IntroductionThe Australian Government has announced funding worth $6.5 million over five years for four research projects under the Healthy start to life initiative. The projects have the potential of improving the maternal, infant and childhood health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The call for expressions of interest for project funding was made via the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (view the NHMRC Call for Expressions of Interest). Applicants were strongly encouraged to develop collaborative research teams to address a Healthy start to life in a cross-sectoral way. It was recommended that collaboration should include non-health sectors, such as education, employment, environment and transport, in partnership with service delivery agencies and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community groups. Applicants were encouraged to consider issues that impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in diverse settings, from remote and rural to urban and urban fringe populations. In announcing the funding Mr Abbott said, ‘Indigenous health remains a significant challenge. Research projects such as these provide more information on identified problems and explore ways to address the problems. Providing Indigenous children with a better start in life will help improve their long term health.’ The projects complement the Government’s 2005-06 Budget commitment of an additional $170 million for Indigenous health over four years, including more than $100 million on a new program to improve the health of Indigenous mothers, babies and children and to reduce the impact of chronic diseases. The projectsThe Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet is a partner in a successful application by Edith Cowan University (ECU), Western Australia, for a project that will receive funding of more than $1.4 million over five years. The project, Keeping kids on track: an initiative developing the resilience of Aboriginal students during a critical transition phase, will be directed by Chief Investigator Associate Professor Gary Partington of Kurongkurl Katitjin, ECU’s School of Indigenous Australian Studies. The initiative aims to build Indigenous children’s capacity to cope with life’s challenges and promote resilience through social and emotional skill development, cognitive development, community engagement, and appropriate health provision. This will build children’s capacities and lead to improved educational and employment outcomes in the longer term. Indigenous researchers and community members will participate in the governance and conduct of the study. The other projects to be implemented in Western Australia and New South Wales are: Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia
The University of Sydney, New South Wales
The University of Newcastle, New South Wales For further information view: Department of Health and Ageing, Tony Abbott, Minister for Health and Ageing Edith Cowan University The University of Newcastle |
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