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

Investigators:

Prof Morag McArthur, Dr Debbie Noble-Carr, Prof Daryl Higgins, Dr Tim Moore, Sam Morley

Funding Source:

Department of Social Services (DSS), Australian Government

Aim:

This scoping study aims to identify strategies for talking to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experiencing family and domestic violence. There is limited research exploring how children generally, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children specifically, experience domestic and family violence, how they perceive this, and what their support needs are.

In 2017, ICPS completed a meta-synthesis of the qualitative studies with children about domestic and family violence, which identified a gap in understanding the unique issues and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experiencing violence. In response, DSS commissioned ICPS to undertake this further study. The study will:

• Identify the barriers and enablers to directly engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children about their experiences of family and domestic violence;
• Identify what is needed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to feel safe about researchers exploring their experiences of family and domestic violence; and,
• Identify and/or develop resources and guidance for researchers, service providers and parents to improve their confidence to talk to children about their experiences of violence.

The study will include a literature review about the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living with violence and best practice for conducting research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children; conduct interviews with key stakeholders, such as elders and community members, service providers and peak bodies, ethics committee members; and parents and young adults aged 18-25 who have experienced domestic and family violence.

For more information about this project, contact Debbie Noble-Carr.