Acceptability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander co-designed resources to increase awareness of complex trauma during the perinatal period: Perspectives of parents, service providers and pilot implementation stakeholders

Purpose The Aboriginal-led Healing the Past by Nurturing the Future project was conceptualised to co-design safe, acceptable and feasible strategies for supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents experiencing complex trauma in the perinatal period. Six strategies have been co-designed to increase complex trauma awareness amongst both parents and service providers in perinatal health settings: three resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents, alongside three training courses designed for perinatal service providers. This paper reports on the perceived acceptability and usefulness of the proposed project strategies from the perspectives of parents and service providers who participated in a series of national in-person discussion groups, as well as key stakeholders of a Victorian pilot implementation site who participated in an online workshop. Methods Using a participatory action research approach, 21 Aboriginal parents participated in six discussion groups; and 20 service providers (seven Aboriginal; 13 non-Indigenous) participated in four discussion groups in 2022 in the Northen Territory, South Australia and Victoria. Fifty-seven key implementation site stakeholder participants attended the online workshop held in 2022. Most participants were from Victoria (56%) and South Australia (18%). Just under half of the participants identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Data were compiled and thematically analysed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous researchers. Main findings Four major themes were generated from the discussion group and workshop data: 1) Who gets to tell the story on trauma? Doing it the right way for every community; 2) Listening to unlearn; decolonising practice in perinatal settings; 3) A two-way learning opportunity about parenthood beyond trauma; and 4) Strength in culture; ensuring cultural and emotional safety of parents through strengths-based approaches. Principal conclusions The research findings reflect established principles for researching and implementing programs designed for and by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, emphasising community ownership, contextual relevance, cultural safety and shared learning. The findings have been used to inform the co-design and dissemination of resources; identify barriers and facilitators to project implementation; and to inform future evaluation of complex trauma awareness resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents, with a focus on the perinatal period.