Search
Share share mail

News

17 November 2020

Powerful partnerships, because Family Matters

The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program continues its commitment to the Australian national Family Matters initiative, as part of ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people grow up safe and cared for in family, community and culture.

“Since we first committed to joining the Family Matters campaign two years ago, we’ve seen good progress," says Michell Forster, Triple P Indigenous Implementation Consultant.

Triple P has now employed a second Indigenous Implementation Consultant, Sheryl Batchelor, trained more Indigenous Triple P providers, and partnered with more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organizations.

“Even though the six core principles of Family Matters already aligned very well with the way Triple P programs have always been implemented, it’s good to see more people becoming aware of that, and we still have further to go in building those partnerships.”

In the Australian states of Queensland, Western Australia, and Victoria especially, partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, culturally-adapted resources and an emphasis on community-led programs have been an ongoing feature of Triple P delivery, making a difference for Indigenous families and children.

Additional data is available for Queensland, showing that the Triple P Queensland Government-funded initiative, which has reached an estimated 435,000+ parents and carers in total, of whom approximately 3.5% identified as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons (compared to 3.6% per Queensland population).

The six Family Matters principles are:                                         

  • Applying a child-focussed approach
  • Ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations participate in and have control over decisions that affect their children
  • Protecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s right to live in culture
  • Pursuing evidence-based responses
  • Supporting, healing and strengthening families
  • Challenging systemic racism and inequities