Identifying strategies for talking to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experiencing family and domestic violence

Investigators 

Emeritus Professor Morag McArthur, Dr Debbie Noble-Carr, Professor Daryl Higgins, Associate Professor Tim Moore, Sam Morley, Dr Steve Roche, Dr Sebastian Trew and Alex Cahill (Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University)

Funding

Department of Social Services, Australian Government

Aims

Develop strategies and resources to facilitate meaningful and culturally appropriate conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children about their experiences with family and domestic violence.

Background

There is limited research on how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experience and perceive domestic and family violence, including their unique support needs. Existing studies on children's experiences with family violence have generally overlooked the specific cultural contexts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Project details

This study built on a 2017 meta-synthesis conducted by the Institute of Child Protection Studies. The meta-synthesis highlighted gaps in understanding the perspectives of these children, and sought to empower researchers, service providers, and families to engage sensitively and effectively.

The resources developed, including the booklet Doing good business, were informed by the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders and community members, service providers and peak bodies, ethics committees and parents and young adults from remote, rural, regional and urban Australia with lived experiences of family violence. The research team focused on a number of areas:

• identifying barriers and enablers to engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in discussions about family violence 
• developing guidance to create safe spaces for children to share their experiences 
• creating resources for researchers, service providers, and parents to build confidence and cultural sensitivity when talking to children about domestic and family violence. 

Method 

• Conducted a literature review on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living with violence and best practices for culturally sensitive research. 
• Interviewed stakeholders, including community elders, service providers, ethics committee members, and young adults (18-25) with personal experiences of family violence. 
• Identified and developed resources and guidance to help researchers, service providers, and parents engage confidently and appropriately with children about their experiences. 

Community impact

The booklet Doing good business: A resource for researchers about conducting research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children about family violence provides general information and guidance for researchers to help them meet the needs of each distinct individual, family and community they hope to engage with. It also provides suggestions for researchers about how to provide information for families and communities whose children might be asked to participate in research.

Publications 

Institute of Child Protection Studies. (2018). Doing good business: A resource for researchers about conducting research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children about family violence. Melbourne: Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University.

Project timeline

Completed 2018

Contact

For more information contact: icps@acu.edu.au