Community views on ‘Can perinatal services safely identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents experiencing complex trauma?’

Chamberlain, C; Gray, P; Herrman, H; Mensah, F; Andrews, S; Krakouer, J; McCalman, P; Elliott, A; Atkinson, J; O'Dea, B; Bhathal, A; Gee, G

Community views on ‘Can perinatal services safely identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents experiencing complex trauma?’

Chamberlain, C Gray, P

Herrman, H Mensah, F Andrews, S Krakouer, J McCalman, P Elliott, A Atkinson, J O'Dea, B Bhathal, A Gee, G

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Publisher:: WILEY
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Child Abuse Review, 2023, 32, (1)
Issue Date:: 2023-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Chamberlain, C
dc.contributor.author	Gray, P https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3090-2596
dc.contributor.author	Herrman, H
dc.contributor.author	Mensah, F
dc.contributor.author	Andrews, S
dc.contributor.author	Krakouer, J
dc.contributor.author	McCalman, P
dc.contributor.author	Elliott, A
dc.contributor.author	Atkinson, J
dc.contributor.author	O'Dea, B
dc.contributor.author	Bhathal, A
dc.contributor.author	Gee, G
dc.date.accessioned	2024-04-09T21:38:04Z
dc.date.available	2024-04-09T21:38:04Z
dc.date.issued	2023-01-01
dc.identifier.citation	Child Abuse Review, 2023, 32, (1)
dc.identifier.issn	0952-9136
dc.identifier.issn	1099-0852
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/177620
dc.description.abstract	Family and extended kinship systems which nurture healthy, happy children are central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Since colonisation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have been impacted by intergenerational cycles of trauma, stemming from colonial violence, genocidal policies and discrimination, including the forced removal of children from their families. Becoming a parent offers a unique life-course opportunity for trauma recovery and preventing intergenerational trauma. However, identifying or ‘recognising’ complex trauma carries significant risk of harm for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents due to reactive prenatal child protection involvement potentially compounding experiences of trauma, and limited benefits due to lack of culturally appropriate support. The Aboriginal-led participatory Healing the Past by Nurturing the Future project aims to co-design safe, accessible and feasible perinatal awareness, recognition, assessment and support strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents experiencing complex trauma. This paper presents views of 38 workshop participants to determine prerequisites for ensuring benefits outweigh risks of assessment to safely recognise parents experiencing complex trauma, consistent with screening criteria. Six essential elements were identified from thematic analysis: high-quality holistic care; cultural, social and emotional safety; empowerment, choice and control; flexible person-centred approaches; trusting relationships; and sensitive, skilled communication. Key Practitioner Messages: The impacts of colonisation and rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait children in out-of-home care mean that there can be a myriad of issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents with regard to perinatal child protection involvement. The benefits must outweigh the risks of identifying parents experiencing complex trauma. Assessment must be offered within foundations of supportive relationships and holistic care in culturally-safe, empowering settings, where choices are respected and skilled communication approaches are used.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	WILEY
dc.relation.ispartof	Child Abuse Review
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1002/car.2760
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1607 Social Work
dc.subject.classification	Social Work
dc.subject.classification	4402 Criminology
dc.subject.classification	4409 Social work
dc.subject.classification	5203 Clinical and health psychology
dc.title	Community views on ‘Can perinatal services safely identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents experiencing complex trauma?’
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	32
utslib.for	1607 Social Work
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Provost
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Provost/Jumbunna
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2024-04-09T21:37:54Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	32
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

Family and extended kinship systems which nurture healthy, happy children are central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Since colonisation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have been impacted by intergenerational cycles of trauma, stemming from colonial violence, genocidal policies and discrimination, including the forced removal of children from their families. Becoming a parent offers a unique life-course opportunity for trauma recovery and preventing intergenerational trauma. However, identifying or ‘recognising’ complex trauma carries significant risk of harm for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents due to reactive prenatal child protection involvement potentially compounding experiences of trauma, and limited benefits due to lack of culturally appropriate support. The Aboriginal-led participatory Healing the Past by Nurturing the Future project aims to co-design safe, accessible and feasible perinatal awareness, recognition, assessment and support strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents experiencing complex trauma. This paper presents views of 38 workshop participants to determine prerequisites for ensuring benefits outweigh risks of assessment to safely recognise parents experiencing complex trauma, consistent with screening criteria. Six essential elements were identified from thematic analysis: high-quality holistic care; cultural, social and emotional safety; empowerment, choice and control; flexible person-centred approaches; trusting relationships; and sensitive, skilled communication. Key Practitioner Messages: The impacts of colonisation and rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait children in out-of-home care mean that there can be a myriad of issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents with regard to perinatal child protection involvement. The benefits must outweigh the risks of identifying parents experiencing complex trauma. Assessment must be offered within foundations of supportive relationships and holistic care in culturally-safe, empowering settings, where choices are respected and skilled communication approaches are used.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/177620