Access to support for children with speech, language, and communication needs in the longitudinal study of Indigenous...

Strong communication skills support Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children's connections to community, culture, and education. Ongoing impacts of colonisation and social determinants of health may increase the likelihood of speech, language, and communication needs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, however national data is limited. Speech-language pathology can address speech, language, and communication needs, but factors impacting access for this population are not well understood. This study aimed to establish caregiver reported prevalence of speech, language, and communication needs in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 0-6 years and identify facilitators and barriers to accessing support.

Mixed modelling and qualitative content analyses were used to examine data for 474 children in a national longitudinal study of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

In total, 47.0% of children had speech, language, and communication needs between 0-6 years, with only 48.0% with speech, language, and communication needs, accessing support. Higher access was linked to caregiver-rated health, concern duration, and concerns across multiple communication domains. Key access barriers included service availability and awareness.

The high prevalence of speech, language, and communication needs and limited access to support highlights the need to reduce access barriers and consider public health models of intervention that incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander views of health.