Cath Chamberlain. Photo: supplied
ANMF (Vic Branch), in association with the University of Melbourne, is pleased to offer continuing professional development training for members in culturally safe, trauma-informed care.
The one-day, in-person program will be run at ANMF (Vic Branch) by trainers Professor Cath Chamberlain and Dr Kim Jones.
A descendant of the Trawlwoolway People, Cath is a midwife and public health researcher, currently leading the Indigenous Health Equity Unit at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health. She is also Chief Midwifery Officer for the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) and Editor in Chief for First Nations Health and Wellbeing – the Lowitja Journal.
Kim is a non-Indigenous biomedical/neuroscience Research Fellow within the Indigenous Health Equity Unit. Kim’s research focuses on the development, implementation and evaluation of community co-designed strategies to address intergenerational trauma and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.
The interactive training Cath and Kim will be delivering for ANMF members is designed by a team of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous experts in trauma and trauma-informed care. It draws on four years of co-design with communities in the Healing the Past by Nurturing the Future project, which aims to assist participants to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents during pregnancy, birth and the first 2000 days.
The training will cover five modules:
- Understanding the impact of colonisation on the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and why the perinatal period is so important for reducing health inequities
- Neurobiology and neurophysiology of trauma
- Creating trauma-informed/hope-inspiring perinatal spaces
- Working safely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
- Perinatal support for parents affected by trauma and reducing service providers’ risk of vicarious/secondary trauma
Who is the training for?
This training is designed for people working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families during pregnancy, birth and the early years of parenting.
‘Perinatal care providers have a critical role in supporting parents at a time when they are more likely to be experiencing trauma-related distress, and when there are important opportunities for healing from trauma,’ Cath says.
‘It’s also a time when relatively young parents have regular contact with health services, so we need to ensure these contacts are safe and not re-traumatising parents (as we have heard is a serious concern in our co-design work with communities). Research also shows that while 98 per cent of perinatal care provider recognise trauma, stress and grief as important issues impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, almost half do not feel confident their organisations provide sufficient support.’
Members who complete this CPD training will come away with increased confidence working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. They will gain a comprehensive understanding of the impact of trauma on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, from both a social and neurobiological perspective, as well as practical steps and skills to provide culturally safe trauma-informed care to families. They will also gain tips and skills for caring for themselves to prevent or reduce vicarious/secondary trauma.
Cath emphasises that the training is provided in very safe, non-judgemental environment and notes that both she and Kim are very mindful that some potential participants may feel wary about the subject matter due to their own trauma or fear. ‘These are common experiences and fears,’ Cath says, ‘and we have strategies to minimise these risks, and ensure the training is fun and engaging. We are also open to discussing these concerns prior to the training if needed.’
