Conference Day One Opening Session
Monday, March 18, 2024 |
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM |
Overview
1:00pm – 1:10pm
Welcome to Country
1:10pm – 1:30pm
Official Welcome & Housekeeping
1:30pm – 2:00pm
Resisting Aboriginal Child State Apprehension - A Lived Experience of a First Nations Mother and Daughters Experience of Standing up to Colonial Power
Miimi Morris, Aboriginal Family Counsellor/Victims of Crime Counsellor at Hunter New England Health and Victims Services NSW
Jenna Margaret Morris, Student at Education Centre against Violence Cumberland Sydney
2:00pm – 2:30pm
For The Sake Of Better Mental Health: Together We MUST Stand
Mark Le Messurier, Educator, Counsellor and Author, Senior South Australian of the Year 2022
Speaker
Miimi Morris
Pre-Doc Indigenous Fellow
School of Global Urban and Social Science
Resisting Aboriginal Child State Apprehension - A Lived Experience of a First Nations Mother and Daughters Experience of Standing up to Colonial Power
Abstract
As Gomeroi and Dungutti third generation survivors of family policing, a mother and her daughter describe their lived experience as narrated through perseverance, culture, kin connection and an enduring survivance. This presentation gives an account of an Indigenous mother and social worker who grew up in the family separation system and had her children stolen.
This presentation gives an account from a daughter who was apprehended, culturally alienated from her mother, kin, culture and country for 12 years under the mismanagement of a white out of home care agency and their white foster carer. It will provide an account of lived experience in responding to the racial harshness of a colonial system which continues to police, apprehend and steal black children to this day. It exposes to the audience an example of child apprehension and white out of home care practices occurring in NSW. Cultural responsiveness is demonstrated through the example of 15 years of resistance fighting a white out of home care and dcj department in Newcastle NSW. From this lived experience a mothers phd study has been born. In a mother’s fight to stand up to the colony in fighting for her and her children's sovereign birthrights to be connected. This story is not one of justice, it is one of continued survivance and servitude.
This presentation gives an account from a daughter who was apprehended, culturally alienated from her mother, kin, culture and country for 12 years under the mismanagement of a white out of home care agency and their white foster carer. It will provide an account of lived experience in responding to the racial harshness of a colonial system which continues to police, apprehend and steal black children to this day. It exposes to the audience an example of child apprehension and white out of home care practices occurring in NSW. Cultural responsiveness is demonstrated through the example of 15 years of resistance fighting a white out of home care and dcj department in Newcastle NSW. From this lived experience a mothers phd study has been born. In a mother’s fight to stand up to the colony in fighting for her and her children's sovereign birthrights to be connected. This story is not one of justice, it is one of continued survivance and servitude.
Biography
I am a proud Gomeroi and Dungutti woman living, working and researching on the unceded lands of
Muloobinbah, Newcastle in NSW. I am a First Nations social worker and current post graduate student
through RMIT University in Melbourne. I have thirty years social work practice experience as an
Indigenous therapist working with Aboriginal communities and people. I have worked with young people
in the juvenile justice setting as a victim services counselor and also working with young people for NSW
Health who have experienced the impacts of colonial trauma. My current research is a decolonising
study looking at the impacts of the colonial out of home care system and how their practices impact
Indigenous mothers and their children. My study looks at the policing and apprehension of Indigenous
children. It also gives an autoethnographic example of my own lived experiences of navigating racial
violence within the out of home care system and how this violence sets out to disconnect and alienate
mothers and their children.
Jenna Morris
Student, Violence Prevention and Aboriginal Well-Being at Education Centre Against Violence
Conference Day One Opening Session
1:15 PM - 1:45 PMAbstract
As Gomeroi and Dungutti third generation survivors of family policing, a mother and her daughter describe their lived experience as narrated through perseverance, culture, kin connection and an enduring survivance. This presentation gives an account of an Indigenous mother and social worker who grew up in the family separation system and had her children stolen.
This presentation gives an account from a daughter who was apprehended, culturally alienated from her mother, kin, culture and country for 12 years under the mismanagement of a white out of home care agency and their white foster carer. It will provide an account of lived experience in responding to the racial harshness of a colonial system which continues to police, apprehend and steal black children to this day. It exposes to the audience an example of child apprehension and white out of home care practices occurring in NSW. Cultural responsiveness is demonstrated through the example of 15 years of resistance fighting a white out of home care and dcj department in Newcastle NSW. From this lived experience a mothers phd study has been born. In a mother’s fight to stand up to the colony in fighting for her and her children's sovereign birthrights to be connected. This story is not one of justice, it is one of continued survivance and servitude.
This presentation gives an account from a daughter who was apprehended, culturally alienated from her mother, kin, culture and country for 12 years under the mismanagement of a white out of home care agency and their white foster carer. It will provide an account of lived experience in responding to the racial harshness of a colonial system which continues to police, apprehend and steal black children to this day. It exposes to the audience an example of child apprehension and white out of home care practices occurring in NSW. Cultural responsiveness is demonstrated through the example of 15 years of resistance fighting a white out of home care and dcj department in Newcastle NSW. From this lived experience a mothers phd study has been born. In a mother’s fight to stand up to the colony in fighting for her and her children's sovereign birthrights to be connected. This story is not one of justice, it is one of continued survivance and servitude.
Biography
I am Jenna and I am a 19-year-old survivor of the family policing system. I am Gomeroi, I am Dungutti, I am Worimi and
Adnyamathanha and I am very proud of my heritage. I grew up in the out of home care system and spent 12 years in foster care
where I was treated as a domestic slave and abused by the carers and this abuse has been covered up by the family policing
system. I grew up completely denied of my culture and connection, and my mother and family group were erased from my life
my knowing, my being and my entire life by the carers and the white out of home care agency. I grew up never knowing my
mother lived 30 minutes away from me and was told that her fighting spirit for us to know her and to be connected to our
culture was somehow wrong
Mark Le Messurier
Educator, Counsellor and Author
Educator, Counsellor and Author
Senior South Australian of the Year 2022
For the sake of better mental health: together we MUST stand
1:45 PM - 2:15 PMAbstract
Over the years I have affectionately used the term, ‘Tough Kids’ in my books. This is to highlight our most vulnerable children and young people who are often hurt, confused, and isolated by the unexpected challenges and barriers they face in life. Often the obstacles facing them are a consequence of disability, neurodivergence, trauma, anxiety, disadvantage, poor understandings and more. My desire has been to inform and enthuse parents, educators, and allied health professionals to scratch below the irritation some behaviours may bring and unearth the emotional need the behaviour is expressing. Only then do we receive a wonderful freedom to be a child’s champion.
Too many children, adolescents, and young adults struggle to form authentic relationships or find their tribe. Yet, we know that continuing disconnection and isolation are sure triggers for mental health issues. To do nothing is unacceptable.
So, twelve years ago, Madhavi Nawana Parker and I developed an evidence-based program, ‘What’s the Buzz?’ (www.whatsthebuzz.net.au). It is a simple and flexible SEL approach based on neuroaffirming principles where individuals come together, in a safe, structured environment to have fun, learn, exchange ideas, and to understand the beauty of each other’s diversity. This is a real, practical, and positive way to address the double empathy problem that frequently exists between autistics and neurotypicals.
Currently, ‘What’s the Buzz?’ being used in more than 90 countries, in hundreds of schools, by many health and wellbeing practitioners, and in scores of community/disability based groups. Thousands of vulnerable young people have found, and continue to find connection, friendship, and opportunities to be together.
‘For the sake of better mental health: together we MUST stand’ by creating and holding this space. Let me provide you a glimpse of this collaborative culture. One that can also be seamlessly integrated into many activities educators and allied health professionals do with young people.
Too many children, adolescents, and young adults struggle to form authentic relationships or find their tribe. Yet, we know that continuing disconnection and isolation are sure triggers for mental health issues. To do nothing is unacceptable.
So, twelve years ago, Madhavi Nawana Parker and I developed an evidence-based program, ‘What’s the Buzz?’ (www.whatsthebuzz.net.au). It is a simple and flexible SEL approach based on neuroaffirming principles where individuals come together, in a safe, structured environment to have fun, learn, exchange ideas, and to understand the beauty of each other’s diversity. This is a real, practical, and positive way to address the double empathy problem that frequently exists between autistics and neurotypicals.
Currently, ‘What’s the Buzz?’ being used in more than 90 countries, in hundreds of schools, by many health and wellbeing practitioners, and in scores of community/disability based groups. Thousands of vulnerable young people have found, and continue to find connection, friendship, and opportunities to be together.
‘For the sake of better mental health: together we MUST stand’ by creating and holding this space. Let me provide you a glimpse of this collaborative culture. One that can also be seamlessly integrated into many activities educators and allied health professionals do with young people.
Biography
Mark Le Messurier is a teacher, counsellor, author, and co-creator of ‘What’s the Buzz?’ He works in private practice in South Australia as a mentor to young people, a coach to parents, and a teacher educator. He’s passionate about nurturing the wellbeing of children and adolescents.
In his books he affectionately uses the term, ‘Tough Kids’ to highlight a cohort of children and young people who are our most vulnerable. They often feel hurt, confused, isolated, and misunderstood by the unexpected barriers they face in life. Subsequently, they do life so much tougher than most.
Mark is the recipient of the Australia Day Council’s 2022 Senior South Australian of the Year Award. His commitment, generosity and consideration for others has helped many families, and has improved the self-worth, mental health and life outcomes of children, adolescents, parents, and educators.
Keynote Presenter
Mark Le Messurier
Educator, Counsellor and Author
Educator, Counsellor and Author
Senior South Australian of the Year 2022
Jenna Morris
Student, Violence Prevention and Aboriginal Well-Being at Education Centre Against Violence
Miimi Morris
Pre-Doc Indigenous Fellow
School of Global Urban and Social Science
Moderator
Julia Cutler
Senior Event Manager
AST Management
Rachel Dempster
Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association
Shinade Hartman
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AST Management
Session Chair
Lyn O'Grady
Community Psychologist
Community Psychologist
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