Safe Koori Kids: Community Based Approaches to Indigenous Injury Prevention

Website:

www.thegeorgeinstitute.org/safekoorikids

Background


The study aims to develop culturally acceptable and effective intervention strategies targeting children and youth

Injury is a leading cause of Indigenous mortality in Australia. However, little is known about the impact of injury on Indigenous children and youth - particularly those living in urban areas - and there are few interventions for this group.

Aims

To increase our understanding of the relationship between injury, socio-economic disadvantage and resilience in Indigenous communities and to use this knowledge to develop culturally acceptable and effective intervention strategies targeting children and youth.

Over a three year period, the research aims to:

  • explore the incidence and impact of intentional and unintentional injury in selected urban Indigenous communities in NSW
  • identify factors contributing to positive and negative consequences relating to injury • develop and evaluate initiatives in Indigenous communities aimed at increasing resiliency in at-risk children, youth and families and
  • make recommendations for changes to policy and practice across a range of government portfolios and non-government organisations.

Methods

The study will be achieved by a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods undertaken over three phases:

  • The baseline phase in the first year of the study will involve the collection of data on the extent and type of injury to Indigenous children and youth in the study area.
  • The intervention phase in the second year will be undertaken in collaboration with the Indigenous community and involve the establishment of local safety partnership.
  • The evaluation phase in year 3 will involve the evaluation of the combined interventions and the identification of outcomes that can be integrated into policies which build resilience in relation to Indigenous community health and safety and dissemination of findings. A pre-test post-test design will be used to evaluate the effects of the intervention.

Status/Results

This project commenced in January 2006.

Extensive consultation was undertaken with the local Aboriginal community in South Western Sydney in the development of the study and a local Aboriginal research advisory group continues to guide the overall progress of the research and facilitate ongoing community consultation.

Ethical approval for the first phase was obtained from the University of Sydney, the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AHMRC) and the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET).

A number of successful community workshops have been carried out in the study area to faciliate community participation in the design of the school, family and community intervention and a Safe Koori Kids website was launched in September 2006.

The intervention was piloted in Briar Road Public School in term 4 2006 and implemented in 10 schools in South West Sydney between July 2007 and June 2008.

The findings of the first phase of the study are currently being prepared for publication.

Factsheet

Safe Koori Kids Factsheet

Institute Investigators:

Collaborators

Funding Agencies: