Molly Wardaguga Research Centre

09/04/2024

Today Central Australian Aboriginal Congress celebrates the opening of a new Alukura birthing service aiming to reduce pre-term labour and promote healthier birth weights. We are so proud to have worked in partnership with Congress and My Midwives on the journey.

Read more here:

In 1984 several hundred Aboriginal women from more than sixty communities and eleven language groups across more than 30,000 sq kilometres in Central Australia met in Alice Springs to establish what was to become Congress Alukura by the Grandmother’s Law. Central to their vision was to birth under...

05/04/2024

Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, Waminda South Coast, My Midwives Pty Ltd and the Molly Centre worked together to analyse the barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Birthing on Country services in NSW and QLD. Evidence based recommendations have been developed to navigate the path forward and enable action.

Problem or issue - Despite being supported by government policy since 2012, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services experience barriers to establishing Birthing on Country services.

What is already known - There is growing evidence that Birthing on Country services are acceptable, effective, and cost-saving models for women having First Nations babies.

What this paper adds - Synthesis of the policy, economic, and legal barriers to Birthing on Country services in two jurisdictions. Actionable recommendations to address barriers and enable scale-up of Birthing on Country services owned and governed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services.

Read full paper here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871519223003104

28/03/2024

Not able to catch the March Birthing on Country Centre of Excellence Seminar live this week? PhD Candidate Theresa Clasquin gave an insightful presentation on 'Why a life-course approach to women’s health is critical to ensuring Reproductive Justice in remote First Nations community in the NT.' Watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/RDuOEtE7vIU?si=yIzAjK3LW87xV_bY

21/03/2024

published in Medical Journal of Australia, the 2022 released - Birthing on Country for the best start in life: returning childbirth services to Yolŋu mothers, babies and communities in North East Arnhem, Northern Territory.
Authors: Sarah Ireland, Yvette Roe, Suzanne Moore, Elaine Ḻäwurrpa Maypilama, Dorothy Yuŋgirrŋa Bukulatjpi, Evelyn Djota Bukulatjpi, Sue Kildea
Read or download full article here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja2.51586

18/03/2024

Theresa Clasquin is currently completing her PhD at the Molly Centre and presenting the March Birthing on Country Centre of Research Excellence seminar.
Theresa is a Registered Midwife and Nurse who has worked in various clinical, education, management, and leadership roles over the past 19 years. In this seminar she discusses reform of Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health (SRMNH) care services, policies and practice required to enable Reproductive Justice, where by First Nations women are able to practice their rights to culturally safe place-based care.
Register here: https://shoutout.wix.com/so/5eOu-oHjJ?languageTag=en

15/03/2024

Did you miss the February Birthing on Country Centre of Excellence Seminar?
In this presentation you will hear from Professor Della Forster and Ms Res McCalman about an innovative program implemented in three major health services in Melbourne called ‘Baggarrook Yurrongi’ that has had substantial impact on the care and birth outcomes for women having a First Nations baby. The presentation will cover how the models were implemented, key outcomes we found, and finish by focusing on key critical elements and resources needed for program implementation and scale-up.
Watch the February 2024 Seminar Series here: https://youtu.be/RP8PD7MHlGI?si=Tj5e_U8kuRUtiOTO

07/03/2024

In ABC Indigenous Affairs Close the Gap article today, CDU Professor of Indigenous Health, Yvette Roe agrees with Hon Linda Burney MP, acknowledging that "the same old approach of insisting that government knows best, has not worked" and suggests change requires politicians and bureaucracies to prioritize policies and programs that uplift communities, which starts with First Nations solution co-design.

The first drop of Closing the Gap target data for 2024 provides updates for eight of the 19 socio-economic targets, showing the agreement is not on track.

23/02/2024

It was valuable to come together and take time to collectively consider our path forwards at the Strategic Planning Management Workshop last week.

19/02/2024

The Molly Wardaguga Research Centre Birthing on Country Centre of Research Excellence is proud to present:
‘Baggarrook Yurrongi’ Implementing culturally safe continuity of midwifery care for First Nations women in three maternity services in Victoria, Australia

with Professor Della Forster & Ms Res McCalman
as part of the seminar series

Tuesday 27 February 2024
1:30pm - 2:30pm (NT)
2:30pm - 3:30pm (SA)
3:00pm - 4:00pm (NSW | VIC)
2:00pm - 3:00pm (QLD)

Register here: https://charlesdarwinuni.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMsduGtqD0oGNP5b806fOrEjrwk8kzTPSEa

16/02/2024

The Molly Centre delivers the Australian Family Partnership Program National Support Service. The Support Service Education Team delivered Unit 2 training last week to new program staff from Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations all around Australia. Thank you to the participants for coming together to nurture and grow skills.

12/02/2024

As we mourn the passing Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG, we acknowledge she was a survivor of the Stolen Generation, and that this week, 13 February marks the anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations. It marks a time to both reflect on the recent history of Australia, and to gain invigoration for our work on this healing journey, nation building for our tomorrow and our future generations.

Stolen Generations survivor Florence Onus bravely shares insight into her personal family experience and the experience of many First Nations people and families in Australia, watch here: https://youtu.be/CzExWBCuuyg?si=rX_4fTw171Sdf43F

We thank the The Healing Foundation for their work in creating awareness of these stories and the intergenerational trauma caused. Quick read fact sheet:https://healingfoundation.org.au//app/uploads/2021/02/HF_Apology_Fact_Sheet_Feb2021.pdf

Florence Onus shares her story

09/02/2024

Dreaming of a Charles Darwin University career working within the Molly Wardaguga Research Centre? We have opportunities open for both a professional Operations Manager, and an academic Post Doc Research Fellow. See CDU Careers Site or SEEK for details - https://cdu.referrals.selectminds.com/jobs/search/529458