Improving the representation of Indigenous workers in the mainstream childcare workplace.(Report)

Introduction

PROVIDING A SUCCESSFUL childcare program for Indigenous children and their families rests upon ensuring the availability of an appropriately skilled and willing workforce (the term Indigenous is used here to refer to those people who identify and are accepted as such by their community). It is widely recognised that a childcare policy that focuses upon the supply of places at the expense of addressing workforce issues is not sustainable (Department of Family and Community Services, 2003; Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, 2007; Whitebrook, Sakai, Gerber & Howes, 2001). Furthermore, despite the evidence that Indigenous children would benefit from formal child care, they are less likely to access mainstream childcare places than are other Australian children (Department of Family and Community Services, 2003; Productivity Commission, 2005). The reasons for this are complex, but include the inability of mainstream child care to develop culturally competent service systems that meet the needs and preferences of Indigenous childcare workers, and their children, families and communities. Bamblett and Lewis (2007) underline the importance of culturally competent service systems and argue that children and their families often fall victim to 'cultural abuse' in the form of agencies and practitioners intentionally and unintentionally ignoring, denigrating and even attacking their culture.

Important to the notion of cultural competence is the embedding of cultural information and practices in standards, policies and attitudes. Cultural competence is defined by the US National Association of Social Workers (2001, p. 9) as:

 
   [The ability of] individuals and systems to respond 
   respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, 
   languages, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, 
   religions, and other diversity factors in a manner 
   that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of 
   individuals, families, and communities and protects 
   and preserves the dignity of each. 

The inability of mainstream childcare services to develop and provide culturally competent service systems serves as a significant barrier to attracting and/or retaining Indigenous workers in mainstream childcare services, and to Indigenous children and families accessing such services (Waltja Tjutangku Palyapayi Aboriginal Corporation, 2001; Fasoli, Benbow, Deveraux, Falk, Harris & Hazard et al., 2004; Trigwell, 2000).

The research we are reporting thus highlights three significant issues raised by Indigenous people as essential in order to attract and retain them in the mainstream childcare workplace and, in turn, to increase the likelihood of Indigenous children and families accessing such services. These include: the provision of culturally safe workplaces with flexible employment practices and opportunities for Indigenous workers to receive on-the-job training. In this article we argue that Indigenous children are poorly represented in mainstream care services and that their under-representation results largely from a lack of culturally safe services and the significant barriers to Indigenous people entering and remaining in the childcare workforce.

Background