Self-Determination in Practice: Letting Aboriginal Voices Lead, Not Just Inform

Over the past decade, many early childhood services have worked hard to strengthen relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We have invited Elders into our services, celebrated NAIDOC Week, purchased Aboriginal-authored books, developed Reconciliation Action Plans and sought feedback on our cultural programs.

These are all positive steps.

But there is one important question we don’t ask often enough: Who is making the decisions?

This is where the principle of self-determination comes in.

Self-determination is more than consulting with Aboriginal people. It is about recognising the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to make decisions about matters that affect their communities, cultures and futures. It acknowledges that First Nations peoples are the experts in their own cultures, histories, languages and aspirations.

For early childhood services, embracing self-determination requires a shift in mindset—from asking permission to following First Nations leadership.

Consultation Isn’t the Finish Line

Many services proudly describe themselves as consulting with local Aboriginal communities. While consultation is valuable, it often still places educators in control.

The service decides on a project. The service develops the idea. The service creates the plan.

Then community is invited to provide feedback.

Although well intentioned, the decision-making power has remained with the service from beginning to end. Self-determination asks us to pause and consider something deeper.

Instead of asking: “Can you check if this is okay?”

We begin asking: “How would you like this to happen?”

That single change transforms the relationship.

 

 

What Does This Look Like in Practice?

A common approach is for educators to draft an Acknowledgement of Country before sending it to a local Elder or Aboriginal organisation to review. While respectful, community is being asked to edit something that has already been created.

A self-determination approach looks different. The service begins by inviting community into the process from the outset.

“We would love our Acknowledgement of Country to genuinely reflect this place and its people. Would you be willing to guide us in developing something that reflects the language, stories and values of this Country?”

Rather than asking community to approve educator decisions, educators follow community leadership.

Rethinking the Bush Tucker Garden

Bush tucker gardens have become increasingly popular in early childhood settings. Often the process looks something like this:

• Educators decide to build a bush tucker garden.
  
• Plants are purchased.
  
• The garden is established.
• An Aboriginal guest is invited to talk about it.

Community is brought into a project that has already been designed.

A self-determination approach starts with curiosity instead of assumptions.
Educators might ask: “Would a bush food garden be meaningful here? If so, what should it look like?”

The answer may surprise you.

Perhaps community recommends medicinal plants instead. Perhaps weaving grasses are more culturally significant. Perhaps the priority is learning on Country rather than creating another garden. Perhaps they suggest something entirely different. 

The point isn’t whether the original idea was good. The point is that community leads the direction.

 

 

Programming That Begins With Listening

Many educators ask Aboriginal visitors to “come and teach the children about culture.”

Again, the intention is positive. But whose agenda is being followed?

A self-determination approach asks different questions.

• What stories belong to this Country?
• What knowledge is appropriate to share with young children?
• Are there cultural protocols we should understand?
• What would local families like children growing up here to know?
  

Rather than asking Aboriginal people to fit into an existing program, the program grows from community priorities.

Moving Beyond the Cultural Calendar

Many services develop annual calendars featuring NAIDOC Week, National Reconciliation Week and other significant dates. These dates are important, but they are not the whole story.

Local communities may have other priorities.

Perhaps they want children learning about the annual whale migration. Maybe the local fishing season marks an important cultural time. Perhaps there are language celebrations, community gatherings or seasonal indicators that are far more meaningful within that Nation.

Self-determination means allowing local knowledge to shape what is celebrated and when.

 

 

Purchasing Resources

Educators often ask: “What Aboriginal books should we buy?”

A consultation approach involves selecting resources and asking community what they think. A self-determination approach asks community first.

• Which local authors should we support?
  
• Which artists should children know?
  
• Whose language resources should we purchase?
  
• Which Aboriginal businesses would you like us to work with?
  

Supporting self-determination also means supporting Aboriginal ownership, voices and enterprise.

Governance Matters Too

Self-determination is not just about curriculum. It also belongs in leadership and governance.

Imagine the difference between inviting an Elder to attend one committee meeting each year and having Aboriginal community representatives actively shaping strategic planning, contributing to policy development, informing budget priorities and helping recruit educators.

These are examples of sharing decision-making, not simply seeking advice.

 

 

A Reflection Tool for Leaders

As you reflect on your own service, consider where your practice sits on this continuum.

Approach

Where does the decision-making power sit?

• Informing
• The service
• Consulting
• Mostly the service
• Involving
• Shared
• Collaborating
• Increasingly shared
  

Supporting Self-Determination First Nations Community

Then ask yourself:

• Who initiated this project?
  
• Who benefits most?
  
• Who made the final decision?
  
• Could community comfortably say “No”?
  
• If community suggested a completely different direction, would we be willing to follow it?
  

These questions can reveal whether we are truly sharing power or simply seeking approval.

A Small Story With a Big Lesson

Imagine a preschool wanting to introduce local Aboriginal language. The educators begin downloading posters and creating displays. Before printing them, they decide to speak with local community.

They ask: “We would love children to hear local language. How would you like us to approach this?”

Community responds: “Rather than displaying lots of words on the walls, we’d prefer children learnt greetings first. We can record local speakers saying them correctly. We’d also like families learning alongside the children.”

Suddenly the project changes.

Instead of colourful posters, the service develops audio recordings with local speakers, creates opportunities for families to practise together and builds relationships around language learning.

The project becomes smaller in appearance, but much richer in authenticity. Because it reflects community priorities, not educator assumptions.

 

 

Walking Together Means Sharing Power

Self-determination can feel challenging because it asks educators to let go of something many of us are used to holding: control.

It means accepting that community may choose a different path. It means understanding that genuine partnerships sometimes require us to slow down, change direction or rethink our original plans.

Ultimately, self-determination is not about inviting Aboriginal people to have a seat at our table. It is about recognising that they have always had their own tables, their own knowledge systems, governance structures and ways of making decisions.

Our role is not to lead every conversation.

Sometimes our role is to listen. Sometimes it is to follow.

Because meaningful reconciliation isn’t measured by how many cultural activities we deliver.

It is measured by how willing we are to share power, honour First Nations leadership and create spaces where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities determine what cultural safety, partnership and success look like in their own Country.