A-Z Index | Contact the Department | Search Advanced Search

Home > Ministers > The Hon Warren Snowdon MP, Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery > Media Hub > Australian Government Invests $6m to Strengthen Indigenous Fathers and Families

View by date:

• April
  • January
  • February
  • March
  • April
  • May
  • June
  • July
  • August
  • September
  • October
  • November
  • December

• 2013
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2007
  • 2006
  • 2005
  • 2004

Previous Ministers

PDF printable version of Rudd Government Invests $6m to Strengthen Indigenous Fathers and Families (PDF 44 KB)

7 May 2010

Minister for Indigenous Health and Rural and Regional Health, Warren Snowdon today announced $6 million would be invested in a new parenting initiative called Strong Fathers, Strong Families for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.

The funding is part of the Rudd Government’s $16.7 million commitment to tackle health challenges facing Australian males, and was launched with the nation’s first male health policy.

“The aim of the Strong Fathers, Strong Families initiative is to strengthen the knowledge, skills, confidence of Indigenous males in their roles as fathers, grandfathers and significant male relatives in the lives of their children, by increasing their participation,” Mr Snowdon said.

“Indigenous children are at a greater risk of dying during the first year of life and are prone to ill health in childhood, so this initiative will support Indigenous males to be involved in those crucial early years of a child’s development.

“Involving men in the lives of their children is vital for the child’s health and wellbeing. In particular, fathers provide a critical role model for their children; strengthening their identity; and increasing their resilience to adversity,” he said.

The $6m Strong Fathers, Strong Families initiative will give Indigenous males access to:

• Antenatal programs specifically for males or that include males to support them in preparing for fatherhood;
• Community and group activities and strategies that promote positive, healthy, active fatherhood and grandfatherhood, and the involvement of males in the early development of their children and grandchildren;
• Health promotion information that promotes new fatherhood and grandfatherhood as a motivating factor for self care; and
• Referral and support to attend local parenting, health and related services (eg reproductive health, family wellbeing, counselling, peer support groups) as needed.

“This funding will further strengthen parenting partnerships and help fathers get involved with their wives/partners during pregnancy.

“Good parenting and a good relationship between fathers and children will help produce happier and healthier children and promote healthier family environments,” Mr Snowdon said.

This initiative will complement existing Australian Government programs that support Indigenous mothers and babies (see below for more detail).

In addition, the Rudd Government announced $50,000 to support general practitioners to focus on better ways to engage and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait males through sponsoring the annual forum for male health group Andrology Australia in June 2010.

The National Male Health Policy has been developed through extensive consultations with health services, health professionals, and males themselves in 26 public forums attended by 1,300 people.

It identifies that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males are particularly vulnerable, living on average 11.5 years less than non-Indigenous males.

The National Male Health policy encourages males to take action to improve their own health and recognises that this requires information, assistance and support.
The policy focuses on taking action in six priority areas:

1. Optimal health outcomes for males – Deliver initiatives and services that take into account the needs of Australian males and promote optimal health outcomes for all Australian males.
2. Health equity between population groups of males – Recognising that not all Australian males have the same health outcomes, and some groups of males have worse health outcomes than others, like those living in rural and remote communities, and that different initiatives and services may be needed for different groups.
3. Improved health for males at different life stages – Deliver initiatives and services that consider the health needs of Australian males in different age groups and at key transition points from youth to old age.
4. A focus on preventive health for males – Deliver preventative-health initiatives that take into account the needs of Australian males.
5. Building a strong evidence base on male health – Build the evidence base in Australian male health and use it to inform the development of policies, programs and initiatives.
6. Improved access to health care for males – Tailor health care services and initiatives to facilitate access by males, particularly for population groups of males at risk of poor health.

The National Male Health Policy is available at www.health.gov.au/malehealthpolicy

Australian Government programs that support Indigenous mothers and babies

• The $90.3 million commitment to increase access to child and maternal health services through the New Directions Mothers and Babies Services program. To date, 57 services have been approved for funding under this program.
• $37.4 million in the delivery of the Australian Nurse Family Partnership Program, which through an intensive home visiting program aims to help women improve their own health while they are pregnant, and then to improve the child’s health and development in the early years. Five services have been established to date.
• $38 million annually for the Healthy for Life program which provides the necessary infrastructure and workforce support for frontline health services to deliver maternal and child health, men’s health and chronic disease services for Indigenous Australians.

Media contact: Alice Plate (Snowdon) 0400 045 999