Social and Emotional Wellbeing & Trauma Informed Care
The term social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) is used by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to describe the social, emotional, spiritual and cultural wellbeing of a person. The term recognises the connection to land, sea, culture, spirituality, family and community which are important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and impact their wellbeing. It also recognises that a person’s SEWB is influenced by policies and past events.
The 2004 and 2017 national SEWB frameworks set out nine guiding principles that were developed during the Ways Forward national consultancy. These guiding principles define the SEWB concept and emphasise that SEWB is a strengths-based understanding of health:
1) health as holistic
2) the right to self-determination
3) the need for cultural understanding
4) the impact of history in trauma and loss
5) recognition of human rights
6) the impact of racism and stigma
7) recognition of the centrality of kinship
8) recognition of cultural diversity
9) recognition of Aboriginal strengths
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and self-determination can be powerful protective factors in providing a buffer to psychological distress. Factors identified as enhancing SEWB include: maintaining connection to Country, spirituality, ancestry and kinship networks, as well as strong community governance and cultural continuity. Renewal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and Indigenous knowledge systems and the capacity for self-determination are being increasingly recognised as fundamental to healing and supporting SEWB.
