Replanting the Birthing Trees: A Call to Transform Intergenerational Trauma into Cycles of Healing and Nurturing

Chamberlain, C; Krakouer, J; Gray, P; Lyon, M; Onwuka, S; Chang, EP; Nelson, L; Duffield, V; Mohamed, J; Stocker, S; Yunupingu, Y; Maymuru, S; Rossingh, B; Stanley, F; Cameron, D; Metta, M; Bright, TM; Gayde, R; Kelly, B; Corrales, T; Walker, R; Lacroix, T; Milroy, H; Weatherstone, A; Jones, KA; Smith, K; Langton, M

Replanting the Birthing Trees: A Call to Transform Intergenerational Trauma into Cycles of Healing and Nurturing

Chamberlain, C Krakouer, J Gray, P

Lyon, M Onwuka, S Chang, EP Nelson, L Duffield, V Mohamed, J Stocker, S Yunupingu, Y Maymuru, S Rossingh, B Stanley, F Cameron, D Metta, M Bright, TM Gayde, R Kelly, B Corrales, T

Walker, R Lacroix, T Milroy, H Weatherstone, A Jones, KA Smith, K Langton, M

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Publisher:: MDPI
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Genealogy, 9, (2), pp. 52

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Chamberlain, C
dc.contributor.author	Krakouer, J
dc.contributor.author	Gray, P https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3090-2596
dc.contributor.author	Lyon, M
dc.contributor.author	Onwuka, S
dc.contributor.author	Chang, EP
dc.contributor.author	Nelson, L
dc.contributor.author	Duffield, V
dc.contributor.author	Mohamed, J
dc.contributor.author	Stocker, S
dc.contributor.author	Yunupingu, Y
dc.contributor.author	Maymuru, S
dc.contributor.author	Rossingh, B
dc.contributor.author	Stanley, F
dc.contributor.author	Cameron, D
dc.contributor.author	Metta, M
dc.contributor.author	Bright, TM
dc.contributor.author	Gayde, R
dc.contributor.author	Kelly, B
dc.contributor.author	Corrales, T https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7436-645X
dc.contributor.author	Walker, R
dc.contributor.author	Lacroix, T
dc.contributor.author	Milroy, H
dc.contributor.author	Weatherstone, A
dc.contributor.author	Jones, KA
dc.contributor.author	Smith, K
dc.contributor.author	Langton, M
dc.date.accessioned	2025-06-06T01:45:30Z
dc.date.available	2025-06-06T01:45:30Z
dc.identifier.citation	Genealogy, 9, (2), pp. 52
dc.identifier.issn	2313-5778
dc.identifier.issn	2313-5778
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/187646
dc.description.abstract	<jats:p>Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing have fostered physical, social, and emotional wellbeing for millenia, forming a foundation of strength and resilience. However, colonisation, systemic violence and discrimination—including the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, which continues today—have disrupted this foundation, leading to compounding cycles of intergenerational and complex trauma. The enduring impact of intergenerational and complex trauma is exemplified in increasing proportions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children being removed from their families and involved in the child protection and youth justice system—which represents a national crisis. Despite this crisis, the national response remains insufficient. To address these urgent issues, over 200 predominantly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, participated in Gathering the Seeds Symposium, the inaugural meeting for the Replanting the Birthing Trees project held in Perth in April 2023. This meeting marked the beginning of a public dialogue aimed at Closing the Gap by advancing community-led strategies to break cycles of trauma and foster cycles of nurturing, recovery, and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents and children across the first 2000 days. We outline critical shortcomings in the current child protection and youth justice systems, and the urgent need for child wellbeing reform. Importantly we highlight recommendations made in submissions in 2023 to two key Australian inquiries—the National Early Years Strategy and the Human Rights Commission inquiry into out of home care and youth justice systems. We argue that structural reforms and culturally safe and skillful care for parents experiencing trauma and violence is a serious gap, and a national priority. The first 2000 days represents a critical window of opportunity to transform cycles of trauma into cycles of healing. It is time to ‘replant the birthing trees’ and ensure that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies and families can have the best possible start to life through comprehensive models of care grounded in recognition of the right to self-determination and culture.</jats:p>
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	MDPI
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/CE230100027
dc.relation.ispartof	Genealogy
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3390/genealogy9020052
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	3105 Genetics
dc.subject.classification	4303 Historical studies
dc.title	Replanting the Birthing Trees: A Call to Transform Intergenerational Trauma into Cycles of Healing and Nurturing
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	9
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Provost
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Provost/Jumbunna
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Jumbunna Research
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2025-06-06T01:45:29Z
pubs.issue	2
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	9
utslib.citation.issue	2

Abstract:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing have fostered physical, social, and emotional wellbeing for millenia, forming a foundation of strength and resilience. However, colonisation, systemic violence and discrimination—including the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, which continues today—have disrupted this foundation, leading to compounding cycles of intergenerational and complex trauma. The enduring impact of intergenerational and complex trauma is exemplified in increasing proportions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children being removed from their families and involved in the child protection and youth justice system—which represents a national crisis. Despite this crisis, the national response remains insufficient. To address these urgent issues, over 200 predominantly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, participated in Gathering the Seeds Symposium, the inaugural meeting for the Replanting the Birthing Trees project held in Perth in April 2023. This meeting marked the beginning of a public dialogue aimed at Closing the Gap by advancing community-led strategies to break cycles of trauma and foster cycles of nurturing, recovery, and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents and children across the first 2000 days. We outline critical shortcomings in the current child protection and youth justice systems, and the urgent need for child wellbeing reform. Importantly we highlight recommendations made in submissions in 2023 to two key Australian inquiries—the National Early Years Strategy and the Human Rights Commission inquiry into out of home care and youth justice systems. We argue that structural reforms and culturally safe and skillful care for parents experiencing trauma and violence is a serious gap, and a national priority. The first 2000 days represents a critical window of opportunity to transform cycles of trauma into cycles of healing. It is time to ‘replant the birthing trees’ and ensure that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies and families can have the best possible start to life through comprehensive models of care grounded in recognition of the right to self-determination and culture.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/187646