Tier 2 – Additional knowledge

Knowledge

In addition to Tier 1 knowledge, you need to know: 

• government policies, such as forced child removal and placement in institutions, have impacted rates of child sexual abuse in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
• service responses have historically been inappropriate and unresponsive to the lived experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, resulting in a lack of trust
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims and survivors may be reluctant to disclose child sexual abuse by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community member
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims and survivors of child sexual abuse may have unique service and support needs
• a non-Aboriginal or Torres Strait islander worker may be viewed as an authority figure, particularly in relation to child protection matters.

Skills

In addition to Tier 1 skills, you can: 

• take additional time to build a relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims and survivors, family, kin and supporters to build trust
• work in a holistic way, in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations where appropriate to reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on social and emotional wellbeing
• be aware of and sensitive to the experience of child sexual abuse in institutional settings.

Practice tip

Trauma-aware and healing-informed 

Building from Tier 1, a trauma-aware and healing-informed approach does not avoid addressing issues that are likely to be sensitive and trigger trauma responses. Workers need to build skills to manage the effects of triggering conversations and to empower others through upskilling and increasing understanding. Workers need to work in ways that result in ‘no further harm’.

Reflecting on your practice

The model on page 6 of the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2017-2023 contains seven domains that are ‘… optimally sources of wellbeing and connection that support a strong and positive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity grounded within a collectivist perspective’. 

• Does your organisation’s practice reflect this holistic approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing?
• It is important to note that different mob and individuals may have different perspectives on factors that contribute to social and emotional wellbeing among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• For health workers, the Cultural Respect Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health 2016-2026 may also be relevant to your practice.

Knowledge

In addition to Tier 1 knowledge, you need to know: 

• cultural or faith-based practices can contribute to resilience for children, young people and adult victims and survivors
• victims and survivors and their families and supporters may be reluctant to engage with services and be protective of the person responsible for the abuse due to broader cultural or community isolation, rejection, fear or stigmatisation.

Skills

In addition to Tier 1 skills, you can: 

• examine your own biases, assumptions and stereotypes about people from different backgrounds
• initiate and participate in conversations within your service about cultural safety for victims and survivors of diverse cultural backgrounds
• engage with victims and survivors about their cultural context and what is important to them to ensure support and referral is appropriate.

Did you know?

What places children with additional educational needs and disabilities at risk of harm? 

Some children and young people with additional educational needs and disability may be more vulnerable to abuse and/ or less able to communicate if something isn’t right. These children and young people may be exposed to greater risks and/or may experience greater vulnerability because they: 

• have additional communication needs or barriers to disclosure
• may not understand that what is happening to them is abuse because of developmental or intellectual disability
• need a greater level of intimate care or are isolated from others
• are dependent on a wider range of adults for their personal and daily care
• are more likely to come into contact with organisations or services. 

Read more on the UK National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children’s Safeguarding d/Deaf and disabled children and young people webpage.

Challenging ableism 

Our Watch and Women with Disabilities Victoria claim the high rates of violence against women and girls with disability are preventable and not inevitable. If you would like to know more about why this is the case, visit the Our Watch website.

Resource

Engaging with people with disability 

The videos ‘Take Time to Communicate’ and ‘Hear Me’ on the Laurel House website are useful resources for health professionals engaging with victims and survivors living with disability.

Knowledge

In addition to Tier 1 knowledge, you need to know: 

• the betrayal of trust inherent in child sexual abuse can negatively affect the way victims and survivors (of all ages) approach potentially helpful relationships
• providing clear information about your service, response options and length of engagement promotes safety
• the importance of being transparent about your role and what you can offer the victim and survivor
• the impact that your cultural context and world view may have on victims and survivors.

Skills

In addition to Tier 1 skills, you can: 

• respond to victims and survivors in a caring manner, treat them with kindness and compassion, and adopt a friendly and relaxed approach where possible
• provide written information and discuss what the service offers, as well as likely timeframes and wait-list management processes
• avoid making promises you can’t keep
• obtain informed consent according to the protocols within your work context
• maintain appropriate boundaries in person and online
• maintain appropriate boundaries with current and former victims and survivors and adhere to the expectations of your organisation or professional body to ensure cultural safety.

Did you know?

Cultural safety for LGBTQIA+ people 

An important part of cultural safety for LGBTQIA+ people is affirming their sexual orientations and gender identities as natural and normal and not the reason for or result of child sexual abuse. 

In their submission on the development of the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021-2030, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia identified key issues and evidence gaps around child sexual abuse and LGBTQIA+ communities, including the importance of: 

• building safe educational environments for young LGBTQIA+ people through the development of nationally consistent, regular and targeted education and training within different educational settings and mainstream services
• supporting and empowering victims and survivors through increased investment in LGBTQIA+ self-determined community organisations delivering safe, trusted, inclusive and culturally safe care to LGBTQIA+ people
• improving the evidence base and the collection of quality and robust demographic information on LGBTQIA+ people, including by fully implementing the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2020 Standard on sex, gender, variations in sex characteristics, and sexual orientation variables across government and non-government health and wellbeing sector datasets and all research. 

You can find out more in the LGBTIQ+ Health Australia’s full submission.