The Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey was the largest and most comprehensive survey ever undertaken into the health, well-being, and development of
Western Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The survey was designed to develop preventative strategies to promote and maintain the healthy growth and the social, emotional, academic, and vocational wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. It was a collaborative effort by the Telethon Institute, the Kulunga Research Network and Curtin University through the Centre for Developmental Health. In this critical study, most of the children assessed were found to have some form of neurocognitive
impairment. Because of the difficulty of diagnosis, it was hard to establish the precise extent of the role of maternal alcohol use in those children. However, in the result, the researchers assessed 36% of all children as suffering FASD. This is the highest recorded incidence of FASD in the world. The children assessed had feeble general health, often showing signs of physical trauma - scars and poorly healed injuries from risky behaviours or self-harm, hearing
loss and difficulty sleeping. A very high percentage had a history of trauma, such as incarcerated family members, single or no parents, substance abuse and chronic illness
within the family. 25% to 30% of participants had a motor skill impairment. 50% had severe language disorders.
The fact that many who live in Alice Springs are not surprised by these results shows how desensitised we have become to the disadvantage and dysfunction experienced by young Aboriginal people. We will return to this matter in How we Think about Crime.
A justice system worthy of the name and a society that claims to provide equal justice to all cannot do otherwise than respond compassionately and effectively to the needs of these young people. “Effectively” can only mean a response that identifies the complex needs of each young person and answer to those needs in a way that will reduce the risk of escalation in offending and improve the prospect of that child living a fulfilling life as a responsible member of the community.
Image Teleton Kids Institute
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