How can we better support First Nations parents in remote communities?

Lexie Gregory's career has centred around supporting parents and families in remote communities, making Charles Darwin University the perfect place to start a Higher Degree by Research. She wants to ensure that parenting programs integrate First Nations worldviews into their design. 

Lexie took a research position with Menzies School of Health Research working on the evaluation of the Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home-Visiting (MECSH) program. 

MECSH was designed to improve outcomes for children and families by building the parents’ capacity to care for their children. 

“I’ve always been interested in what makes parents strong, and how we can better support parents early in their parenting journey.” 

During her work on the evaluation, Lexie became curious about how parenting is understood and how parenting outcomes are measured, specifically exploring the perspectives and experiences of First Nations parents living in remote communities. 

Parental self-efficacy

The term ‘parental self-efficacy’ refers to believing in yourself and your capabilities as a parent. 

It’s an important psychological construct linked to positive outcomes for children’s development as well as parental wellbeing and parenting practices. It’s also an important component in theories of change within parenting programs and can be linked to program outcomes. 

“I noticed that parental self-efficacy was seemingly important to how the program works, but that no one had checked if this was an important concept for First Nations parents doing the program,” Lexie says. 

“Like other psychological constructs, parental self-efficacy is socially constructed and may be experienced differently in across cultures,” Lexie says. 

“It’s important to consider what is happening at a deeper level when parenting programs developed in one context, like an urban area down south, are implemented in new places and with families of different backgrounds, like in remote NT communities.”

If a program lacks cultural relevance, it may not work as it should. 

With, and for, First Nations parents

The first part of Lexie’s research will draw on what First Nations parents have already said in the MECSH evaluation about their thoughts on parenting, what makes them feel strong as parents, and their support needs. She will also examine design and administration elements in parenting outcome measures by exploring the experience of the question-and-answer process to participants. 

The second part of her research aims to explore parental self-efficacy by talking to parents in remote communities. 

“This process of meaning making will happen with First Nations parents and First Nations co-researchers and advisors. Over time parent stories will build up to develop a picture of what this construct means for First Nations parents, identifying what contributes to making parents believe in themselves, and feel strong and persistent in their parenting.”

Developing measures of parental self-efficacy that resonate with First Nations parents can help check that parenting programs are working as intended. 

“I hope that this research will contribute to ensuring that the design, delivery and measurement elements of parenting programs in remote communities are grounded in First Nations parents’ perspectives.” 

CDU is seeking Higher Degree by Research students to take part in research projects just like these. Scholarships are available. Learn more.