Resources

Key resources

Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Standing Committee. (Dec 2016). National Cultural Respect Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health 2016–2026. Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council. Australian Government.

The Framework provides the foundation and guides a nationally consistent approach for building culturally responsive health care design and delivery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and contributes to achieving the Closing the Gap targets agreed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).

Palmerston Association Inc. (2012). Aboriginal Cultural Security Guide for Human Service Organisations. Perth.

This document has been developed as a guide to help Australian human services organisations improve their capacity to deliver culturally secure services to Aboriginal people and their communities. This will require services on an ongoing basis to be mindful and inclusive of cultural differences which may, or may not, require additional service considerations.

Slater, H. & Garter, R. (n.d.). Working with Aboriginal People: A Resource to Promote Culturally Responsive Services in Western Australia. Perth: National Disability Services.

This manual has been compiled to assist services to build their capacity to understand and develop culturally responsive services.

Wright, M., O’Connell, M., Jones, T., Walley, R., & Roarty, L (Dec 2015). Looking Forward Aboriginal Mental Health Project: Final Report. Perth: Telethon Kids Institute, Subiaco, Western Australia.

This final report for the Looking Forward Project presents the research findings which have emerged from the design and implementation of a mental health and drug and alcohol systems change intervention that was conducted in the south-east metropolitan corridor; an area between Bentley to Armadale, from 2011 to 2015. The findings from the extended data gathering process were synthesized to four key attributes the Aboriginal participants considered to be essential to effect change in the mental health system, so as to improve service delivery to Nyoongar people and their families living with serious mental illness. The four attributes were trustworthiness, inclusivity, reciprocity and adaptability.

Other resources

Monahan, L. and Twining, C. (2006). Guidelines for delivery of culturally sensitive and flexible counselling for Indigenous carers. Project Report by for the Carer Counselling Program, Carers Victoria. 

This document is separated into two key sections. Part One provides information on Western versus Indigenous concepts of family, life cycle and health. Part Two highlights and discusses what is culturally appropriate and accessible counselling for Indigenous carers and what this might look like, incorporating discussions on accountability, self-determination, respect for Indigenous ways, counselling environment and building relationships. 

Price-Robertson, R. and , McDonald, M. (Mar 2011). Working with Indigenous children, families, and communities: Lessons from practice. CAFCA Practice Sheet. Child Family Community Australia. Australian Institute of Family Studies.

This webpage offers information on culturally competent service structure and culturally competent practices and strategies that will help ensure cultural competence.

Swinburne University. (Jun 2015). Increasing cultural competence and indigenous representation in Psychology (CFBS Seminar Series).

In this video, the panel discuss the topic 'Increasing cultural competence and indigenous representation in psychology'. Cultural competence is about implementing systematic mechanisms that enhance effective cross-cultural communication. This is of particular significance in the domain of psychology, where there is both an under-representation of indigenous practitioners, and frequent alarming reports of service underutilisation by indigenous people who continue to find psychosocial health services alienating and culturally inappropriate.