Janine and Justin Mohamed will discuss their own experience of childhood in the context of Australia’s past policies towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and what continued failures in rights means for Indigenous children today.
Vernon Collins Oration 2020
Championing child rights amidst the chaos of COVID-19
Professor Elizabeth Elliott, AM
Currently in Australia, children as young as 10 years old can be arrested, held in police cells, taken before a magistrate and incarcerated in prison-like settings. Most children who are incarcerated are never convicted of a crime.
Despite Australia’s prosperity, early intervention supports are not always available or accessible to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies and families during times of vulnerability. As a result, infants born to families during at-risk periods can be subject to poor health and cognitive development. This can have life-long implications that impact the individual, family, community and society. The First 1000 Days Australia model is built on Indigenous methodologies, a recognition of the centrality of culture that reinforces and strengthens families, and uses a holistic view of health and wellbeing.
