Giving a voice to rural Aboriginal children: Guyati Garraka wa Witing speech pathology | UoN

Around 7 to 9 per cent of children have trouble with spoken language, which can be an early sign of learning difficulties later on. Helping children early, especially during preschool, can make a big difference in their school success and social development, yet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, it can be difficult to access speech pathology services.  

To address the problem, the University of Newcastle partnered with Gunawirra, the Vonwiller Foundation, and Dalaigur and Scribbly Gum Dalai preschools to deliver the Guyati Garraka wa Witing project, which means “Mouth, Lips and Tounge” in the Dunghutti language. This initiative provides essential speech pathology services to Aboriginal children in helping them reach their full potential.  

In rural areas like the Macleay Valley, where 48 per cent of children are considered vulnerable, access to speech pathology services is critically limited. Guyati Garraka wa Witing addresses this gap by delivering speech therapy through student placements, offering 144 days of in-community services, 100 individual therapy sessions, and 206 group sessions.

This program not only benefits 50 children and their families but also prepares speech pathology students to work in rural Aboriginal communities. It’s a sustainable model, building capacity within the community and helping secure NDIS packages for 29 children with disabilities, ensuring continued access to essential services.

Students, embedded in the local community, provide children at the preschools with regular speech pathology services that people trust because the project was designed in consultation with the community.

The community has recognised the transformative impact of this program on their children. The established relationship between the university and the local community continues to develop and deepen, ensuring ongoing support for children and the broader community in the Macleay Valley into 2025 and beyond.  

Finalists - Dr Gwendalyn Webb, Megan Barr, Tina Imig, Debbie Swanson, Lillian Langford and Rhyann Roberts