Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing

The following 3-minute video brings together Emerging Minds’ work with communities across Australia to provide a glimpse into the deep connections First Nations Peoples have to Country, culture, spirituality, family and community. 

Intergenerational trauma 

Child Safety acknowledges the ongoing devastating impact of historical practices, including the forced removal of children from their families, on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, communities, and culture. 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities have remained connected to their culture, kinship and Country for over 60,000 years, prior to the colonisation of Australia (Emerging Minds (a)). This kit will provide practice guidance to build on these strengths using principles of self-determination. 

Intergenerational trauma refers to the exposure of trauma across generations, rooted in historical injustices such as colonisation, forced removals, genocide, the introduction of illicit substances, and ongoing racism. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, these experiences have left deep scars, impacting how families engage with systems, their parenting practices, and their overall wellbeing.

Trauma can be carried across generations through experiences of grief, disconnection, and survival responses, influencing behaviours, attitudes, and relationships. For many, this history contributes to understandable feelings of distrust towards government and social services, rooted in the legacy of historical and systemic harm.

Research on the mental health and non-suicidal self-injury of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples highlights a range of interconnected factors contributing to intergenerational trauma. These include disconnection from culture, personal experiences of trauma such as being separated from families as children, and ongoing stresses like disadvantage, racism, and social exclusion. Historical events, including colonisation, social disruption, and the introduction of alcohol and opiates into communities, have further undermined social and emotional wellbeing, increasing the risk of mental health challenges, substance misuse, and suicide. These complex issues are often overlooked by conventional Western medical models of mental health (Gee et al.(a); Tatz). 

For a thorough explanation, refer to the practice kit Safe care and connection History of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Cultural complexities for wellbeing

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities may have unique ways of expressing distress, grief, or trauma (Westerman). When working with families it is important to consider cultural-bound syndromes. A cultural-bound syndrome is a behavioural or psychological phenomena specific to a culture and is shaped by local beliefs and practices. These cultural complexities in social and emotional wellbeing may be seen through a Western lens as unusual or unfamiliar behaviours or experiences that may not align with standard mental health diagnoses. Cultural consultation must be sought to correctly consider a mental health presentation and diagnosis.

Westerman's research identified the following cultural-bound syndromes across Australian urban and rural locations:

Make active efforts to partner with cultural practice leaders, Elders, or local ATSICCOs to effectively engage with a family so their views and voice are considered: 

• incorporate and respect cultural healing practices as part of the care process
• seek cultural supervision to recognise knowledge and practice deficits and improvements
• identify culturally appropriate intervention approaches to incorporate traditional healing frameworks
• recognise and value cultural differences in parenting and family structures as part of a strengths-based approach.

Understanding these complexities and the role of culture in emotional and social wellbeing is essential for providing fair and effective support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, their families and communities. 

Stigma and shame 

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the term ‘shame’ holds a broader meaning than for non-Indigenous people, often reflecting feelings of embarrassment or discomfort from attention or circumstances rather than specific actions. (Refer to Understanding the concept of ‘shame'.) 

This sense of shame can prevent families from discussing social and emotional wellbeing or seeking help, as it is often compounded by stigma, historical trauma, cultural expectations along with fear of child protection involvement and previously negative experiences with services. 

Create safe, respectful, and private spaces to allow families to contribute at their own pace, using culturally safe language. Transparency and kindness are crucial, especially as fear of child removal can hinder open conversations. 

Demonstrate respect and sensitivity to cultural needs to support understanding, engagement and planning toward healing. 

Engagement approaches

So much of the Western approach to providing support is outcome-driven. For example, to complete a form or process, to make a decision, to complete a referral. An alternative approach is to focus on connection and building relationships with the people involved. For example, being curious and interested in learning who the person is, their story and experiences, their strengths and their hopes. This process includes sharing about us, such as where our family is from, what’s our favourite sporting team so we can find connections with the person we are engaging with (Sweet et al.). 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have passed on stories through speech and song. Listening to the storyteller is vital to reproduce the story accurately for the next generation, so listening became an art and skill deeply interwoven into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island custom.

Deep listening (also called Dadirri) as explained in the following 4-minute video, describes the processes of deep and respectful listening to build community—a way of encouraging people to explore and learn from the ancient heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, knowledge and understanding.

To build trust with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families, take time to engage respectfully. Approaches include: 

• embracing silence 
• using culturally appropriate language 
• start where the family is at 
• use yarning and familiar language to explore social and emotional wellbeing 
• listen without interrupting 
• respectfully ask about, and follow cultural protocols 
• show curiosity, humility and openness
• make active efforts to support families to define their own healing journey 
• consult and involve independent persons or community members as appropriate. 

Focus on creating a safe, consistent, and genuine relationship, as this connection can provide powerful support during challenging times. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents need to know they can rely on you to be up-front and honest about what is happening. There may be times you need to have uncomfortable and hard yarns . Show up for these conversations with compassion, curiosity and courage. Remain realistic regarding the expectations placed on a person, and do not commit to an action or outcome that cannot be guaranteed. 

If you do not, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents may be left confused and may feel you have lied or been sneaky. This repeats feelings about past injustices and has a flow-on effect within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Create opportunities for parents to tell their stories. This is an important step in helping them to understand the impacts of historical and complex trauma on their relationships with their children (Emerging Minds (a)).

Conversation starters

The following prompts may assist to start a conversation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They are aimed to be culturally sensitive, open-ended, and narrative-focused, fostering trust and understanding.

Self-determination – what, how and why

To build trust with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, take time to engage respectfully by embracing silence, using culturally appropriate language, and starting where the family is at. Use yarning and familiar language to explore mental health and wellbeing and listen without interrupting, following cultural protocols. (Refer to Yarning.) 

Empower families to define their own healing journey and involve independent persons or community members where appropriate. Focus on creating a safe, consistent, and genuine relationships, as this connection can provide powerful support during challenging times.

• Principles of self-determination (having control over their own lives) and participation guide our work with families and communities. Do not replicate past oppressive practices in your interactions. (Refer to What is safe care and connection.) 
• Ask parents where they would like to meet and who can support them.
• What is important to you, so you can feel safe while we talk today?
• Who can come and support you while we are here?
• How will you let me know if you feel like I am using ‘power’ over you?
• It is important to me while we talk that I don’t offend you or say things that are culturally inappropriate. If this happens, how can you let me know?

Cultural considerations for risk assessment and future actions

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultural protocols, rituals, and connections to Country offer powerful strategies for engagement and connection. These can form the foundation for protective factors that support the social and emotional wellbeing of children and their families. 

Reflect on the traditional rituals of Welcome to Country and Acknowledging Country. These demonstrate the value placed on showing respect to others, slowing down to allow time and space for thoughtful discussions and contemplation and fostering connection. 

This idea of connection can be applied to each of the social and emotional wellbeing domains identified by Gee et al.(a). These domains can also be seen as important ways to prevent issues and support healing, which can be explored through assessments and support planning to guide future actions.

Healing

Healing enables people to address distress, overcome trauma and restore wellbeing. Ways to support healing include reconnecting with culture, strengthening identity, restoring safe and enduring relationships and supporting communities to understand the impact that their experiences have had on their behaviour and create change. Healing occurs at a community, family and individual level. Healing continues throughout a person’s lifetime and across generations (The Healing Foundation).

‘Healing is addressing the trauma that has manifested in our families and individuals so that we can reach our full potential and self-determine our futures with pride and confidence.’ 

(Mackay online submission-The Healing Foundation).

Use a strengths-based and hope-inspiring approach with curiosity and respectful engagement to support families to draw on their strengths to respond to the presenting child protection concerns. Creating the opportunity for parents to tell their stories is an important step in helping them to understand the impacts of historical and complex trauma on their relationships with their children (Emerging Minds (a)).

‘Healing gives us back to ourselves. Not to hide or fight anymore. But to sit still, calm our minds, listen to the universe and allow our spirits to dance on the wind … [and] drift into our dreamtime. Healing ultimately gives us back to our country. To stand once again in our rightful place, eternal and generational. Healing is not just about recovering what has been lost or repairing what has been broken. It is about embracing our life force to create a new and vibrant fabric that keeps us grounded and connected.’

(Associate Professor Helen Milroy, Aboriginal Child Psychiatrist and Australia’s first Aboriginal doctor, 2009 cited in Mackean).

Using analogies such as Headspace’s ‘tree’ can support discussions about mental health, or emotional and social wellbeing to explore all aspects and impacts each are having on themselves or their child. (Refer to Social and emotional wellbeing.)