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. 2024 Apr;35(2):433-443.
doi: 10.1002/hpja.773. Epub 2023 Jul 11.

'All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children should have access to the ASQ-TRAK': Shared vision of an implementation support model for the ASQ-TRAK developmental screener

Anita D'Aprano  1   2 , Sue-Anne Hunter  3 , Rebecca Fry  2 , Melissa Savaglio  4 , Sarah Carmody  4 , John Boffa  5 , Louise Cooke  6 , Abigail Dent  7 , Amanda Docksey  6 , Josie Douglas  5   8 , Adam Dunn  9 , Nick Halfpenny  10 , Meg Hewett  11 , Adrienne Lipscomb  7 , Esmai Manahan  10 , Belinda Morton  6 , Holly Mosse  9   12 , Dawn Ross  5 , Helen Skouteris  4   13
Affiliations

'All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children should have access to the ASQ-TRAK': Shared vision of an implementation support model for the ASQ-TRAK developmental screener

Anita D'Aprano et al. Health Promot J Austr. 2024 Apr.

Abstract

Issue addressed: The ASQ-TRAK, a strengths-based approach to developmental screening, has high acceptability and utility across varied Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts. While substantive knowledge translation has seen many services utilise ASQ-TRAK, we now need to move beyond distribution and support evidence-based scale-up to ensure access. Through a co-design approach, we aimed to (1) understand community partners' perspectives of barriers and enablers to ASQ-TRAK implementation and (2) develop an ASQ-TRAK implementation support model to inform scale-up.

Methods: The co-design process had four phases: (i) partnership development with five community partners (two Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations); (ii) workshop planning and recruitment; (iii) co-design workshops; and (iv) analysis, draft model and feedback workshops.

Results: Seven co-design meetings and two feedback workshops with 41 stakeholders (17 were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander), identified seven key barriers and enablers, and a shared vision - all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families have access to the ASQ-TRAK. Implementation support model components agreed on were: (i) ASQ-TRAK training, (ii) ASQ-TRAK support, (iii) local implementation support, (iv) engagement and communications, (v) continuous quality improvement and (vi) coordination and partnerships.

Conclusions: This implementation support model can inform ongoing processes necessary for sustainable ASQ-TRAK implementation nationally. This will transform the way services provide developmental care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, ensuring access to high quality, culturally safe developmental care. SO WHAT?: Well-implemented developmental screening leads to more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children receiving timely early childhood intervention services, improving developmental trajectories and optimising long-term health and wellbeing.

Keywords: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; child development; culturally competent care; developmental disabilities; developmental screening programs; implementation science.

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References

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