Date and Time
Theme / Track
Presentation Format
Stolen Generations Survivors and descendants continue to experience profound and intergenerational impacts from policies that forcibly removed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in partnership with The Healing Foundation has published comprehensive survivor and descendant demographic, health, socioeconomic, services, cultural connection and wellbeing data. We use newly released, updated analyses to advocate for equity focused system reform. Findings from analysis of 2022-23 national datasets (the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey and Census linked data) will be presented. Survivors are likely to experience significantly higher rates of disability, psychological distress, and socioeconomic disadvantage compared with other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (more so compared with non-Indigenous people). These disparities indicate a need for urgent reform and accountability. As recommended nearly 30 years ago in the “Bringing Them Home” inquiry and report, culturally safe, trauma aware health, disability, wellbeing, financial and ageing services and supports are essential to ensure ageing with dignity for Stolen Generations survivors. Evidence indicates many Indigenous Australians are not accessing needed services for reasons including fragmented service pathways that especially challenge people who have experienced institutionalisation. Descendants experience ongoing intergenerational trauma and disadvantage, reinforcing the need to address determinants of health alongside service access. As most Survivors are now aged 50 years+, the findings underscore the urgency of an Ageing Revolution that centres Survivor leadership, cultural safety and integrated care. Targeted investment is required to prevent re traumatisation and support healing, participation and ageing with dignity.
Keywords
Authors