Aboriginal early years workers identify priorities for infant nutrition and active play

Aboriginal early years professionals in Victoria identified culturally safe conversations, trusted support from Aboriginal health professionals, and targeted information as central to enhancing nutrition and active play services for Aboriginal families and their infants. A qualitative study involving 21 members of the workforce also found that role modelling, face-to-face interaction, digital resources, breastfeeding support, and the cost of living were important considerations.

The study examined the views, preferences, and experiences of workers in the Aboriginal early years workforce rather than testing an intervention or measuring changes in infant health. Its focus was on how maternal and infant services could provide better information and support around infant nutrition and active play for Aboriginal families in Victoria, Australia.

Researchers conducted two yarning groups with members of the Victorian Koori Maternity Services and Aboriginal Maternal Child Health services workforce. Some yarning groups took place in person and others online. The sessions explored participants’ perspectives on maternal and infant service delivery, including nutrition and active play, and the researchers analysed the discussions thematically.

At the service level, participants identified the value of role modelling by both the workforce and families. They also highlighted the need for culturally appropriate and targeted support delivered through face-to-face interaction and digital resources. The study did not compare the effectiveness of these different communication formats, so the findings describe the priorities reported by participants rather than demonstrating that one format produces better outcomes.

Participants emphasised that Aboriginal health professionals should remain central to the delivery of culturally responsive and trusted support. This finding reflects the perspectives of a small workforce sample; families were not the direct study population. The results therefore show how the participating Aboriginal early years professionals understood the importance of trusted relationships in service provision, without establishing how widely those views are shared across all Aboriginal early childhood services.

Cost of living was identified as a system-level factor affecting families. The study recorded this as an important consideration for families, but it did not quantify its effect on the use of services or resources. In the same way, the findings do not measure changes in infant nutrition, breastfeeding rates, physical activity, or access to care following any particular service model.

Several priorities spanned both service and system levels. Participants discussed supporting and normalising breastfeeding, as well as creating culturally safe spaces and conversations. The analysis presents cultural safety as a central feature of service delivery that involves interactions between professionals and families and also the organisation of services. It did not evaluate a specific cultural-safety training programme or measure the effects of culturally safe spaces on health outcomes.

Overall, the participants identified factors considered important to enhancing support for Aboriginal families around infant nutrition and active play. These included role modelling, targeted and culturally appropriate information, trusted Aboriginal health professionals, culturally safe environments, and attention to the cost of living. The results point to the priorities of Aboriginal early years workers involved in Victorian Koori Maternity Services and Aboriginal Maternal Child Health services.

Because the research consisted of two yarning groups with 21 participants, it provides a focused qualitative account rather than a population estimate. The study was limited to the Victorian early years workforce and did not test an intervention, compare service models, or follow infants and families to assess clinical or developmental benefits. Its conclusion is that culturally safe information and support provided by Aboriginal health professionals are key to strengthening nutrition and active play service delivery for Aboriginal families.

Subject of Research: Qualitative study of Aboriginal early years workers’ priorities for culturally safe infant nutrition and active play support in Victoria, Australia.

Article Title: Culturally safe conversations: yarning with the Aboriginal early years workforce about supporting infant nutrition and active play

Article References: Mitchell Mununjali, F., Browne, J., Love, P., Finlay Yorta Yorta, S. M., Thow Pennemuker/Ngati Porou, S., & Laws, R. (2026). Culturally safe conversations: yarning with the Aboriginal early years workforce about supporting infant nutrition and active play. BMC Health Services Research. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-026-15565-0

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12913-026-15565-0

Keywords: Aboriginal health, infant nutrition, active play, cultural safety, early years workforce, breastfeeding, maternal and child health, Victoria, yarning, health services, Culturally, safe