Primary caregivers play an important role in the lives of Indigenous children. They help them to grow up strong and achieve educational success. The colonisation of Australia has resulted in a negative discourse portraying Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander men as drunks, low-achievers and poor fathers. This paper aims to challenge this stereotype by using data from the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children. A univariate and bivariate analysis is undertaken to examine Indigenous and non-Indigenous fathers and involvement in the lives and education of their children. Results show no significant difference between Indigenous and non-Indigenous fathers and that Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander fathers are positively engaged in their children’s education despite experiencing structural disadvantages. These findings challenge the discourse that Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander men are poor fathers. To help Indigenous children grow up strong, Indigenous fathers need support to overcome the negative effects of colonisation.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	Aboriginal children, Aboriginal fathers, parental engagement, education, Aboriginal men
Research Division:	Indigenous Studies
Research Group:	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, society and community
Research Field:	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sociology
Objective Division:	Indigenous
Objective Group:	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community services
Objective Field:	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community services not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Prehn, J (Dr Jacob Prehn)
UTAS Author:	Peacock, H (Mr Huw Peacock)
ID Code:	136372
Year Published:	2019
Deposited By:	Social Work
Deposited On:	2019-12-17
Last Modified:	2021-03-08
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