Debbie Haynes

Thesis title

Culturally Responsive Care in NSW Out-of- Home-Care: An Evaluation of the “Walking in Blak Traks” training

About the project

This project evaluates the “Walking in Blak Traks” training, focusing on its effectiveness in enhancing cultural responsiveness among clinicians in New South Wales (NSW) out-of-home care (OOHC). The study will analyse changes in clinicians’ attitudes and self-efficacy, assess the utilisation of Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) framework, and identify factors influencing the implementation of culturally safe practices. Utilising a mixed-methods approach with quantitative surveys and qualitative focus groups, the research aims to inform evidence-based reforms in clinical practices to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in OOHC.

About Debbie Haynes

Debbie Haynes is a proud Gamilaraay yinarr, with maternal ties to the Bull, Colebull, and Balding families, and paternal connections to the Haynes, Lawrie, and Coleman families across Wirangu, Mirning, and Yuwaalaraay country. Debbie’s passion for psychology, trauma healing, and research is influenced by her father’s fierce advocacy and her mother’s cultural ways. Debbie’s experiences drives her commitment to addressing systemic disparities affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly in out-of-home care systems. Through this project, Debbie aims to implement meaningful changes for Aboriginal young people in care by prioritising Indigenous wellbeing models to ensure cultural safety. Debbie advocates for community-led healing and the urgency of truth-telling, striving to create a future where the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait children are heard, valued, and protected.

Principal Supervisor: Prof Cath Chamberlain