Our Kids Belong With Family - Resources and educational kits for further learning.

#OurKidsBelongWithFamily is a global campaign, led by Rarriwuy Hick, that aims to raise awareness about the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Rarriwuy (rah-ree) Hick is a Yolngu woman who was raised in both Sydney and on Country in Arnhem Land.

She has a made a name for herself in the arts industry where she acts, dances and performs in theatre; appearing in Redfern Now, Wentworth, Black Comedy, among other shows.

Rarriwuy began #OurKidsBelongWithFamily campaign in 2018 when her family experienced the traumatic removal of their nephews.

#OurKidsBelongWithFamily campaign aims to ensure government protocols for keeping Indigenous kids with family are adhered to. Indigenous kids are 9.7 times more likely to be removed from their families than non-indigenous children, according to SNAICC, the national voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

"From the years of research that came out of our own family's experience, it was clear that welfare bodies nationally have not been following their own Indigenous centred guidelines and protocols. Today, Indigenous children continue to be forcibly removed without immediate or extended families as an option to be kinship carers." - Rarriwuy Hick

Backing 'Our Kids Belong With Family'

We are supporting 'Our Kids Belong With Family' by raising awareness of the campaign through merchandise and elevating and educating about the cause. 100% of profits from this tee will go towards the'Our Kids Belong With Family' initiative.

This tee is designed to be worn all year round however, we encourage you to wear this tee and make noise on Apology Day (13 Feb) and Sorry Day (26 May). See more about these dates below.

Since 2020, Mob and Allies have supported this campaign by posting a photo on Apology Day (Feb 13) to stand in solidarity with First Nation's families impacted by child family removal.

This year we encourage you to post a photo in the campaign tee, or with a sign sharing #OurKidsBelongWithFamily on the 13th Feb and on the 26th May in solidarity with these key dates.

Image: Sissy Austin with her niece and nephews.  

Further Learning and Resources

Take on the responsibility of learning and unlearning for your self. Here is a list of resources to get you started from the Our Kids Belong With Family campaign. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Keep digging, keep clicking through the links.

Dates of Significance

• Apology Day - On the 13th February 2008 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered the National Apology to the Stolen Generations.  The Apology is now considered a defining moment in Australian history.

• Sorry Day - On the 26th of May 1997 the 'Bringing Them Home' Report was tabled in parliament. This report was the result of the National Inquiry into the separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families.

Read

• Bringing Them Home Report - Australian Human Rights Commission
• Family Matters Report - SNAICC
• 'Took the Children Away' by Archie Roach
• 'Stolen Girl' by Trina Saffioti
• 'Orphaned by the Colour of My Skin: A Stolen Generation Story' by Mary Terszak
• 'Stolen' by Jane Harrison 
• "'Our kids belong with family": A look in to institutional child removal' by Sissy Austin

Listen

Songs

• 'Took the Children Away' by Archie Roach
• 'Brown Skin Baby' by Bob Randall
• 'Waiting Road' by Shellie Morris
• 'Ngarraanga' by Emma Donovan
• 'Sweet Child of Mine' by June Mills
• 'The Stolen Generation' by Luke Philbrick
• 'Stolen Generation' by Brian Murphy and Band Nomadic

 Podcasts

• Our Kids belong with Family with Raarriwuy Hick  - Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond
• Intergenerational Trauma - Healing our Way 
• The Child of the Stolen Generation - The Deep
• Australia isn't Sorry - Koori Yarn

Watch

• 'Rabbit Proof Fence' - Phillip Noyce (2002) Watch now on SBS On Demand.
• 'Servant or Slave' - Steven McGregor (2016)

Tip: You can currently watch 'Rabbit Proof Fence' and 'Servant or Slave' on SBS On Demand

• 'Who are the Stolen Generations?' - The Healing Foundation

Social Media Accounts

• ID. Know Yourself - Instagram @idknowyourself
• The Healing Foundation - Instagram @healingourway
• Common Ground - Instagram @commongroundfirstnations 
• Our Kids Belong With Family - Instagram @ourkidsbelongwithfamily
• Grandmothers Against Removal - Facebook @GMAR.grandmothersagainstremovals 
• Grandmothers Against Removals Victoria (GMAR) - Facebook @grandmothersagainstremovalvictoria
• Yalinguth - Instagram @yalinguth

Resource Kits for Schools

• Healing Foundation's Stolen Generations Resource Kit for Teachers
• Download the Our Kids Belong With Family Instagram tiles to use as posters in your classroom, workplace, organisation. 
• Culture is Life created an incredible Primary and Secondary School resources with the Archie Roach Foundation. Check them out here.
• The National Sorry Day Committee School Resource is a fantastic place to start for all school ages. 

Share your resources in the comments below, we would love to hear from you!