WORDS AND PICTURES: THE KEY TO MANY DOORS We Western Australian Department of Co Communities – Child Protection and Family y Sup Support Pi Pippa Lane (Senior Child Protection Worker) De Dennis Tayl ylor (Aboriginal Practice Leader)
WORDS AND PICTURES: THE KEYS TO MANY DOORS PIPPA LANE DENNIS TAYLOR
M u l l e w a i s a p p r o x i m a t e l y 4 6 0 k m s n o r t h o f P e r t h . M u l l e w a i s l o c a t e d i n Ya m a t j i c o u n t r y, w h i c h i s a n A b o r i g i n a l l a n g u a g e g r o u p o f t h e A m a n g u p e o p l e s p e c i f i c t o t h i s r e g i o n . C h r i s a n d h i s p a t e r n a l f a m i l y a r e t h e t r a d i t i o n a l c u s t o d i a n s o f t h i s l o c a l i t y . AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL MAP
1964 1969 1971 48 46 Dad Mum 1987 1986 1994 1989 1988 1990 1988 1991 1991 1992 1994 1991 1993 1995 1997 2000 2004 1987 1983 1986 1984 30 30 23 28 29 27 29 25 25 24 22 26 23 22 20 17 1986 1987 Sister Brother Sister Brother Sister Sister Brother Brother Brother 13 30 34 30 33 31 30 Chris Brother Brother Sister 2009 2013 2009 2011 2015 2004 2006 2010 2014 2011 2007 2008 2013 8 4 8 6 1 2009 12 11 7 3 6 10 9 4 2011 2012 2002 2006 2011 2004 2005 2007 2009 8 5 4 15 11 6 12 11 10 8
A Words & Pictures Explanation for Chris: about why he is in care, why he doesn’t see his Mum and what happened to his Dad
Mum Franca and Dad William were really happy when they had baby Chris Kane. Mum Franca says he was the cutest baby with lots of dark hair. Not everyone in the Mum and Dad’s families were happy, as Mum Franca already had babies with Dad William’s nephew, Wayne. Because of this Chris hasn’t really got to know his brothers and sisters, even though there are lots of them and other people in his family.
Mum Franca and Dad William tried hard to be good parents for Chris but sometimes it was really hard. There was lots of fighting which made things a lot harder. When Chris was 4 he was at Family Farm (which is near Mullewa) where lots of dad’s family live. One day Dad William drank too much beer and Dad William started hitting Mum Franca and really hurting her.
Mum Franca managed to run away from Dad William and she called the police because she was worried Dad William would hurt Chris. Dad William did hurt Chris and he still has a scar on his cheek from that night. After this Mum Franca went to a special place in Perth where women and kids can stay if men are hitting and hurting them and they are frightened.
Mum Franca was very upset about the things that Dad William had done and sometimes she did things that made people worry she wasn’t always looking after Chris. The social workers at child protection talked to a judge about this and the judge agreed that Chris should live somewhere else for a while until Mum Franca could get some help to feel better.
But not having Chris made Mum feel worse and do more things that people thought were crazy, like screaming and yelling lots and talking about hurting herself. This made the social workers worry more and more and eventually it seemed like Chris wouldn’t be able to go back with Mum Franca at all. This made Mum Franca sad.
Chris stayed with a few different people. Some foster carers and some family. In 2010 Chris stayed for 8 months in Broome with Aunt Sarifa until she moved to Darwin. Chris stayed with Charmaine for a year before Broome and has always spent time with her since. Chris and Charmaine have a special friendship and Charmaine says Chris is a very special boy who has a big piece of her heart.
In 2013 Dad William came to see Pippa at the office. Dad William said he wanted to see Chris and spend time with him as a Dad. Pippa said this was a good idea. Dad wrote a card for Chris’s birthday and gave it to Pippa. Pippa gave the card to Chris. Chris still has this card and he treasures it. Dad William gave Pippa another card but Dad got called away by family before he got the chance to do things he told Pippa he wanted to do with Chris. Some of the social workers talked about the card and decided it might upset Chris too much to see the card as Dad didn’t do the things he said he wanted to do with Chris.
Everyone now knows this was a mistake and they are sorry. Pippa has the card to give Chris now so he can keep it with his special things at Louise’s house. Pippa will make a copy of it and keep it at the office in case Chris ever loses his copy.
In 2015 Dad William was living in Geraldton, but wanted to return to the family farm. Dad William had been drinking lots again and he had been in trouble with the police. This made Dad William feel really sad. He had so many worries and sad feelings he didn’t think anyone could help him to feel better so he didn’t tell anyone what he was thinking. Over time the awful, sad and worrying feelings became too much for Dad and all the troubles made him feel ashamed. Dad thought that drinking beer and smoking gunga would make the feelings better but it actually made them worse. All of these horrible thoughts in Dad’s head had become a sickness that no one knew he had.
On the 21 st of October 2015 it all got too much for Dad and he hurt himself on the farm and he was so badly hurt that no one could help him get better and he died. Everyone was really sad about this and there was lots of crying. Everyone wished they had of known about Dad William’s sickness so they could have tried to help him before it got so bad.
There was a big funeral on the 20 th of November 2015 for Dad William in Mullewa and Dad is buried in the cemetery in Mullewa. Pippa and Dennis had some talks with Chris about the funeral but eventually Chris decided he didn’t want to go. Pippa, Dennis and the family think that Dad William would understand why Chris couldn't go.
In the January school holidays Pippa is going to take Chris to Mullewa, to see his family on Dad’s side, so he can spend some time with Dad William’s brothers and sisters, who are his nans, pops and Aunties. Chris can ask questions about his family and where his Dad lived. Pippa will be there so Chris doesn’t feel worried and to give him a hug if he gets sad and needs to be hugged. Pippa has found lots of information and pictures about Mullewa and the family farm and lots of information about Chris’s Dad’s family so she can talk to him all about it on the flight to Geraldton and driving to Mullewa.
In 2011 Chris moved in with Louise and lives there still. Chris and Louise love each other so much that Chris calls Louise “Mum”, even though he knows Franca is the mum whose tummy he grew in and he loves her a lot. Chris lives with Louise and the other kids.
Chris has told Pippa and Louise that he really, really wants to spend time with Mum Franca. Chris makes things for Mum Franca and writes her letters. But because of everything that has happened Mum Franca is still sad and finds it too hard to see and spend time with Chris. Mum Franca says her heart hurts when she thinks of all the things that have happened and that she couldn't have her Chris back with her. Mum Franca is busy with her job and the other kids but says she loves Chris very, very much.
Chris says that when he is 18 he is going to find Mum Franca and do lots of nice things for her like make her a cup of tea and look after her. Pippa has told Chris that sometimes when kids are in care until they are 18 it just hurts the Mum too much and they can’t keep seeing the kids. Pippa thinks this is maybe why Chris hasn’t seen Mum for the last 3 years.
Chris - on his way to see his family
Chris’s family
Chris’s letters to his Mum Letter from Chris to mum: To the mum that gave birth to me, • I have not seen you for 3 long years, so can you just please make an effort to see me. • We need to work with Pippa, Pippa is our friend • Mum, your my parent and I’m your child, I will understand if you can’t come because of your reasons.
Chris’s letters to his Mum Letter from Chris to his Mum written in the third person.
Family Connections • Connection to Chris’s brother through Family Finding Facebook messaging. • Meeting with Chris’s brother and discovering his story about “Chris being taken from them”. • The forgotten impact on brothers and sisters left behind when a family member is removed.
Future Family Connections • Reconnection with maternal aunt who Chris lived with when 5 years old. • Reconnection with many family members through being part of his brothers wedding. • Long term hope is for Chris to be surrounded by brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and grannies, to be loved and cared for unconditionally.
Thank you Pippa, Louise & Dennis
Contact Details • Pippa Lane Email Pippa.lane@communities.wa.gov.au Mobile: +61 400 667 194 • Dennis Taylor Email: Dennis.taylor@communities.wa.gov.au Mobile: +61 478 610 120
Words and Pictures: The Key to Many Doors We Western Australian Department of Co Communities – Child Protection and Family y Sup Support Pi Pippa Lane (Senior Child Protection Worker) De Dennis Tayl ylor (Aboriginal Practice Leader)
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