Early Intervention Proposal to Reduce Family Violence in Aboriginal Communities

Introduction and Project Overview

In the recent past, the issue of family violence against children in Aboriginal communities has attracted significant attention from different stakeholders involved in the protection of children's rights (Backlar & Cutler, 2002). While considerable attention has concentrated on identifying effective strategies for curbing general family violence, limited research has been conducted specifically on family violence against children in Aboriginal communities (Bowman, 2004). The following presents a proposal for an intervention that can be applied to reduce cases of family violence against children in Aboriginal communities in Australia.

The analysis begins by outlining the objectives of the program, the method of intervention, the ethical implications of the approach, and the resources required for the project's success. It also provides an analysis of budgetary requirements, a method of program evaluation, and the limitations likely to affect the outcomes of the project.

Objectives of the Project

Objectives act as guiding principles in research. The general and specific objectives of this project are outlined below.

a) To identify the forms of family violence experienced by children from Aboriginal communities in Australia.

b) To identify the factors that contribute to family violence against children in Australia.

c) To identify social determinants that play a key role in contributing to family violence against children in Aboriginal communities in Australia.

d) To identify the effects of family violence on children from Aboriginal communities in Australia.

e) To develop the most effective intervention(s) applicable in preventing future occurrences of family violence against children in Aboriginal communities in Australia.

f) To identify the elements of effective family violence prevention programs that can be used to eradicate incidences of family violence against children.

a) To identify the forms of family violence that affect children in Aboriginal community X.

b) To identify the factors contributing to family violence against children in community X.

c) To identify the effects of family violence on children from Aboriginal community X.

d) To identify the efficacy of interventions adopted for preventing the occurrence of family violence against children in Aboriginal community X.

e) To identify the elements of secondary intervention that make it effective in preventing and eradicating the occurrence of family-based violence against children in community X.

Target Group and Rationale for Intervention

Family violence appears to occur at a high rate in most Aboriginal communities, not only in Australia but also in other parts of the world. The increasing rates of family violence have prompted most states to embrace strategies aimed at understanding the extent of the violence and identifying effective interventions to reduce its incidence (Mahoney, 2005). While most government interventions have focused on general strategies for eliminating family violence in Aboriginal communities, limited knowledge exists regarding effective interventions specifically targeting children from those communities.

Empirical analysis shows that significant prior research has focused largely on effective secondary approaches applicable to preventing family violence against Aboriginal women, leaving behind children who are equally vulnerable to its effects (Ellsberg & Heise, 2002). Therefore, the target group for this intervention is twofold. First, the research is designed to identify family problems affecting children from Aboriginal community X in Australia — a group underserved by existing research. Second, the research focuses on mainstreaming the organizations and government partners working in, or planning to work in, the prevention and elimination of Aboriginal family violence against children in Australia.

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