Faculty of Medicine and Health researchers, Professor Elizabeth Elliott and Dr Lauren Rice, are members of a team awarded the 2025 Tarrn-doon-nonin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research Project Award for outstanding research in the field of Indigenous health and wellbeing from the Lowitja Institute.

They won the award for their contributions to the Bigiswun Kid Project, which was conducted as part of a 17-year partnership between Senior Aboriginal women from Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre (MWRC) and the University.

Based on Bunuba Country in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, MWRC provides women and their families with a range of services and advocates for positive change for young people across the Fitzroy Valley.  

The Tarrn-doon-nonin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research Project Award is one of the most prestigious awards given by the Lowitja Institute.

Tarrn-doon-nonin is the Woiwurrung word meaning “trust”, which vital in research partnerships. The Tarrn-doon-nonin award acknowledges a research project in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing that demonstrates research that is conducted to an exemplary standard, in line with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ethical principles and practices.

This award recognises the teams’ research achievements in Indigenous health and wellbeing research and celebrates their leadership and excellence.

The Bigiswun Kid (Kimberley Kriol for adolescents) Project provides information on longitudinal outcomes for adolescents in the remote Fitzroy Valley region. In 2020-2022, the project followed up 89% of the Lililwan Project cohort at age 17-19 years.

The Lililwan project was a population-based prevalence study of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) conducted in 2010-2011. Ninety-five percent of all eligible children aged 7-9 years living in the Fitzroy Valley region at that time participated in this project.

The Bigiswun Kid project research aimed to identify the need of young people and build knowledge to inform services to improve the health and well-being of adolescents.

Following community consultation, the project team interviewed nearly 200 parents/carers and adolescents about their health and wellbeing.

"We wanted to hear the voices of youth and their parents” said Dr Rice.

“Using data collected in both Lililwan and Bigiswun Kid projects and data linkage we were able to identify childhood predictors of positive adolescent outcomes.”

The partnership also heard what child, adolescent and young adult services are needed to promote health and well-being.

“Young people aged 17-19 years living in the remote Fitzroy Valley in Western Australia clearly identified the supports and services they need to thrive in adulthood," said Professor Elliott.

"They told us they need a social and emotional well-being service; supported work programs; housing; mental health services; help to access birth certification, Medicare cards and NDIS; and on-going opportunities to spend time on-Country.” 

Dr Rice explained how the team used an Aboriginal Participatory Action Research approach for the project.

“Using an Aboriginal Participatory Action Research approach, we partnered with the young people during the data collection phase to design, implement and pilot a range of these supports," said Dr Rice.

"This ensured immediate benefit to young people during the research. The final support model was used by MWRC to help secure government funding to establish an ongoing Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) service for young people."

The findings showed that although Aboriginal youth are resilient and have strong ties to family and community and clear aspirations for their future, they lack essential services and supports. The project highlighted the need to identify place-based strategies for service provision. The recent development of a SEWB service – informed by the project data - will have positive and long-term outcomes for the Fitzroy Valley community.

“The Bigiswun Kids project has walked alongside adolescents, listening deeply to their experiences and identifying the cultural, social and structural supports needed to thrive," said Ms Emily Carter, Marninwarntikura’s CEO. 

“This project reflects what’s possible when research is grounded in self-determination, community governance, and a commitment to culturally safe, strengths-based approaches.”

About Professor Elizabeth Elliott

Professor Elizabeth Elliott AM FAHMS FRSN is a Distinguished Professor in Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Sydney. She has developed trusting relationships with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations over 17 years and led six research programs conducted by the University in the Fitzroy Valley. Throughout her academic life she made a significant contribution to paediatrics and child health and received recognition through national and international honours. 

About Dr Lauren Rice

Dr. Lauren Rice is a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Sydney. She has lived and worked in the remote Fitzroy Valley for four years, coordinated  the Bigiswun Kid research projects, and supervised the WA team. She continues to live in the Kimberley, supporting Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to conduct community-led place-based research.

About Ms Emily Carter

Ms Emily Carter AM is the CEO of Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Center in Fitzroy Crossing. She is a Gooniyandi and Kij woman from Fitzroy Crossing in remote Western Australia.  

• Pickard, A., Stubbs, T., Carter, E. et al and Elliott EJ. Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations Leading the Way in Child Health Research. J Community Health 50, 527–545 (2025). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-024-01433-7
• Rice LJ, Tsang TW, Carter E et al. and Elliott EJ. Bigiswun Kid Project: a longitudinal study of adolescents living with high rates of prenatal alcohol exposure, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and early life trauma in remote Australian Aboriginal communities. BMJ Open. 2022 Apr 1;12(4):e058111. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058111   
• Rice, LJ et al and Elliott EJ., 'Aboriginal Participatory Action Research: Learnings from The Bigiswun Kid (adolescent) Project' (First Nations Health and Wellbeing - The Lowitja Journal, Volume 3, 100064, 2025). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fnhli.2025.100064