JCPSLP Vol 19 No 1 March 2017

Communication and connection: Valuing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives

Around the journals

Dr John Gilroy, a Koori man, and his colleagues used an Indigenous research methodology to discover the factors that influence participation of Aboriginal people in disability services. The team interviewed 67 participants (seven identified as being Aboriginal) from a mainstream non- government organisation (NGO) and an Aboriginal NGO using focus groups and individual interviews. Transcripts were analysed using a grounded theory approach and 12 factors emerged: conceptualising disability; family and kin; colonisation and trauma; racism; choice of workers; choice of organisations; community connections; trustworthiness of mainstream services; multiple agency intervention; trusting workers; mobility; and affirmative action policy. These factors are interrelated and entrenched in services. It is apparent that the NDIS offers an exciting opportunity to improve services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. However, this will be possible only if (to paraphrase from the Australian Psychological Society’s recent formal apology) we are able to: • advocate more and comply less; • include more and ignore less; and, • collaborate more and command less (Australian Psychological Society, 2016). Reference Australian Psychological Society. (2016). Media statement: Thursday 15th September . Victoria: Author. Retrieved from http://www.psychology.org.au/news/media_ releases/15September2016/. Robinson, G., Mares, S., & Arney, S. (2016). Continuity, engagement and integration: Early intervention in remote Australian Aboriginal communities . Australian Social Work , early online. doi: 10.1080/0312407X.2016.1146315 Angela Lawless Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are significantly overrepresented in the child protection system, compared to non-Indigenous children, and the gap is widening. This paper addresses the issue of early intervention in NT remote communities where over 30% of the Territory’s population are Indigenous and more than half of the implementation of a program for 4–7-year-olds known as Let’s Start. This group intervention for Aboriginal families comprises 2-hour sessions over 10 weeks with parent only discussions followed by interactive semi-structured sessions including the children. Despite experiencing major life events including family death by suicide and family violence, 50–60% of parents attended 60% or more of the sessions. The paper presents two cases to illustrate the factors, capacities and practices that support or hinder the • listen more and talk less; • follow more and steer less; Indigenous population lives in rural and remote communities. The authors draw lessons from the

Scull, J. (2016) Effective literacy teaching for Indigenous students: Principles from evidence based practices. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy , 39 (1), 54–63. Anne Murrie In the light of the ongoing gap in literacy attainment between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in Australia, Scull outlines six principles to guide the successful implementation of early literacy programs, particularly in the context of remote communities. These principles include: maintaining first language while building skills in English; valuing and respecting community knowledge and experience; providing responsive, tiered learning support; recognising the complexity of literacy learning; expert teaching and ongoing professional learning; and investing in evidence-based programs. Scull discusses three early intervention language and literacy programs which are currently being trialled in remote communities with positive outcomes: the Abecedarian Approach Australia, which is an early language and literacy program with a focus on 0–3-year-olds; Literacy Acquisition for Pre-primary Students (LAPS), which is aimed at up-skilling preschool staff in using specific small group teaching procedures for literacy; and Reading Recovery, which is a widely used intervention program for children who have not attained the expected level in reading after one year of instruction. The author provides a set of principles with a strong theoretical foundation for building literacy skills in Indigenous children, and I believe these would be strongly endorsed by teachers working in the field. Though not acknowledged in the article, the challenge may be in the practical implementation of recommended actions in such complex contexts, for example: monitoring ear health; supporting regular school attendance; attracting and retaining experienced teachers; and so on. That said Scull’s work contributes to an important and ongoing conversation in Australia. Gilroy, J., Donelly, M., Colmar, S., & Parmenter, T. (2016). Twelve factors that can influence the participation of Aboriginal people in disability services . Australian Indigenous Health Bulletin , 16 (1), 1–9. Abigail Lewis The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is currently being rolled out across Australia, changing the way services are perceived and funded. As part of this process the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is tasked with ensuring people with disabilities are informed, empowered and financed in order to obtain the services they require to improve their outcomes. Currently, Aboriginal people have significantly higher rates of disability than the non-Aboriginal population and yet have considerably lower rates of participation in disability services than the non-Aboriginal population.

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JCPSLP Volume 19, Number 1 2017

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