The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture provides a rich foundation of supports available to all families (parents and children). Practitioners have a duty to work with this cultural safety net, to ensure it remains an element fit for purpose.
It is too often seen in the delivery and practice of Family Law, in both the WA Family Law Court and Perth Children’s Court, whereby the children’s connection to Family, Culture, Language and Land are interrupted, frustrated and even obliterated.
This year's theme Truth, Justice, Listening and Healing is our way to keep our children’s best interest at the forefront of our practice.
TRUTH – accepting the truth of Colonisation, Dispossession, Oppression, and Violence towards our First Nations People.
JUSTICE – Supporting the fight for justice, for our First Nations Peoples.
LISTENING – to our people (Our Elders and Leaders) hearing and understanding their truths and experiences.
HEALING – Knowing and understanding (empathising) with the trauma suffered by our Elders and intergenerational trauma of today’s First Nations Peoples.