Better health and ageing for all Australians

Bringing Them Home

Information and links relating to Australian Government responses to the 'Bringing them home' report of the 1997 National inquiry into the separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families.

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www.health.gov.au/bringingthemhome

Social and Emotional Wellbeing program

In 2011 the Australian Government announced the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) program which consolidates the Link Up and Bringing Them Home (BTH) programs under a single cohesive program.

The objective of the program is to enhance existing service delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, prioritising members of the Stolen Generations, through more flexible models of service delivery and increased capacity to meet demand for services. The program delivers:
  • Link Up services, which provide family tracing, reunions and counselling for members of the Stolen Generations.
  • SEWB counselling services (previously funded as Link Up counsellors, Bringing Them Home (BTH) counsellors and mental health workers), which provides counselling support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, prioritising members of the Stolen Generations.
  • Workforce Support Units, which support the social and emotional wellbeing workforce, including counsellors, Link Up caseworkers and Substance Use workers.
  • Support for the National Sorry Day Committee and the National Stolen Generations Alliance.
  • National coordination and support, which will fund a range of projects to support the SEWB program.
The SEWB program structure has not changed the way that services are currently being delivered nor the primary roles of counsellors and caseworkers who will still provide services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people separated from their families as a result of past governments' removal policies.

Handbook for counsellors
Handbook for Link Up service providers
Manual for workforce support units and registered training organisations

Social and emotional wellbeing framework

The Social and emotional well being framework 2004-2009 is being revised and updated to reflect the contemporary experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.

History

History of 'Bringing them home', including the Evaluation of the Bringing them home and Indigenous mental health programs.

Page last reviewed: 22 February 2013