News

Making a difference for vulnerable Aboriginal families

Mon, 25 Aug 2014 07:35:00

A project achieving remarkable outcomes for vulnerable Aboriginal babies and families is to be adopted across the Loddon Mallee region.

An award-winning intensive case-management program pioneered by the Mallee District Aboriginal Services (MDAS) will be expanded in an effort to reverse the disadvantages still present for Aboriginal families
For Aboriginal babies, the rates of perinatal infant mortality and low birth weight are around double that of non-Aboriginal babies and the Loddon Mallee’s Aboriginal Reference Group, LMARG, has identified the issue as a key priority.
LMARG officials believe transferring the findings from Mildura’s Bumps to Babes and Beyond pilot program can make significant inroads into closing the gap for the region’s Aboriginal babies and pre-school children.
Originally known as Bumps to Babes and Beyond, it will now be known as “The Early Years” and rolled out across the broader Mallee (including Swan Hill and Kerang), as well as being taken up in Echuca (Njernda Aboriginal Corporation), Robinvale (Murray Valley Aboriginal Corporation) and Bendigo (Bendigo District Aboriginal Corporation).
Expanding the program and building on its outcomes is the focus of a three-day Early Years Conference of Aboriginal health experts and practitioners beginning in Bendigo today.
MDAS Early Years Manager Danielle Dougherty said the success of the BBB pilot program clearly demonstrated investment could bring remarkable results in working with at-risk and vulnerable families.
“We worked intensively with 10 high-risk Aboriginal mothers and their families using an ‘attachment theory’ approach, which focusses on building early parent/child  bonding and parenting capacity ,” Ms Dougherty said.
“That partnership with a single, specially-trained practitioner starts right from when the pregnancy is confirmed and gives mums and their families the chance to develop a strong and trusting relationship with that practitioner,” she said.
Of the families involved in the pilot program, 90% of the women carried their babies to term, and all received ante-natal care, 70% continued to breastfeed after three months or more and 100% of babies were fully-immunised and had attended all key age and stage maternal and child health visits.
“The attachment theory at the base of the program is focussed on strengthening the connection and empathy a parent feels for their baby during pregnancy and the early years,” Ms Dougherty said.
“That is the real strength of this approach – which the mothers and families develop a strong and meaningful connection with their baby that allows empathy and supports nurturing.”
LMARG said its Koolin Balit Action Plan prioritised adopting the same intensive case-management model as a standard approach with all Aboriginal families in the region.  The Loddon Mallee Aboriginal population is young and growing with a 50% increase in the number of Aboriginal babies born in the region in the past three years.  In 2012-13, there were 181 Aboriginal babies born in public hospitals in the Loddon Mallee Region, with 58% born to mothers 24 years or younger. 
“We know that a disproportionate number of Aboriginal mothers and babies start their journey at a considerable disadvantage,” said LMARG chairperson Rudolph Kirby
“In addition to higher perinatal mortality and lower average birth weights, Aboriginal women are three times more likely to smoke, and only 32% of Aboriginal mums are still breast-feeding their baby at six months, compared to 50% of non-Aboriginal mothers,” he said.
“They are statistics that we can’t ignore any longer, particularly if, as a community, we want to be serious about closing the gap for Aboriginal people. 
“This is a big commitment, but it is one we have to make.  We are investing right at the beginning of life and are making an investment we provide direct and measurable outcomes both for Aboriginal families and the wider community.”