A co-developed speechlanguage pathology model of care for urban Aboriginal children

Abstract

Timely access to culturally safe and responsive speech-language pathology (SLP) services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, led and implemented by communities, is essential. However, a multitude of barriers relating to accessibility, policy, the impacts of colonisation, awareness of services and expectations, and experiences often prevent this from being a reality. This article describes a “good news” story—the development of a SLP model of care (MoC) for urban Aboriginal children, co-designed by Aboriginal community members and Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health professionals, where the unique strengths, values, and resilience of Aboriginal families, communities, and culture are incorporated into routine clinical practice. We will describe the clinical redesign process undertaken to develop the MoC, the key elements and activities of the MoC, and outline implications for clinical practice.

Within this article, Aboriginal is inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We acknowledge the diversity in cultures and identities of all First Nations people.

Keywords::

• Equity
• Community Health
• Children
• Model Of Care
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander

Acknowledgements

We would like to pay respect to and thank all the Aboriginal children and their families we have worked with for affording us true insight into a strong and resilient community that has taught us so much about family, culture, and community. We would also like to sincerely thank the Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network for their continued support, Neil Rickwood for his guidance in documenting the model of care, and Natasha Larter for her review of this paper. The collaboration from all stakeholders has been invaluable, and we look forward to continuing to work closely in the years ahead.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lauren Hamill

Lauren Hamill is a Senior speech pathologist at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick.

Laura Doig

Laura Doig was Acting speech pathology deputy manager at Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, and is now a senior speech pathologist at Murrumbidgee Health.

Cyrena Hunt-Madden

Cyrena Hunt-Madden is a Senior speech pathologist at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick.

Calita Murray

Calita Murray is a Yuin woman from the South Coast of NSW, working as an Aboriginal community liaison officer for the NSW Department of Education and volunteering as a regional delegate for the Eastern Suburbs Local Aboriginal Consultative Group (AECG).

Pauline Beller

Pauline Beller is a Dharawal woman from La Perouse, working as an Aboriginal education worker and volunteering as president of the Eastern Suburbs Local AECG.

Kirsty Beller

Kirsty Beller is a Dharawal woman from La Perouse, working as a project officer at the Gujaga Foundation and volunteering as a regional delegate for the Eastern Suburbs Local AECG and vice president of the Met East AECG.

Melinda Moore

Melinda Moore is Dharawal woman from La Perouse, working as an Aboriginal health worker at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick.

Tallara Reynolds

Tallara Reynolds is a Dharawal/Dunghutti woman from La Perouse, and was working as an Aboriginal health worker at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick.

Melissa Parkin

Melissa Parkin was Speech pathology manager at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, and is now speech pathology head of discipline for the Lower Hunter Sector, Hunter New England Local Health District.

Sue Woolfenden

A/Professor Sue Woolfenden is Deputy stream director for Early Life Determinants of Health, Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise, NHMRC senior research fellow (associate professor) at UNSW. Sue was a senior staff specialist community/developmental paediatrician at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, and is now Director of Community Paediatrics, Sydney Local Health District.

Karen Zwi

Professor Karen Zwi is a Consultant community paediatrician and head of the Department of Community Child Health at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, and conjoint professor with the School of Women's & Children's Health at UNSW.

Brendan Goodger

Brendan Goodger is General manager for primary care improvement at Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network.

Alison Purcell

A/Professor Alison Purcell is Program director for the Master of Speech Language Pathology program and lecturer at The University of Sydney.