Few studies have explored mental health treatment programs for Aboriginal Australian children under the age of 12 years old. Isolated locations, coupled with therapy modalities that are not developmentally and culturally suitable for children who have experienced adversities, exacerbate the typical challenges in providing health services needed for optimum child development. Therapeutic services offered in Aboriginal communities typically follow a traditional delivery of therapy, meeting no more than once a week, or less, as remoteness increases. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effectiveness of an intensive child-centered play therapy (iCCPT) program in a remote Aboriginal community with children who have experienced adversity. Pre-and postmeasures, utilizing Goodman's (1997) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, were collected from parents and teachers. Semistructured interviews were conducted with parents who participated in the program after the intervention ended. Nine child participants attended an average of 15 sessions in a 10-day format. Total difficulties, as reported by both parents and teachers, diminished after the program. In particular, emotional problems, as rated by teachers, decreased over time. If replicated in a randomized control trial, these findings would suggest that an iCCPT program may be feasible and effective in remote Australian Aboriginal communities.

Objective: KidsMatter identified a need for resources to support the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal children. This case study describes the intercultural processes underpinning the development of the KidsMatter Aboriginal Project. Method: The project was guided by the principles of participatory action, narrative therapy, and critically reflective practice and aimed to define Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing from the perspective of Aboriginal peoples. Workshops were held with Aboriginal cultural consultants across two phases. The consultants worked collaboratively with the project team to develop a series of animations and supporting resources for Aboriginal families, and early childhood and primary school educators. Workshop outcomes and themes were provided to Indigenous psychologists for comment and comparison with the available literature. Separate consultations were held with school, early childhood, and health and community professionals, and Aboriginal family group members to consider use of the resources in professional settings. Results: The project resulted in the development of a suite of culturally relevant and professional learning tools to support the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal children. The tools are designed for use by Aboriginal families, schools, early childhood, and health and community services and are reflective of key themes raised by relevant literature and community representatives. Conclusion: The principles of participatory action, narrative therapy, and critically reflective practice can guide culturally safe practice and project outcomes when working with Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing. The combination of first-hand community knowledge and evidence-based literature assists align projects with National Practice Standards in Mental Health.

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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.