The role of Aboriginal family workers in delivering a child safety-focused home visiting program for Aboriginal families in an urban region of New South Wales.

Abstract

Aboriginal Australian children experience higher rates of injury than other Australian children. However, few culturally acceptable programs have been developed or evaluated. The Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service (IAMS) developed the Safe Homes Safe Kids program as an injury prevention program targeting disadvantaged Aboriginal families with children aged 0-5 in an urban region of New South Wales. Delivered by Aboriginal Family Workers (AFWs), the program aims to reduce childhood injury by raising awareness of safety in the home. A program evaluation was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the home visiting model as an injury prevention program. This study reports on the qualitative interviews which explored the ways in which clients, IAMS staff and external service providers experienced the program and assessed its delivery by the AFWs. A qualitative program evaluation was conducted between January 2014 and June 2015. We report here on the semi-structured interviews undertaken with 34 individuals. The results show increased client engagement in the program; improved child safety knowledge and skills; increased access to services; improved attitudes to home and community safety; and changes in the home safety environment. Safe Homes Safe Kids provides a culturally appropriate child safety program delivered by AFWs to vulnerable families. Clients, IAMS staff and external service were satisfied with the family workers' delivery of the program and the holistic model of service provision. This promising program could be replicated in other Aboriginal health services to address unintentional injury to vulnerable Aboriginal children.