An extremely mixed bag of feedback is being received by PeakCare about the National Child Protection Conference co-hosted by the Child and Family Welfare Association, Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak and PeakCare in Brisbane on 24th and 25th June.
On the one hand, responses to the feedback survey have featured comments such as:
Outstanding keynote addresses by both Stan Grant and Isaiah Dawe; Isaiah and Stan Grant were absolutely amazing! The highlight of the conference; Truly inspiring!
The panel that addressed self-determination by Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people in relation to the safety, wellbeing and protection of their children was excellent
What I liked best? The way it provided opportunities for First Nations and non-Indigenous practitioners to share practice, network and create better understandings
What I liked best? The panel discussion on the Human Rights Act
Loved it, will attend again; This conference was a great example of community effort and goodwill producing very high quality without all the bells and whistles that profit driven conference organisers use; Felt like it was genuinely community generated and beneficial; Congratulations to all involved; It was a pleasure to be part of such a positive experience
On the other hand, responses to the feedback survey have also included comments such as:
It should have been advertised as an Aboriginal Child Protection Conference as the program was very heavily focussed on this… understand they are mis-proportionally in care but there are also many other children in care
I was disappointed that our National Anthem wasn’t played. Why not? Is it because many Aboriginal people do not acknowledge it? Once again the Conference pandered to one group only… no mention of the good work done by workers in the industry, rather they were vilified
Much of what the panel discussed was insulting to me as a worker in the child protection industry. I’m in the business of supporting carers and children after the child has experienced abuse. To suggest that the industry holds responsibility for the action of parents because of historical context is not acceptable to me
Re: Isaiah Dawe’s keynote address: Love to see someone who has been though the child protection system and Aboriginal doing something positive and not just sitting around complaining
The conference used itself as a platform for promoting the newly formed Human Rights Commission… didn’t identify any feedback from presenters or guest speakers that gave the industry some credit for PROTECTING CHILDREN; If Child Safety workers and others from the Industry are hauled in front of the Human Rights Commission, there’ll be a mass exodus from this industry; Can’t help feeling that there are elements of society (particularly lawyers and socialists) who promote the idea of being a victim
The Conference was terrible – very disappointing; Didn’t learn anything – waste of my time
If you attended the conference and have not yet completed the feedback survey, please do so. The closing date has now been extended to Friday 26 July.
Click here to watch and listen to what Isaiah Dawe had to say after delivering his keynote address.
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