TY - JOUR
T1 - Narratives and processes
T2 - Developing a responsive parent–child program to empower local facilitators in a remote Aboriginal community
AU - Stock, Carolin
AU - Punguatji, Maggie Kerinaiua
AU - Cubillo, Carmen
AU - Robinson, Gary
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Funding for the implementation of the program was provided by Red Cross, Communities for Children Strategy. The research was supported by a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship from the Australian Commonwealth Government.
PY - 2022/1
Y1 - 2022/1
N2 - This article presents the results of a retrospective study that critically examines the development of a responsive parent–child program from conceptualisation to pilot implementation. The development of the Play to Connect program was a continuation of research translation work of the Let’s Start parenting program which was delivered in remote Aboriginal communities across the Northern Territory, Australia from 2005–2016. The impetus for the Play to Connect program came from the community need for parenting support that could be delivered by local Aboriginal workers living in the community. The aim was to bring research and community together through the co-creation of contextually relevant knowledge directly useful for local Aboriginal facilitators. Embedded in a dynamic cycle of planning, delivery, observation and reflection, the team of local Aboriginal staff and visiting practitioners designed and piloted an innovative, user-friendly and adaptable parent–child program which was underpinned by the evaluation findings of an existing program, drawing on the framework of play therapy. The 2.5 year long process of development brought about action and change for the local Aboriginal staff. They valued the co-creation of the program and resources and reported increased knowledge of child development and confidence to deliver family support in their community. This study shows that the development of Play to Connect was more than “tailoring” a parenting program – it was a way of creating sustainable support around a program to increase the chances of continuity of implementation and successful community engagement and development.
AB - This article presents the results of a retrospective study that critically examines the development of a responsive parent–child program from conceptualisation to pilot implementation. The development of the Play to Connect program was a continuation of research translation work of the Let’s Start parenting program which was delivered in remote Aboriginal communities across the Northern Territory, Australia from 2005–2016. The impetus for the Play to Connect program came from the community need for parenting support that could be delivered by local Aboriginal workers living in the community. The aim was to bring research and community together through the co-creation of contextually relevant knowledge directly useful for local Aboriginal facilitators. Embedded in a dynamic cycle of planning, delivery, observation and reflection, the team of local Aboriginal staff and visiting practitioners designed and piloted an innovative, user-friendly and adaptable parent–child program which was underpinned by the evaluation findings of an existing program, drawing on the framework of play therapy. The 2.5 year long process of development brought about action and change for the local Aboriginal staff. They valued the co-creation of the program and resources and reported increased knowledge of child development and confidence to deliver family support in their community. This study shows that the development of Play to Connect was more than “tailoring” a parenting program – it was a way of creating sustainable support around a program to increase the chances of continuity of implementation and successful community engagement and development.
KW - Aboriginal
KW - empowerment
KW - parent–child program
KW - participatory research
KW - Program development
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100452459&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1473325021992413
DO - 10.1177/1473325021992413
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85100452459
VL - 21
SP - 160
EP - 176
JO - Qualitative Social Work
JF - Qualitative Social Work
SN - 1473-3250
IS - 1
ER -