WA’s vulnerable children and young people 13“[Culture] tells me who I am and makes “For me, a person with a disability,
me feel good. It makes me feel like I [school] was a terrible, discriminatory
belong somewhere.” experience for me. They did not accept
me… People still treat me like I’m
worthless. People don’t respect me.
“For me [what’s important is] learning People don’t believe in me.”
about my culture and knowing how
I relate to it and being able to spend
time learning about my culture with my “At school I’ve been kind of getting
grandmother and family and [to] be bullied. So it’s hard for me cos my
shown the different types of things and grades aren’t that good because I’m
responsibilities.” worrying about myself being hurt or
something, so it’s hard for me. I like
school but sometimes I don’t even
Learning and participating want to go to school because of it.”
Schooling has a strong influence on a child’s
future pathway into employment and further What works for children and
education and success at school is an
important pathway out of intergenerational young people
disadvantage. Children and young people
Children and young people who participated
strongly identify the need and value in going
in the Commissioner’s School and Learning
to school to get a good education, a good
consultation shared a range of ideas on the
job and a better life. They express a very
support they need in challenging times and
clear understanding about the connections
how this support can be most effectively
between a good education and a good
provided.
quality of life.
Improving education and training for
“Every kid in the state (should) go workers
to school so they can get a better
education and life so when they grow “I think we need more education for
up they can understand themselves the teachers and the principals and the
and people will respect them.” EAs and all the staff. More PDs, more
training, more workshops, hands-on
workshops about disability just to make
“Education [gives you a] better chance sure that people with disability enjoy
in life. Because without it, you won’t school and not hate it, and not have a
get a job.” bad experience. I think for me the most
important thing is for people to have an
Children and young people commonly open-mindedness, an open attitude,
described disengagement from school as and be very positive, not negative
significantly contributing to poor outcomes. against disability.”
Feeling out of place and unwelcome
at school, experiencing bullying and
discrimination, finding school boring, a lack “I think if my mental health was taken
of support educationally and financially, more seriously rather than put down
and suspension or expulsion have all been to behavioural problems and that I
discussed by young people as leading to was just acting out, I think I wouldn’t
disengagement from school and learning. have ended up so unwell or so lost in
14 COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WAmyself, and wondering what was going “Well first of all they should build
on in my head. I felt like a lost little girl relationships, bonding with the kids.
that missed out on that childhood of They should take an interest in what
growing up and being happy. I think I the kids like and want to do and stuff
needed to be taken more seriously.” like that. But after that they should
help the kids you know, become
Building relationships with young people independent people.”
“I think supporting young people when Providing more support for families
you are working for the department,
under your policies and procedures “Supporting families, making sure
can be really difficult but that’s when the families know how to give [young
a lot of them stand back and be really, people] the life that they deserve.”
really professional and it’s just…I like
to know the person I’m working with
a little bit. I don’t want to know if like, “To support Aboriginal children
you’re married or your personal life, but and their families, I think that there
I want to know something about you should be a more clear focus on our
like your favourite colour, your favourite culture and togetherness because in
food, or something that makes me Aboriginal culture it’s a real big thing
think you’re another human being, not that everyone’s together and everyone
just someone behind an office chair.” is family, that’s our mob.”
Having expectations of young people and
“Not always by the books and big creating opportunities so they can build a
words in counselling, like across a sense of hope for their future
desk from each other. A lot of kids find
that really intimidating. Go take them “…to not give up on us as people
down the beach and kick a footy or even when you might think that there’s
play some basketball or do some yoga. no hope. There’s always hope for
Do some stuff that they get into, that someone to change. If people give
they can get something from as well, up hope, why should we have hope
instead of making it so clinical.” in ourselves? I struggled on my own,
like believing in myself and to have
Building young people’s autonomy someone else believe in me was what
made me think that I could believe in
“I believe that people who want to work myself.”
with young children, they need to be
understanding and empathetic and
they have to know that not every child “Since I have been in high school,
is the same so don’t treat them like a lot of programs have been like
they are the same and they all have Follow the Dream, tutoring for
different problems and, you know, don’t Indigenous students, it’s like a real
try to enforce your decisions on them. family there and it is really nice to be
Let them make up a decision on their able to be around people who also
own.” celebrate good grades and academic
excellence.”
Improving the odds for WA’s vulnerable children and young people 15Key learnings from the
Vulnerability Speaker Series
The Commissioner’s focus on vulnerability Winthrop Professor Donna Cross
in 2018 generated learnings, ideas and ‘The lived experience of poverty
strategies to inform the development among children’
of more effective responses to improve
•• Poverty can have immediate and
outcomes for vulnerable children and
long-term impacts on children’s brain
young people in WA. The information was
development and health.
gathered from the contributions of expert
guest speakers, government ministers and •• Children who grow up in poverty may
MPs, and senior representatives from ten have difficulty learning and at school.
government agencies, two peak bodies, They may find it difficult to adapt,
three universities, multiple non-government concentrate, manage their behaviour
organisations, and senior Aboriginal leaders and emotions, and work with others.
in WA (Appendix One). This can create an educational
achievement gap between poor children
and their more advantaged peers.
Evidence and ideas from
•• Poverty can limit parents’ ability to
guest speakers provide consistent and responsive care,
and a stimulating learning environment
Winthrop Professor Stephen Zubrick
for their child.
‘Vulnerability: risks, predictions,
outcomes’ •• It is important to understand the
lived experience of poverty from the
•• The key drivers of children’s
perspective of the child – children often
development are their biology, the
describe how poverty impacts their
expectations others hold and they have
sense of security, friendships, leisure
of themselves, and the opportunities
activities, social participation, schooling
available to them.
and aspirations for the future.
•• Children develop in place, in context
and in time and are impacted by Professor Alan Duncan ‘Exploring the
national and global policies and events. economic impact of vulnerability to
society’
•• Avoid focusing too heavily on individual
risks of children becoming vulnerable •• Approximately 7.2 per cent of all
as it places too much responsibility on children and young people in WA under
individuals and does not recognise the the age of 15 years are living below
systemic and structural influences that the 50 per cent poverty line (standard
contribute to vulnerability. poverty measure), while approximately
3 per cent are living below 30 per cent
•• Place-based policies and practices
of median income (severe poverty
are important because initiatives
measure).
can be tailored to the developmental
circumstances of the local child
population to address the actual need.
16 COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WA•• Children in single parent families face a •• a Child Impact Assessment Tool that
far higher risk of poverty. They are more every government department has to
likely to experience financial hardship use in constructing any law or policy to
and material deprivation. assess it against how it affects children
•• In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait •• a Child Poverty Reduction Bill,
Islanders have median household introduced in 2018, requiring the
incomes 20 per cent lower than other government to set and report on three-
households. year and 10-year targets on child
poverty levels
•• Markers of emotional vulnerability,
exclusion and financial hardship has •• a Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy to
increased for families with children and drive outcome-based policy and action
young people across the last decade. on children’s wellbeing with a particular
•• There is strong evidence poverty has focus on vulnerable children.
a scarring effect on young adults who
Professor Leah Bromfield
leave a family home that is under
‘Effective strategies to prevent and
financial distress and adversely impacts
address child abuse and neglect’
their future economic and social
outcomes. Some of the implications from the Australian
Centre for Children Protection’s research into
Judge Andrew Becroft the child protection system in South Australia
‘Better outcomes for NZ’s most needy are the need to:
under 18 year olds: what’s hot and •• build robust mechanisms for oversight
what’s not?’ of the child protection system
New Zealand has implemented a number •• focus on key prevention strategies
of strategies that are seeking to improve including: reducing the pregnancy
outcomes for all children and young people, rates for teens with maltreatment/
but particularly those who experience trauma history; interventions for young
vulnerability. These include: parents with trauma histories which are
designed to respond to family violence,
•• the Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for
alcohol and drug use and mental health
Children; most of the children and
issues; and delaying future pregnancies
young people referred to the Ministry
for first-time adolescent parents
are living in families with multiple and
complex needs •• provide families who have multiple
children chronically involved in child
•• the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989
protection with high quality, intensive,
(Children’s and Young People’s
culturally competent interventions
Wellbeing Act) which now requires any
written decisions to include the child’s or •• address intergenerational trauma and
young person’s views abuse among children of the families
involved in child protection
•• the Vulnerable Children Act 2014
that sets priorities for improving the •• reform child protection triage and
wellbeing of vulnerable children and assessment to move away from an
young people incident-based system to a system that
is child and family centred so they can
be provided with the right support at the
right time.
Improving the odds for WA’s vulnerable children and young people 17Winthrop Professor Helen Milroy Mr Mick Gooda
‘Intergenerational trauma and ‘Re-setting relations and place-based
vulnerability’ approaches’
•• Australia is yet to understand and
•• There is a need to reset relationships
acknowledge the magnitude of the
between Aboriginal people and non-
historical and contemporary trauma
Aboriginal people in order to move
experienced by Aboriginal people.
forward and create change.
•• Anyone whose work involves Aboriginal
•• Service delivery in Aboriginal
children and young people (including
communities is severely fragmented.
teachers, workers in child protection,
Responses must be place-based,
mental health and youth justice) must
designed by people in that community
be trauma competent – better training is
so it is tailored to local circumstances
needed for all these workers.
and the community’s needs.
•• We cannot address the vulnerability of
•• Government needs to decentralise
Aboriginal children in isolation from their
power and delegate decision-making
family, community and culture.
authority to local and regional levels,
•• Pathways to healing that address and not only fund the delivery of
trauma, grief, powerlessness and services but fund and resource the
incorporate Aboriginal knowledge process of governance for Aboriginal
systems and healing practices are organisations.
essential to move forward.
•• The Bourke community in NSW is an
•• Aboriginal children need strong, safe, example of good practice. Partnerships
enduring relationships with carers and between the community and services
early, comprehensive and collaborative are based on mutual trust, respect
intervention services that build on the and commitment, and the community
strengths of Aboriginal people and requires services to be culturally
culture. competent, build the capacity of
local Aboriginal people and have an
Aboriginal employment strategy.
18 COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WADiscussion themes
The following is a summary of the ideas and the developing brain whereby significant
evidence from the presentations and the stress from ongoing hardship disrupts the
discussions at the executive roundtables and biological foundations of learning, behaviour
Aboriginal forum in the Vulnerability Speaker and health, which can have lifelong
Series. damaging consequences.28
Prioritising children Families in poverty are more likely to
have limited capacity and resources
A core theme throughout all the discussions to provide a safe and enriching home
in the Series was the need for children learning environment for their children.29
to be prioritised at the forefront of all ‘Working poor’ families (employed, cash-
considerations and decision-making to poor time-poor families who tend to live
ensure their rights and best interests are in disadvantaged areas) are a group
upheld at all times. The importance of recognised as having less time for the
building greater understanding that children’s care of their children, being less likely
wellbeing is the shared responsibility of the to be eligible for, or receive a lower
entire community was also highlighted. level of, income support, and having
less disposable income to divert to child
Suggested actions care and developmental resources and
opportunities.30
All government departments and service
providers need to assess the impact of In WA, children in the ‘working poor’ group
proposed laws and policies and their show no improvement in their development
programs on the rights and wellbeing of from four to eight years, consistently
children and young people. WA should remaining six months behind their
develop Child Impact Assessments to developmentally enabled peers.31 This has
ensure the best interests of children important policy implications as it suggests
are upheld in every policy, program and a need to change policies and programs
service. that determine threshold barriers to access
support and services in order to redress
Poverty inequities in family income, enable a more
equitable distribution of opportunities for
Poverty was consistently raised throughout parental education and training, and improve
the Series as one of the most significant access to high quality early childhood
contributors to vulnerability among children, education and care in disadvantaged areas.
young people and families.
The work undertaken in New Zealand to
There is a strong link between family poverty prepare a Child Poverty Reduction Bill was
and a range of poorer outcomes in life, discussed by stakeholders at the Series and
including limited school achievement and suggested as an approach Australia could
lifetime income, lifelong impairments in explore.
physical and mental health, and premature
death.26 Early childhood is a particularly Suggested actions
sensitive period in which economic
deprivation may compromise children’s A whole-of-government response to
outcomes in later life.27 Poverty can affect reducing childhood poverty should be
considered at a national level.
Improving the odds for WA’s vulnerable children and young people 19Trauma
Suggested actions
A number of presenters and stakeholders at
the Series described how trauma underpins All services and organisations that
the poor long-term outcomes for many support vulnerable children and young
vulnerable children and young people. people must be trauma-competent.
This means the workforce must be
Trauma can include physical, emotional appropriately trained and skilled in
and sexual abuse, neglect, exposure to trauma-informed practice.
family violence, random violence and
abandonment, as well as experiences such
as severe illness and bullying, poverty and
homelessness. If young people do not
Aboriginal disadvantage
have adequate opportunities to receive The range of evidence and discussion on
support and manage their trauma, they may vulnerability through the Series highlighted
internalise their experiences and create that Aboriginal children and young people
their own means of coping.32 This can are disproportionately affected across all
result in destructive behaviours such as areas of disadvantage.
high rates of drug and alcohol abuse, self-
harm, suicide attempts, criminal behaviour Despite significant investment and policy
and interaction with the justice system, commitments, including the Council
detachment from culture and family support, of Australian Governments’ (COAG)
and disengagement from school.33,34 commitment to close the gap in Indigenous
disadvantage in 2007, there has been little
The findings from the Royal Commission progress in improving wellbeing among
into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Aboriginal children and young people.37
Abuse highlight the profound and lasting They continue to be overrepresented in
impact of trauma on the lives of victims, in vulnerability measures including poverty,
their childhood and throughout their adult out-of-home care, youth justice involvement,
lives. This includes the detrimental impacts homelessness and mental health issues.
child sexual abuse can have on a person’s
mental and physical health, interpersonal Addressing the underlying causes of the
relationships, connection to culture, poor health and wellbeing in Aboriginal
sexual and gender identity, education and communities is essential to most effectively
employment.35 These interconnected impacts bring about change, and trauma is an
can be experienced at the same time or important component of this. Trauma is a
consecutively as a cascade of effects over pervasive and complex aspect of the lives of
a lifetime. For example, many survivors who Aboriginal people, operating at an individual,
spoke to the Royal Commission described collective and community level, with
how they developed addictions after using historical and contemporary manifestations.38
alcohol or other drugs to manage the Aboriginal people have been exposed to
psychological trauma of abuse, which in turn generations of trauma through colonisation,
affected their physical and mental health, dispossession, assimilation, child removal
sometimes leading to criminal behaviour and policies and marginalisation.39 The
relationship difficulties.36 magnitude and compounding nature of
intergenerational trauma experienced by
Aboriginal people is still not adequately
recognised in Australia. Acknowledging and
understanding intergenerational trauma is an
essential step in the healing process that is
20 COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WAneeded to improve outcomes for Aboriginal to lead the solutions to improve the
children and young people and their wellbeing of Aboriginal children, young
families. This requires increased community people and families.
recognition of the impact of trauma and
•• Resource Aboriginal community-
greater investment in the delivery of trauma-
controlled organisations to deliver
informed care and development of a trauma-
services and build community capacity.
competent workforce. Healing processes
in communities, which include a focus on •• Build policies to drive Aboriginal
addressing intergenerational trauma, are an economic participation and
essential first step. development.
•• Advocate for an Aboriginal
All support services and approaches to
Commissioner for Children and Young
address trauma must embed opportunities to
People.
strengthen Aboriginal culture and identity,40
and harness the knowledge and practices •• Programs and services working in
of Aboriginal communities to provide safe, the Aboriginal community must be
nurturing environments and holistic care Aboriginal-led, rights-based, client
to their vulnerable children and families.41 (child) centred, place-based, evaluated
The Commissioner has consulted many and appropriately resourced.
Aboriginal children and young people in WA •• Mainstream services must build their
and they have consistently described the cultural competence, including trauma-
importance of strong culture and identity to informed practices, to ensure Aboriginal
their wellbeing. people always have access to culturally
safe support.
Suggested actions The statements from the senior Aboriginal
leaders at the forum clearly call for new ways
Acknowledging and understanding the
of working with Aboriginal communities.
intergenerational trauma experienced by
This means rather than Aboriginal people
Aboriginal people is an essential first step
being ‘engaged’ or ‘consulted’ as ‘advisors’
of the healing process that is necessary
or ‘co-designers’ of services and policies,
to improve outcomes for Aboriginal
they are authorised and empowered to own,
children, young people and families.
direct and make strategic decisions about
All services and programs must build policies, funding and allocation of resources,
their cultural competency and ensure program/service design, implementation and
Aboriginal children and young people’s evaluation.42
needs are addressed in the context of
The two-page high level summary of issues
their family, community and culture.
and solutions raised by Aboriginal people is
available in Appendix Two. The full summary
Aboriginal-led solutions report on the Aboriginal forum is available on
the Commissioner’s website.
Senior Aboriginal leaders who attended
the forum made clear statements on what The recommendations put forward by
needs to change to improve outcomes for Aboriginal leaders align with the WA Service
Aboriginal children and young people in WA. Priority Review’s recommendation that
Key messages from the leaders: government considers the establishment
of a formal, upgraded representative
•• Transfer power and responsibility to voice for Aboriginal people in the State,
Aboriginal people and communities possibly at regional levels, and to negotiate
Improving the odds for WA’s vulnerable children and young people 21agreements with regional Aboriginal •• invest in each community’s social
groups to progress the economic and and physical capital, such as
social aspirations of Aboriginal people.43 physical infrastructure, and activities
The Review acknowledges that in order to that enhance social cohesion and
effectively address Aboriginal aspirations community safety and encourage young
and disadvantage there will need to be people to establish connections with
an adjustment to the internal systems and their local community47
processes with which the public sector
•• long-term, consultative and tailored
works.44
in response to the strengths, needs
Suggested actions and aspirations of children and young
people and their community.48
Begin a process of decentralising Importantly, place‐based approaches can
power and transferring responsibility to operate in conjunction with traditional
Aboriginal people and communities to models of service delivery to develop
lead the solutions and build local capacity innovative local solutions and facilitate
to improve the wellbeing of Aboriginal multiagency collaboration.49 This can enable
children, young people and families. service systems and communities to work
Aboriginal leadership is needed at together to address disadvantage through
the very top of government as well coordinated and collaborative policies and
as recognised representative groups programs that are responsive to local needs
working across WA to influence decision and conditions in each community. The
makers. commissioning, design and implementation
of integrated place-based service systems
requires significant government commitment
Place-based initiatives and resource investment, supported by
public and community sector leadership to
Participants in the Series emphasised the achieve sustainable improvements.
positive outcomes that can be achieved
for vulnerable and disadvantaged families
and communities through place-based Suggested actions
responses, and provided some best practice
Greater investment in place-based
examples of these.
approaches is needed to enable
Place-based approaches involve communities to design and deliver
“…stakeholders engaging in a collaborative interventions at a local level to address
process to address issues as they are the needs of vulnerable children and
experienced within a geographic space, young people and families.
be it a neighbourhood, a region or an
ecosystem.”45 Features of effective place-
based approaches to address vulnerability Child-centred approaches
and disadvantage among children and
families include: Child-centred approaches to supporting
children and young people’s wellbeing
•• coordinated provision of evidence- and addressing underlying causes of
based prevention and early intervention vulnerability were consistently emphasised
services to work with young people and by stakeholders at the Series. Child-centred
families previously disengaged from approaches involve an understanding of the
support services and those from groups child as a whole and all the different factors
considered ‘hard to reach’46 that influence their wellbeing. This means
22 COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WAapproaches that incorporate their individual Early intervention
needs, views, strengths and capacity, as well
as their families and the environments they It was discussed regularly throughout the
grow up in. Series that the most effective approaches
to optimise children and young people’s
Ensuring children and young people’s development and wellbeing are prevention
environments, in particular the institutions (preventing problems and identifying needs
they attend, are child safe is essential. through universal services) and early
The Royal Commission into Institutional intervention (targeted, intensive support for
Responses to Child Sexual Abuse made those in need).52
important recommendations on making
communities and institutions child safe Early identification of vulnerability among
through prevention strategies and proposed children, young people and families is critical
a set of ten Child Safe Standards.50 in order to target strategies that prevent
The Commissioner’s work on child safe risks from escalating and accumulating. This
organisations provides a foundation to requires proactive models of engagement
support the implementation of child safe that focus on the very young within families
principles and practices in organisations in and define risk groupings based on multiple
WA.51 Child safe organisations value and factors to help target strategies that provide
protect children and proactively implement timely, cost-effective intervention services
strategies to enhance the overall experiences to children and families who are most
of children they engage with, balancing the vulnerable.53
focus on child safety with continued positive
interactions and environments that contribute Well-evidenced prevention and early
to healthy development. intervention services must be better
resourced to ensure they are appropriately
An important component of child safe targeted and most effectively delivered
organisations is ensuring children are to vulnerable children, young people and
empowered to participate and share their families. High quality early childhood
views. This requires organisations to embed programs that focus on maternal and child
processes that incorporate a commitment health, early learning and positive parenting
to listening to children and young people’s are particularly important as they can build
voices and factoring their views into strong foundations for children’s wellbeing
their decision-making. This includes early on and prevent or mitigate the need for
understanding children and young people’s more intensive support services later in their
experience of service delivery in order to lives.54
provide support in the right way to achieve
positive outcomes. Encouraging government investment
in early intervention can be supported
by collaborative research across the
Suggested actions
public, community and academic sectors
Continue to invest in building child safe to demonstrate the fiscal cost of late
organisations. This requires organisations intervention.55 Such research can identify
to embed processes that incorporate a preventable costs incurred by the public
commitment to listening to children and sector for children and young people who
young people’s voices, factoring their go on to become involved with statutory
views into their decision-making and services and provide a platform to advocate
empowering their participation. for evidence-informed early intervention
initiatives.
Improving the odds for WA’s vulnerable children and young people 23You can also read
