2026-11-25 –, Sutherland Room
Footprints in Time has been collecting open text from participants, as well as quantitative data, annually since 2008. Responses are typed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interviewers directly into the survey instrument and confidentialised responses are released to data users. These responses can add context to enrich quantitative analysis, privilege the voices of participants, and they can be used to answer research questions. Parents, educators and the young people in the study have provided hundreds of answers to questions such as: “Does <child's name> have a set routine or pattern for going to bed?” “What is it about Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander culture that will help <child's name> grow up strong? “How do you deal with racism, discrimination or prejudice in your classroom?” “What does ‘grow up strong’ mean for you? “Have you <had any teaching / learned anything> about the Country you are on”? “Do you have plans for further study?
This presentation will showcase some of the ways the open text has been used in the study. It will highlight the recent work of Indigenous scholars Jessa Rogers, Stuart Ekberg and Tirritpa Ritchie who have used storying methods from LSIC to drive the quantitative analysis, unpack what it means to grow up strong as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander across Australia and provide Indigenous leadership for the analysis.
Fiona Skelton lives on Ngunnawal/Ngambri Country, also known as Canberra. She is not Indigenous. She has worked on Footprints in Time since its initial funding in 2003 including Steering Committee support, community consultations, study and content design, trials in the Torres Strait, ethics, data analysis, report writing and commissioning. She has grown old with the study and is now one of the principal investigators in Longitudinal Studies area of the Department of Social Services. Fiona has three grown up children and a Master of Social Research from the Australian National University.