Culturally-Situated Trauma-Informed Practice within an Aboriginal Out of Home Care Program

In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are 11 times more likely to be placed in Out of Home Care (OOHC) than non-Indigenous children. Connection to culture is acknowledged as essential to Aboriginal children’s wellbeing, which involves relational connection and facilitation by Aboriginal caseworkers, carers and Elders. Culturally-situated trauma-informed practice has been identified as an approach to effectively support Aboriginal children in their placements. This study explored what is needed for an Aboriginal Community Controlled OOHC program to establish culturally-situated trauma-informed practice. Using a community led Indigenous informed participatory action research methodology and Indigenous Standpoint theory, this study investigated Aboriginal participants’ understandings and perceptions of what is needed to establish a culturally-informed trauma approach. Data was gathered using individual and group yarns (focus groups), observations and participant co-analysis. Fifty-three people from the Aboriginal community and connected to the Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation (IAC) participated in the study. The results demonstrate enablers and hinderances to establishing culturally-situated trauma-informed practice within an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO). There must be Aboriginal leadership leading cultural practices situated within community and these practices should be guided by community. Aboriginal children need enhanced connection to culture to support the building of their identities and therefore must be ‘cocooned in culture’ through this leadership.