Talking up strong care: Design and evaluation of a culturally grounded approach to qualitative interviewing Aboriginal young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Lead: Professor Richard Chenhall, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) are significantly underrepresented in health and disability research, and their perspectives are routinely overlooked in service design. There is a critical lack of research methods that are both culturally safe and accessible for people across varying levels of capacity, meaning that even when research is conducted, it may not engage meaningfully or safely with this group. This gap has real consequences for equity in diagnosis, NDIS access, and support.

Nested within the broader Talking Up Strong Care study, this sub-project will co-design, pilot, and evaluate a practical toolkit of disability-inclusive qualitative research methods tailored specifically to Aboriginal young people aged 16–25 with IDD.

The aim is to produce a practical, culturally grounded, and transferable framework for conducting accessible qualitative research with Aboriginal young people with IDD, strengthening the Talking Up Strong Care study and providing a lasting resource for future Aboriginal health and disability research.