NAIDOC Week is an important time for all Australians to recognise both the achievements and struggles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The 2023 NAIDOC week theme, “For Our Elders”, is particularly significant for us at Embrace @ The Kids Research Institute Australia.
We draw on our resident Elders for the wealth of knowledge that they hold, which we use to ensure that the research we conduct is both culturally safe and relevant. Elders also provide guiding roles to ensure research is contextually appropriate within different Aboriginal communities in Western Australia.
It is also important to recognise the important role Elders play in the development and overall mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal children. In late 2022, this was determined as one of three key priorities for future research into infant, child, and youth mental health in Western Australia as part of a community-led priority-setting project, conducted by Embrace at The Kids Research Institute Australia.
This year's theme also forces us to recognise the cyclical nature of intergenerational trauma and the need for support during the earliest stages of life for Aboriginal children.
As Embrace Co-Director Professor Helen Milroy suggests, “If you can establish safe, nurturing relationships in the first couple of years, you build resilience and assist a child in managing their emotions. And though a child may face adversity later in life, those first couple of years are absolutely critical in building that stable foundation. It is much harder to build later on.”
This notion has informed one of Embrace’s current research projects into childhood trauma, which investigates culturally safe and trauma-informed parenting, including the role of Elders, grandparents and the community. Incorporating both elders and the community within the programme ensures that the programme is culturally derived and takes a holistic approach, which is critical when addressing Aboriginal children’s needs.
At Embrace, we hope that as you reflect on NAIDOC Week’s theme this year, you recognise the role that the elders in your life; both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, have played and take the time to show your appreciation.
Family: Children are a gift, born from country into a family, ancestry and culture as enduring as the universe.
© Helen Milroy 2023
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