“It Makes You Feel Like Not Sending Your Kids to School”: Aboriginal Parents’ Experiences of the Transition to School

Abstract

The transition to formal schooling is a critical milestone in a child’s development. For Aboriginal children, early experiences are shaped by both cultural strengths and enduring impacts of colonisation. This study explored factors influencing Aboriginal families’ transition-to-school experiences in an urban Western Australian community. Using a Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) approach, we combined Group Model Building (GMB) and yarning to engage 12 Aboriginal parents in mapping the complex factors shaping transition. A workshop co-facilitated by an Aboriginal community leader produced a causal loop diagram illustrating five domains of influence: practical barriers, social and cultural factors, relationships and communication, child wellbeing, and early developmental support. Parents identified challenges including food insecurity, cultural disconnection, communication issues with schools, and difficulty accessing assessments, alongside strengths including kinship networks and Aboriginal and Islander Education Officers. Findings demonstrate how GMB, adapted with yarning, can centre Aboriginal voices and guide co-designed, culturally responsive transition programs.