WOMEN’S AND GIRLS’ EMERGENCY CENTRE
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ONLINE SUBMISSION TO
PARLIAMENTARY ENQUIRY: THRIVING KIDS INITIATIVE
The Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC) is a non-government, not-for-profit, charitable organisation that supports clients in crisis and advocates for social change in the community. By ‘client’, we refer to all women (cis and trans), families and non-binary people comfortable in women-centric spaces. We work across Sydney, on the lands of the Gadigal, Wangal and Dharug people of the Eora Nation.
For over 45 years we have been doing this work in partnership with community, business and government stakeholders. Every night, we support 200 clients impacted by homelessness, domestic violence and systemic disadvantage. Equally, we seek to address the underlying causes of gender-based violence through primary prevention activities to end gender-based violence in a generation.
The Helping Children Heal (HCH) program is funded by the Department of Social Services. The program provides trauma-informed recovery services to children (aged 6-12 years) and their families, who have been exposed to domestic or family violence. The aims of the program are:
- Improve social, emotional, and educational outcomes for children
- Restore and strengthen relationships with the safe caregiver
We would like to provide the following input to the Thriving Kids Enquiry for consideration.
1. Challenges with current system:
The requirement to have a diagnosis and significant independent assessments causes significant disadvantage for families who are unable to access services due to extensive delays accessing public health services and large fees for assessment in the private system. In many cases this creates insurmountable obstacles in accessing supports, and they just go without. Much research tells us of the importance of early intervention and the impacts on long-term functioning if this support is delayed or not provided.
The requirement for diagnosis to ‘prove’ the need for support can create significant negative effects, especially where trauma is in the mix. The key disadvantages of a diagnosis include: (Advantages and Disadvantages of Labelling – University of Carolina)
Stigma and Social Isolation: Labels can create a stigma that isolates children from their peers. Children who are labeled may feel different or excluded, leading to difficulties in forming friendships and social connections. This stigma can also result in bullying and discrimination from others.
a. Lowered Expectations: When children are labeled, teachers and parents may unconsciously lower their expectations for those children. Research shows that teacher expectations can significantly influence student achievements, so a label can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy where children internalize these lowered expectations and perform accordingly.
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WOMEN’S AND GIRLS’ EMERGENCY CENTRE
b. Stereotyping and Overgeneralization: Labels can lead to stereotyping, where individuals make assumptions about a child’s abilities based solely on their diagnosis. This can obscure the child’s unique strengths and needs, reducing them to a category rather than recognizing their individuality.
c. Focus on Deficits: Labeling often emphasizes a child’s weaknesses rather than their strengths. This focus can negatively impact a child’s self-esteem and self-worth, as they may come to see themselves primarily through the lens of their diagnosis.
d. Psychological Effects: The experience of being labeled can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and feelings of inadequacy. Children may struggle with their identity, feeling defined by their diagnosis rather than their personal qualities and achievements.
e. Dependency on Labels: Labels can foster a dependency on the diagnosis for accessing services and support, which may limit a child’s opportunities for growth and development outside of that label. This can hinder their ability to thrive in mainstream educational settings.
The current system of requiring diagnosis does not adequately address the impacts of trauma on neurodevelopment. Research tells us of the development disruption that often accompanies children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences, which have significant impacts on children’s development. (The effect of trauma on the brain development of children | Australian Institute of Family Studies)
The complexity of the NDIS application processes and the challenges of sourcing providers create significant obstacles for families who are experiencing or have experienced trauma or mental health, language or cognitive challenges.
Families are sometimes unaware of the change in eligibility requirements at age 8 and so the children may have their supports terminated unexpectedly and without sufficient time to prepare the assessments required to continue eligibility for NDIS. We have seen children go without much needed supports for extended periods of time while we help them to navigate the appeals process, causing significant impact for the children and distress for the parents and putting additional strain on family functioning.
2. What we would like to see:
Adequately funded supports built into universal systems including health and education based on need, not diagnosis, and including a broad range of allied health services including:
- Occupational Therapy
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WOMEN’S AND GIRLS’ EMERGENCY CENTRE
- Speech Pathology
- Audiology
- Psychology
- Creative Therapies including art, play music, drama, somatic
- Behaviour Support
- Physiotherapy
Simple access process that reduces barriers. An example would be a basic screening process completed by an Education, Health or Social Work Professional and evidenced by a simple identification checklist and a support letter. This could support an initial series of sessions with a subsequent report generated by the treating Profession to either make recommendations for further professional support or information for families to help them maintain progress.
Culturally appropriate services that support engagement by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as well as other culturally or linguistically marginalised or disadvantaged groups.
Access to supports for all people living in Australia, regardless of visa status.
Availability of services provided by specific Family and Domestic Violence informed programs that provide accessible supports at universal services such as schools and community health centres to minimise children being prevented from accessing services by a family member using coercive control.
Thank you for this opportunity to provide input to the Thriving Kids Inquiry.
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