Respecting diversity

Introduction

The Department of Child Safety provides services to children and families who are diverse in many ways. Diversity can be attributable to differences in cultural and linguistic background, gender, lifestyle, sexuality, socio-economic status, family composition, personal beliefs and values. Diversity is reflected among departmental officers, as well as people with whom the department works.

Diversity is enriching, sometimes threatening and almost always challenging.

To respect diversity among different cultural groups, people often need to examine their own personal ideas, customs and beliefs. The beliefs of one person may not be the same as another. People need to respect that others can hold different beliefs with equal conviction.

Culture and language are part of identity. Children and families can suffer if their culture and language are ignored, demeaned or marginalised. Culture is dynamic and evolving, not static. Attempting to represent or define a culture carries with it the risk of stereotyping or misrepresentation.

Respecting diversity is about building responsive relationships and open and honest communication. All departmental officers should take responsibility for respecting diversity in practice, rather than delegating responsibility to people from 'other' cultures or lifestyles in the department.

Respecting diversity does not mean condoning or accepting experiences uncritically because they are culturally based. An inclusive service considers ways in which the abilities, strengths and interests of all children can be supported and extended.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people account for just over 6 per cent of Queensland's children. In 2005-06, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children comprised 11.5 per cent of distinct children subject to a notification, 13.2 per cent of distinct children subject to a substantiation and 25.8 per cent of all children subject to court assessment and child protection orders.

The further that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children move through the child protection system, the higher the rates of over-representation. To reduce this over-representation a concerted whole of service system approach is necessary. This requires a collaborative approach to service delivery built on respect and recognition that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, communities and services want to be active partners with the department.

Previous approaches to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families must be questioned. Appropriate, effective and timely services need to be provided in partnership with the recognised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entities to ensure the safety and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children throughout Queensland.

Urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities are facing different challenges and issues from those families living in rural and remote areas. In Queensland there are numerous discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities with distinct cultural, social, economic and family identities.

Top of page

Children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

Children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are considered to be underrepresented in some service areas. This is due to either their parents or carers not being aware of the availability of these services, or not having access to appropriate services that take into consideration their cultural background.

One view is that children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are 'invisible' in child protection services for the following reasons:

• they do not come into contact with services because of fears about services, especially government services, particularly when parents and families may have fled oppressive regimes;
• they have limited awareness of, or access to, these services;
• service providers do not necessarily have the skills to identify children's protective needs in these families; or
• services, particularly culturally specific services, coming into contact with these families may be more reluctant to report child abuse concerns either because of fears about how these families may be treated by mainstream services or the impact this might have on the service's relationship with the wider community.

Further information

For further information, refer to the supporting documents and resources listed below:

	Practice Paper: Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (PDF 102 KB) Practice Paper: Working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (PDF 292 KB)
	Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland Multicultural directory Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care

Top of page