Commitment to connecting family and culture
At Allambi Care, we recognise the critical importance of family and cultural connections for children in Out-of-Home Care (OOHC). We are committed to providing a sense of belonging, hope, and positive futures to all those we support. Family, culture, relationships, and community are integral to our approach to care. Our goal is to see all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people we support thrive through strong connections to family, land, and culture.
Our vision for reconciliation centres on the children, young people, adults, and families we support every day. We strive to offer a safe place where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can experience respect, dignity, and the freedom to connect with their culture and country. We believe that belonging and relationships with family and community serve as a foundation for growth and healing, paving the way for cultural independence and harmony.
We envision a future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are supported to remain with their families and kin. Our aim is to see communities supporting their children and young people with self-determination and independence. We are dedicated to working with the Aboriginal service sector to strengthen our services, and collaborating with government, non-government organisations, and Aboriginal-controlled services to achieve this goal. We will continue to advocate within the sector to address the disadvantages that lead to the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in care, and to ensure culturally appropriate and respectful services are provided to those already in our care.
Genuine reconciliation requires respect, understanding, and recognition of past injustices and ongoing disadvantages. We commit to being a voice for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people, adults, and families supported by our service. Together, we will pursue equality for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
While systemic changes are occurring across NSW and Australia, there remains a significant need for action and accountability. The Family Matters Report 2023 clearly outlines the areas requiring change and focus. The data presented in the report underscores the need for transformative change and highlights the solutions that need systemic support.
As an organisation, we are committed to ensuring equitable access to high-quality and culturally safe supports by empowering communities to make decisions about their children. We strive to ensure that our policies and practices are culturally safe and responsive to the needs of children and families. We hold ourselves accountable to the community we serve to ensure that the children we support are thriving.
Our vision for reconciliation centres on the children, young people, adults, and families we support every day. We strive to offer a safe place where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can experience respect, dignity, and the freedom to connect with their culture and country. We believe that belonging and relationships with family and community serve as a foundation for growth and healing, paving the way for cultural independence and harmony.
We envision a future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are supported to remain with their families and kin. Our aim is to see communities supporting their children and young people with self-determination and independence. We are dedicated to working with the Aboriginal service sector to strengthen our services, and collaborating with government, non-government organisations, and Aboriginal-controlled services to achieve this goal. We will continue to advocate within the sector to address the disadvantages that lead to the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in care, and to ensure culturally appropriate and respectful services are provided to those already in our care.
Genuine reconciliation requires respect, understanding, and recognition of past injustices and ongoing disadvantages. We commit to being a voice for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people, adults, and families supported by our service. Together, we will pursue equality for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
While systemic changes are occurring across NSW and Australia, there remains a significant need for action and accountability. The Family Matters Report 2023 clearly outlines the areas requiring change and focus. The data presented in the report underscores the need for transformative change and highlights the solutions that need systemic support.
As an organisation, we are committed to ensuring equitable access to high-quality and culturally safe supports by empowering communities to make decisions about their children. We strive to ensure that our policies and practices are culturally safe and responsive to the needs of children and families. We hold ourselves accountable to the community we serve to ensure that the children we support are thriving.
Cultural Support at Allambi Care
Allambi Care's Cultural Support team aims to empower our Aboriginal young people and families, to ensure decisions are family led and community driven for the best needs of the young person.
Cultural committee
Allambi Care's Cultural Committee is comprised of representatives from all our programs. The cultural committee has helped develop the RAP and supports the embedding of the goals across the organisation. The committee is able to communicate with each program Director as well as the executive team to advise on cultural matters and decisions across the organisation.
Cultural Team objectives
Cultural Team goals
Cultural consults
Allambi Care support children across NSW and VIC, through various programs and supports. To ensure that each young person is well connected to their culture and family, the Cultural Team provides cultural consults to our teams. This is to review things such as:
Cultural Training and modules provided through probation
At Allambi Care, we have young people that have lost touch with their cultural identity, seeking help with their culture and traditions. This training is designed to help staff develop a greater understanding of the cultural differences that may impact our young people and provide strategies for more effective outcomes.
Throughout the training, staff learn about different customs, values and how to approach different scenarios, as well as learn cultural differences that may impact how they provide support to a young person.
Due to the nature of our work, each young person is different and provides unique challenges but with the help of the Cultural Team, our staff grow a greater understanding of the importance of cultural awareness in providing care to our young people and be better equipped to plan, communicate and collaborate with young people of diverse backgrounds.
Community engagement
There is a shared passion with the community and other services when celebrating NAIDOC. Allambi are proud to work and walk alongside services such as Wandiyali, Moolimbimba, local police and local elders to celebrate events throughout the year. We attend the local NAIDOC celebrations and host an event of our own to support our young people and families.
Allambi Care have partnered with Black Money to host a day for our children in care to link with the community and successful Aboriginal legends and mentors such as Latrell Mitchell, boxing champions and musical stars. This is an amazing opportunity for children and families to come together celebrating culture, hearing the journey that the mentors took to get where they are, and be inspired. This day brought together services such as Wandiyali, police, local businesses such as Big W to make this day a success.
Cultural committee
Allambi Care's Cultural Committee is comprised of representatives from all our programs. The cultural committee has helped develop the RAP and supports the embedding of the goals across the organisation. The committee is able to communicate with each program Director as well as the executive team to advise on cultural matters and decisions across the organisation.
Cultural Team objectives
- Discuss how to connect Allambi Care clients with culture through family and community relationships, identify any barriers and communicate ways to work through these.
- Support with cultural events throughout the year by planning and communicating amongst the departmental teams and wider community.
- Ensure the Allambi Care Reconciliation Action Plan is being implemented across all programs.
- Supporting and discussing cultural needs across the organisation, including changes in legislation.
- Provide strong cultural support to Allambi Care clients and families.
- Advocate for our young people in care and their families to ensure they are receiving the care and support they need.
Cultural Team goals
- Connecting all kids back to their families and culture.
- Supporting and increasing Kinship placements and restoration.
- Supporting kids back to country while developing and maintaining connections with their family and those important to them.
- Supporting and working with community to inform the decision-making process for the kids we support.
- Family led cultural plans decision-making.
- Self-determination – supporting people to make decisions about their lives.
Cultural consults
Allambi Care support children across NSW and VIC, through various programs and supports. To ensure that each young person is well connected to their culture and family, the Cultural Team provides cultural consults to our teams. This is to review things such as:
- Connection and involvement of family.
- Cultural safety within the placement.
- Cultural education of staff and supports to frontline staff.
- Support in developing the cultural plans with family and the team.
- Direct mentoring as required for individuals as well as supporting relationships within the community.
- Organising of representatives at case planning meetings where needed.
- Support relationship building between community, family and the Allambi supports.
Cultural Training and modules provided through probation
At Allambi Care, we have young people that have lost touch with their cultural identity, seeking help with their culture and traditions. This training is designed to help staff develop a greater understanding of the cultural differences that may impact our young people and provide strategies for more effective outcomes.
Throughout the training, staff learn about different customs, values and how to approach different scenarios, as well as learn cultural differences that may impact how they provide support to a young person.
Due to the nature of our work, each young person is different and provides unique challenges but with the help of the Cultural Team, our staff grow a greater understanding of the importance of cultural awareness in providing care to our young people and be better equipped to plan, communicate and collaborate with young people of diverse backgrounds.
Community engagement
There is a shared passion with the community and other services when celebrating NAIDOC. Allambi are proud to work and walk alongside services such as Wandiyali, Moolimbimba, local police and local elders to celebrate events throughout the year. We attend the local NAIDOC celebrations and host an event of our own to support our young people and families.
Allambi Care have partnered with Black Money to host a day for our children in care to link with the community and successful Aboriginal legends and mentors such as Latrell Mitchell, boxing champions and musical stars. This is an amazing opportunity for children and families to come together celebrating culture, hearing the journey that the mentors took to get where they are, and be inspired. This day brought together services such as Wandiyali, police, local businesses such as Big W to make this day a success.
Bergy Seltzer – intake and permanency meeting
The iceberg holds a meaningful place in Allambi Care's framework given its historical ties to the core training and philosophies of the organisation. “Bergy Seltzer” is the term given to the sound heard when an iceberg is melting which is a cracking, fizzing and sizzling sound.
By focusing on the surface, we see only a small part of the picture for a child or young person. We often see the challenges rather than the needs of a positive environment which creates a therapeutic milieu that is the basis of positive, safe, and healing relationships.
Through a comprehensive assessment process and engaging a multidisciplinary panel of experts, the “Bergy Seltzer” meeting allows us to explore what’s below the surface by providing a forum for creative discussion, questioning and collaboration leading to more positive outcomes for the children and young people in Allambi's Care.
In line with Allambi Cares Needs Based Restorative Framework, the individual needs of the child or young person are assessed and prioritised to ensure a client focused approach to permanency, ensuring all available options for the individual are explored.
The overall objective of the panel is to provide thought provoking discussion regarding options for a client, based on assessed needs, that result in better outcomes for those in our care. This ensures that the decisions being made and direction agreed upon is supported by the panel. The panel ensures family and community have been consulted and involved along the way. Panel members are made up of our cultural leaders, clinicians, family specialists, NDIS specialists, Therapeutic advisors and community engagement team.
Cultural hub and family search and engagement hub
There is always a lot happening across Allambi Care and locally within the community. To help support staff around information, training, upcoming events and booking for consults, Allambi have an internal Hub dedicated to providing cultural information and resources to staff. This is regularly updated and allows staff to provide immediate supports to young people and gather information and training as needed. This also shares the stories of children being reconnected with family and reunited with culture. Positive outcomes and sharing those winning experiences helps motivate people to make change and ensure the best supports and connections are being made for the children and young people.
The iceberg holds a meaningful place in Allambi Care's framework given its historical ties to the core training and philosophies of the organisation. “Bergy Seltzer” is the term given to the sound heard when an iceberg is melting which is a cracking, fizzing and sizzling sound.
By focusing on the surface, we see only a small part of the picture for a child or young person. We often see the challenges rather than the needs of a positive environment which creates a therapeutic milieu that is the basis of positive, safe, and healing relationships.
Through a comprehensive assessment process and engaging a multidisciplinary panel of experts, the “Bergy Seltzer” meeting allows us to explore what’s below the surface by providing a forum for creative discussion, questioning and collaboration leading to more positive outcomes for the children and young people in Allambi's Care.
In line with Allambi Cares Needs Based Restorative Framework, the individual needs of the child or young person are assessed and prioritised to ensure a client focused approach to permanency, ensuring all available options for the individual are explored.
The overall objective of the panel is to provide thought provoking discussion regarding options for a client, based on assessed needs, that result in better outcomes for those in our care. This ensures that the decisions being made and direction agreed upon is supported by the panel. The panel ensures family and community have been consulted and involved along the way. Panel members are made up of our cultural leaders, clinicians, family specialists, NDIS specialists, Therapeutic advisors and community engagement team.
Cultural hub and family search and engagement hub
There is always a lot happening across Allambi Care and locally within the community. To help support staff around information, training, upcoming events and booking for consults, Allambi have an internal Hub dedicated to providing cultural information and resources to staff. This is regularly updated and allows staff to provide immediate supports to young people and gather information and training as needed. This also shares the stories of children being reconnected with family and reunited with culture. Positive outcomes and sharing those winning experiences helps motivate people to make change and ensure the best supports and connections are being made for the children and young people.