OARS

    Open-Ended Questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summaries (OARS) are conversation techniques that can be used to build engagement with family members at the beginning of, and throughout, your work with families.

    Strengths-Based Practice

      Strengths-Based Practice encourages family members to identify what they do well, build on those strengths, and apply their skills across a broader range of circumstances.

      Checking for Understanding

        Checking for Understanding involves routinely checking that family members have understood discussions, information, or decisions relevant to them.

        Seeking Feedback

          Seeking Feedback involves regularly asking the family for their thoughts on their practitioner, and the service that is being delivered. Seeking feedback seeks to better understand the family’s experience and ascertain whether the practitioner is meeting the family’s expectations and needs.

          Deep Listening

            Deep Listening or Dadirri (pronounced da-did-ee) is a tool of respect amongst Aboriginal communities. It is the practice of allowing communication to be led by the family and prioritising listening over speaking.

            Connecting to Community and culture

              Connecting to Community and Culture is the practice of supporting Aboriginal families to maintain, strengthen and/or build their connections with Community and Culture.

              Empowering Narratives

                Empowering Narratives is the practice of supporting Aboriginal families to understand how their current circumstances may have been impacted by past policies and develop empowering narratives thatfoster strength and resilience.

                Grief, loss and Sorry Business

                  This practice helps practitioners engage and support Aboriginal families through grief, loss and Sorry Business by understanding the effects of policies and helping families to self-advocate and empower their own narratives.