Although there has been considerable research related to housing in remote communities, few studies are informed by the perspectives of those who live the experience. In many remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory (NT), housing stock is insufficient for the population and evidence of associations between housing and children’s health and wellbeing is extensive. This is essential to address persisting inequities between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians in health and other outcomes. Equitable access to housing through sufficient and sustained investment in an integrated approach, engaging all stakeholders, is needed. They best understand the challenges they face and their perspectives must inform the solutions. Yolŋu who live with the consequences of crowded and insecure housing want their voices to be heard. Although interaction with other family members is highly valued, the ambition of most participants is for independent and secure accommodation in which they can safely ‘grow up’ their children. The lack of food security, sharing sickness and disturbances in the night affecting sleep are just some of the challenges that generate conflict between family members and impact on health, wellbeing, work and school attendance. Absence of control over their living conditions is a key element underlying many of the sources of distress associated with crowded housing. Most rely on extended family to provide accommodation and some never find a secure and stable space in which to bring up their children. ResultsĬoncerns about crowded and insecure housing were pervasive in the study community where many families are, in effect, homeless. Data collection and analysis occurred through an iterative and collaborative process and the findings related to housing are the focus of this article. Methods included video ethnography and in-depth interviews with six case study families as well as participant observation and interviews with a wide range of other community members. The “Growing up children in two worlds” study engaged Yolŋu (Aboriginal) and other researchers in a culturally responsive qualitative research process. In our qualitative study exploring strengths and challenges related to early childhood in a remote NT community, insufficient housing emerged as the greatest challenge families experience in ‘growing up’ their children.

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Housing is recognised as a key determinant of persisting inequities between Aboriginal and other Australians in health, as well as education and employment outcomes which in turn impact on health. Insufficient and inadequate housing remain serious and enduring problems in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia.

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