Communities for Children: Final Report: The use of Communities for Children program: Cultural Community Capacity Builder Programs to Improve the Social Determinants of Health Outcomes in Western Adelaide

Migrant and refugee families can have complex needs (Lewig, Arney et al. 2009). In particular refugee families have often been subjected to traumatic experiences before arriving in Australia (Lewig, Arney et al. 2009). Parents have endured human rights abuses, trauma and loss often associated with genocide, rape, war and torture (Lewig, Arney et al. 2009, Renzaho and Vignjevic 2011). These life circumstances can leave parents emotionally and psychologically impacted by trauma which can impede functioning at times of parental stress, such as differing acculturation rates between parents and children (Renzaho and Vignjevic 2011). As acculturation occurs faster in children than parents resulting in different expectations of family, gender roles, domestic violence, and parenting styles (Lewig, Arney et al. 2009, Renzaho and Vignjevic 2011).
Additionally, parenting practices and styles may be vastly different than those condoned in Australia (Lewig, Arney et al. 2009, Renzaho and Vignjevic 2011). For some cultural groups the use of punitive or corporal punishment styles are common place in parenting (Lewig, Arney et al. 2009, Renzaho and Vignjevic 2011). This authoritarian style is often at odds with Australian parenting styles and child protection expectations (Lewig, Arney et al. 2009, Renzaho and Vignjevic 2011). For example, some refugee and migrant groups use older children to care for younger children or leave children unattended while the parents are at work. This practice can, in some circumstances, constitute abuse and neglect in the Australian child protection context (Lewig, Arney et al. 2009, Renzaho and Vignjevic 2011). There is an over representation of refugee and migrant families in the child protection system (Lewig, Arney et al. 2009, Renzaho and Vignjevic 2011). Improving parental capacity and competencies is paramount given the increasing numbers of migrant and refugee families in the chid protection system (Lewig, Arney et al. 2009, Renzaho and Vignjevic 2011). Promoting culturally competent parenting practices aim to decrease child protection notifications, poorer child health outcomes, and numbers of refugee and migrant children in out of home care (Lewig, Arney et al. 2009, Renzaho and Vignjevic 2011). The CCCB program aims to increase positive parental practices and improve family functioning thus decreasing the involvement of the child protection system and subsequent costs to the child (developmental and psychological impacts), family, and community (Lewig, Arney et al. 2009, Renzaho and Vignjevic 2011).