Lakidjeka ACSASS’

VACCA’s Aboriginal Child Specialist Advice and Support Service (ACSASS) is delivered through its Lakidjeka services throughout Victoria, with the exception of Mildura LGA where the service is run by the Mildura Aboriginal Corporation.

 

The role of ACSASS is to provide an Indigenous perspective to Child Protection about the best ways of keeping Aboriginal children and young people safe.  The service assists in working out ways of keeping children safely with their families or helping them to be reunited.

 

We provide a confidential service where we are asked our opinions about Child Protection reports (notifications) on Aboriginal children and young people.  We look at ways of getting help from appropriate support services if required.  If the situation is very serious Child Protection may remove the child.  Whilst Child Protection ask for our opinion, decision making remains with Child Protection.

 

Where removal of children is necessary we ensure compliance with the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle, thereby keeping Indigenous children with their extended Aboriginal families and/or communities to maintain their connection to culture.

 

Our staff will:

• Attend the first home visit with Child Protection and sometimes with the police.
• Introduce you to people in relevant support services and attend meetings with the Department of Human Services.
• Visit you after that to help you and your children understand what is going on and what may happen next.
• Discuss what the worries are and how we can work together to make things better, if necessary.
• We can attend and give information to the court about what is happening and give our opinion about what should happen in the best interests of the child.
• You may not always agree with our decisions but the reasons will be explained to you.  We will work with you but our first priority is to make sure that the child or young person is safe.
• It’s fine if you do not want Lakidjeka’s assistance but we will still talk to Child Protection to discuss what they are doing and help them to understand Aboriginal child rearing practices.
• Our main aim is to ensure that the child or young person is safe and that they remain connected to their family, community and culture.