Synopsis The Royal Children’s Hospital welcomes patients from all over our beautiful country for cardiac treatment, but we also acknowledge that this can be a frightening time for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families that can bring up feelings of fear, sadness, homesickness, and isolation. Many of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait … Continued
This year’s NAIDOC Week Theme, ‘For Our Elders’ celebrates the valuable contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders in all areas of Australia. Please join Melbourne Children’s Campus leaders in Aboriginal and Torres Islander healthcare in a panel discussion about the crucial role that Elders play in our services, programs, care and research. The panel aims to acknowledge and celebrate the often hidden guidance, influence and advocacy of Elders in health.
The NAIDOC Week Grand Round will highlight how Wadja Aboriginal Family Place has provided excellence and leadership in health services to Aboriginal Children and their families at the Royal Children’s Hospital. Wadja works collaboratively in partnership in the areas of child health assessments, advocacy, liaison, research, mental health, education, and family support to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people.
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.
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a preventable disease which disproportionally affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in remote communities. ‘Take Heart: The Quest to Rid Australasia of Rheumatic Heart Disease’ is an award winning documentary about the experiences of some of these children and their treatment journey.
The challenge is to shift the paradigm of the service system and government from a focus on crisis to one that recognises a balance is needed to also support and strengthen families and young people that are doing ok.
