Objective: To develop an understanding of parenting strategies used by Aboriginal Australian parents impacted by colonisation and other forms of adversity to break cycles of trauma within families. Design: “Yarning circles” involving qualitative interviews with six Aboriginal parents were conducted. Parents who identified as having experienced childhood histories of trauma and historical loss were asked about parenting strategies that helped them to break cycles of intergenerational trauma. Interviews were transcribed and independently coded by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal psychologists who worked for an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. Results: Parents identified over 100 strategies associated with parenting and breaking cycles of trauma. Some strategies aligned well with research on the protective effects of safe, stable, nurturing relationships. Other strategies focused upon domains of culture, community, and history, and addressed issues such as family violence, colonisation, and the intergenerational links between trauma and parenting. The strategies were collated into a community resource that could be used by other Aboriginal parents. Conclusion: Parental histories of colonisation and interpersonal and intergenerational trauma can have a significant impact on kinship networks and community environments that Aboriginal parenting practices are embedded within. Parents who identified with having managed to break cycles of trauma reported using a wide range of successful parenting strategies. These strategies serve a diversity of functions, such as parenting approaches that aim to directly influence children’s behaviour and foster wellbeing, manage family and community conflict, and manage parental histories of trauma and trauma responses in ways that mitigate the impact on their children.

Background Fatigue is common among mothers of infants and young children and associated with a range of negative parenting outcomes. Little is understood, however, about the mechanisms by which fatigue may impact on parenting, particularly among mothers beyond 12 months post‐partum. This study investigated the relationship between maternal fatigue and overreactive discipline, and whether parenting self‐efficacy mediates this relationship. Methods Participants were 252 Australian mothers of 1–4 years old children. Levels of fatigue, parenting self‐efficacy, and overreactive discipline were recorded via a self‐report questionnaire. Results A simple mediation model analysis provided support for the direct effect of fatigue on overreactive discipline, as well as the mediation of this relationship by parenting self‐efficacy. Conclusions These findings suggest fatigue may contribute to overreactive discipline in mothers of young children via two pathways: directly, and indirectly via parenting self‐efficacy. Interventions that support mothers to manage fatigue and maintain a sense of parenting self‐efficacy while facing ongoing exhaustion may promote the use of more effective and less adverse discipline responses with children.

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Introduction: Eliminating disparities in hospital care between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians is vital to closing the life expectancy gap. As cardiovascular disease is the greatest single contributor to this gap, effective cardiac health care for Aboriginal people must be a priority. In 2010 the Victorian Department of Health commissioned a review of its Improving Care for Aboriginal Patients (ICAP) program. This presentation outlines the review findings, including the alarmingly low access of Aboriginal Victorians to cardiac rehabilitation.Objective: The ICAP review sought to determine the extent to which Victorian health services are providing culturally responsive care for Aboriginal patients and how this could be improved. In particular, cardiac rehabilitation, emergency, maternity and mental health care were examined.Method: The review involved: