Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
When we think about how to support the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, we tend to favor strengthening and empowering mothers over fathers.
While the emphasis on support for mothers is undoubtedly justified (indeed, perhaps more culturally appropriate support is needed), the question is why professional support is not similarly prioritized for fathers. will occur.
For example, Closing the Gap, which is arguably the core policy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia, makes no mention of broader efforts specifically targeting Indigenous fathers and men.
We analyzed data from around 150 Indigenous fathers about the support they need. Here’s what they had to say:
remove negative stereotypes
Western society may portray some groups of fathers in a less favorable light and offer limited support.
In Australia, Indigenous fathers have been characterized particularly cruelly as deviants, aloofs and drunkards.
This harmful characterization is reflected in a 2016 cartoon by Bill Leake depicting an Aboriginal man who cannot remember his son’s name.
These descriptions do not apply to many Indigenous fathers. They are often disciplined, dedicated and level-headed, and want to be positive role models for their children. A great example of this is the social media movement sparked by a cartoon called #IndigenousDads.
Given this social climate, we wanted to find out what Indigenous fathers need to enhance their experiences of fatherhood. We drew answers from data on her 149 Indigenous fathers from the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC), a large Australian dataset managed by the Commonwealth Department of Social Services. The study asked, “If there was one thing that would make parenting easier, what would it be?” We analyzed the results.
Need more support
Our research found that more than 60% of Indigenous fathers surveyed said they needed more support.
There were several areas that appeared most frequently. It was finances, social services, housing, and the ability to spend more time with children.
Of the 10 themes we observed from Indigenous fathers’ comments on this question, nearly all were related to socio-economic and cultural factors. One father expressed frustration with the lack of available social services and wanted more support in general. Another father talked about how finances had affected his role, saying: “I wanted to get a job that paid me a decent salary, but I had to quit my job to help and care for my children and my partner.” I had to quit,” he said.
Other fathers said they wanted a home of adequate size to accommodate their family, but did not want to rent. In addition, fathers wish they could have spent more time on activities with their children.
Taken together, these desires reflect men who strive to be fatherly, involved, and nurturing, rather than deviant or distant, as suggested by harsh stereotypes. This is reflected in their courage to openly seek help.
What do I need to do?
Our research shows that policies about and for Indigenous men and fathers need to directly address their areas of greatest need. This includes looking at the social determinants of health. This means looking at the social and economic circumstances that can affect a person’s life, from their housing situation to their sense of membership in society.
As I mentioned earlier, Closing the Gap strategies currently do not do this. It is important for this policy and other related government strategies to specifically target these areas and concerns.
Additionally, urgent attention is needed to increase research funding to support Indigenous fathers and men more broadly. Research shows that funding for Indigenous-specific research is minimal from Australia’s two central funding agencies. The Australian Research Council (ARC) provided 1.46% and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) a worrying 0.29%. There is an urgent need for further research into how best to support Indigenous fathers and Indigenous men.
Giving Indigenous fathers the support they need is critical to alleviating the well-documented difficulties experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men. There’s also a positive ripple effect on others, as researchers Lyndon Riley and Susan Rees found. “Having strong Indigenous fathers creates strong Indigenous families. Having strong Indigenous families creates strong Indigenous communities.”
As of 2021, Indigenous children are more than 10 times more likely to be placed in a care or protection order than non-Indigenous children. Strengthening the role of Indigenous fathers not only makes economic sense for governments, it also reduces care and protection orders for Indigenous children and contributes to the well-being of Indigenous families and communities. To do.
We need to listen to Indigenous fathers. This allows you to deliver services that play to your customers’ strengths, rather than addressing perceived deficiencies.
