Aboriginal Children - Essay Example

Child Care - Aboriginal Children Task Australian Aboriginal is the oldest living culture in the earth. They are living a nomadic life following the seasons and the food. The 19th century was said to be the period of dispossession. The dispossession took place in the first century and a half of European-Aboriginal relations in Australia. This was characterized as the period of dispossession, physical ill treatment, social disruption, population decline, economic exploitation, codified discrimination and cultural devastation. (Gardiner- Garden, 1999). During the dispossession a law was implemented to remove the Aboriginal children (especially girls with light skins) from their parents. The removal was done to segregate the full bloods from the half castes. The children who were removed from their parents were given a cheap source of labour and facilitate the christianing of the indigenous population. The removal of a child from its parent is a violation of human right. Although the purpose of the European and the government is to give a better life for the children still it is not right to forcibly remove child from the custody of its aboriginal parents. The children which are forced to separate with their parents where taught with lies. They were being taught their culture are without value, their language are prohibited, they suffered physical harsh living conditions and experienced multiple institutional and/or foster placements. They think they were unwanted, rejected or that their parents were dead. Based on the reports, one in ten boys and just over one in ten girls allege they were sexually abused in children's institutions-and more abuse in foster placements. The effects and the trauma of the children will be brought to their next children and to their children's children. Reconciliation In January 1991 Robert Tickner, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, submitted a discussion paper entitled Aboriginal Reconciliation. The paper proposed the formation by legislation of a Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation to facilitate a process of reconciliation between Australia's indigenous and wider communities. In 1991 the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Bill 1991 was passed. Patrick Dodson chaired the council and was formally concluded in January 2001. The council's task is to consult widely to determine whether the process would be advanced by a formal document of reconciliation and if so a recommendation on the nature of such document will be forwarded. The diversity in contemporary Australian Aboriginal children is seen during the time of the 19th century wherein the light colored child where remove from its group to become slaves, work or have a better future to their foster parent. The black aboriginal child has its right to stay with their parent. The differences in their color during the time of dispossession play an important role in the aboriginal. It's a form of racism during their time. The main factors that contribute to the development of the identity of the Australian aboriginal are the increasing number of maltreatment, health problem and lack of education to most of the aboriginal. The children which are separated to their parent may have the opportunity to study but is also abuse and maltreated because of their origin. Health problem increases because of misinformation. Proper education is not given to them because of their location and culture. But due to its modern studies and updated information to the government the aboriginal where given proper attention to be able to developed their culture without destroying their beliefs. Task 2 There are several Australian child care centre strategies and resources that promote policies for the development of the aboriginal children. The policy that promotes positive attitudes towards Australian Aboriginal culture is the inclusion policy. This policy includes the inclusion of the aboriginal from the economic growth, citizenship and social capital. The aboriginal is now has the right to represent their group in any way. This policy will help the aborigines to accept the development that the government wants them to have. The children of the aborigines will have the same right as the children of the Australian in the city. This policy will give rights to the children to be involved in the development and improvement that affects the adult and the children as well. This policy allows the children to be involved in research usually in the treatment of diseases, improvement of education and special programs for children. The government allows them to join the research since they are the focus of the said development unless otherwise harmful to them. The inclusion policy has opened a lot of opportunity to Australian Aborigines. Before the children are separated to their parents now they have given the right to involve themselves in several researches about their historical background. This may help the aborigines a lot in developing their life and future. Task 3 Planning Australian Aboriginal children in the start of their existence were not able to study preschool. Because of the reconciliation and acceptance of their group the aboriginal children can have the privilege to study. In preschool, the aboriginal children are not attending the school regularly. They feel that they are different from others especially in their color. The school may do something about this by creating an atmosphere that makes them comfortable. Adopting something from their culture would help them feel welcome. Art works or native material from their group maybe used in the school to show them that they are welcome. Their art works maybe adopted or included in their activity so that they will enjoy doing the said activity. The activity should be understood by the aborigines very well to be able to cope with the others. It is best to have a limited number of students per class in order to give the attention needed by the students. Since the aborigines are not familiar in the English language and does not have the knowledge to count, a strategy is needed to achieve its objective. In order not to offend or insult the aborigines it is best to first inform the parents of the strategy that they will do. Partnership with the government, the school, and the parent is important to make this strategy succeed. This strategy needs certain amount of funds to be able to pursue this strategy. The budget is needed for the additional staff and rooms for the preschool. Proper training for the educator should be done in order to approach the strategy properly. An Australian Aborigines child belongs to the same country like the other Australians. They also have the same right and privileges. They differ in culture and belief but they belong in the same country and must be treated equally. References Gardiner-Garden, J., June 29, 1999, From dispossession to reconciliation, Social Policy group http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rp/1998-99/99rp27.htm#late80sEarly90s Lloyd, G. Vol. 15, Number 2, No One's Land: Australia and the Philosophical Imagination http://www.msu.edu/hypatia/no_one.htm NIH POLICY AND GUIDELINES ON THE INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS; Release Date: March 6, 1998; National Institutes of Health http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-024.html The National Indigenous English Literacy and Numeracy Strategy; 2000-2004, An Initiative of the Commonwealth Government of Australia; March 2000 http://www.dest.gov.au/archive/schools/publications/2000/LNS.pdf Read More