INDIVIDUAL VALUES AND BELIEFS

Out Loud aims to:

• identify and respond considerately to the culture, diversity, values, and beliefs of each family and child

• support families' right to practise their culture, values and beliefs while accessing supports.

Policy

Out Loud:

• acknowledges each family’s right to practise their culture, values and beliefs

• will communicate with families to identify and record relevant information related to their diversity in order to respond sensitively to their requirements

• will cultivate its work culture and environment to value cultural diversity and respect individual beliefs

• will deliver inclusive, flexible services designed to accommodate the needs of diverse people

• will provide services or information in an alternative way if it is required in order to accommodate a family’s diversity

• will promote equity for all people by: 

  • treating all people equally according to their human rights 

  • ensuring the inclusion of all people regardless of their background, ethnicity, culture, language, beliefs, gender, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, level of ability, additional needs, family structure or lifestyle 

  • promoting social inclusion for children affected by disability.

Out Loud’s policies and practices are free from discrimination and comply with equal opportunity and anti-discrimination legislation. Unlawful discrimination will not be tolerated by team members or visitors.

Supporting diversity

All families are treated equally, with a welcoming, non-judgemental, and professional attitude. Out Loud  provides support which is free from stigma, discrimination, and stereotyping. Team members will make themselves aware of specific issues related to, and respond appropriately to, diversity aspects of families, including but not limited to:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

• people from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds

• people with diverse sexuality or gender identities

• people of different ages

• people experiencing varying degrees of disability or neurodiversity

• people with diverse religious and spiritual beliefs.

Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Out Loud’s team members are to have an understanding of the specific cultural and historical patterns that have structured Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s lives in the past and the ways in which these patterns continue to be expressed in Australia.  Out Loud’s team members will seek to understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s world views, cultures, and communities.

Culturally secure ways of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are to be practised by team members, providing supports that: 

• accommodate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s holistic concept of health and wellbeing

• are grounded in an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s understanding of their traditional life, the impact of colonisation and its ongoing effects

• aim to strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s family systems of care, control and responsibility

• use interpreters and/or plain English for those with English as a second language

• use different Aboriginal learning styles to help children and families to build skills

• work from within empowerment principles

• understand the need for developing trust with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to improve planning and provide good supports.