Project summary
Sleep is a foundational determinant of social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) for First Nations children, yet existing research and services rarely address its cultural, spiritual, or trauma-informed dimensions. This project develops a culturally responsive, trauma-informed sleep health program that centres dreaming, spiritual safety, and connection to Country as core elements of children's night-time wellbeing. Using Indigenous research methodologies and a community co-design process, the project will partner with Elders, families, and communities to explore children's sleep and dreaming experiences, including the impacts of intergenerational trauma, cultural meaning-making, and systemic inequity.
The program will integrate spiritual, cultural, environmental, and physiological dimensions of sleep within a trauma-informed framework that prioritises safety, cultural identity, and healing. Outcomes include new knowledge on the spiritual and trauma-related dimensions of sleep disruption, practical, culturally safe tools for families and practitioners, and policy contributions to national frameworks for culturally grounded child health.
Applications close
6 August 2026 11:55pm
To complete an application you will need to create an account and login to the HDR scholarships portal.
Summary of Position
This PhD scholarship offers a unique opportunity to contribute to ground-breaking, community-driven research at the intersection of sleep health, First Nations child wellbeing, and trauma-informed care.
The successful candidate will work alongside Elders, families, and community health workers in remote and metropolitan First Nations communities, applying Indigenous research methodologies and co-design principles to develop and evaluate a culturally responsive sleep health program for children.
The scholar will gain expertise in Indigenous research ethics and governance, trauma-informed approaches, and mixed or qualitative methodologies suited to community-based health research. They will be embedded in a supportive, interdisciplinary research team with strong community partnerships and will contribute to publications, policy translation, and the development of practical resources for families and practitioners.
This scholarship provides a meaningful pathway for researchers committed to health equity, cultural safety, and self-determined approaches to First Nations child health.
Eligibility & Ideal candidates
The ideal candidate is a motivated, culturally aware researcher with a genuine commitment to First Nations health equity and self-determination. They will demonstrate respect for community leadership and Indigenous knowledge systems, and approach research as a relational and reciprocal process. Experience working with or within First Nations communities, whether through research, health, education, or community roles, is highly valued, as is familiarity with trauma-informed principles and qualitative or community-based research methods. First Nations candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
The successful scholar will be a reflective, ethical practitioner who can navigate complexity with humility and care, communicate effectively across community and academic contexts, and sustain meaningful partnerships over the course of the project. They will bring intellectual curiosity about the intersections of sleep, culture, spirituality, and child wellbeing, and a drive to produce research that creates real change for children and families.
Eligibility requirements include
- Domestic candidates only - Australia & New Zealand citizens or Australian Permanent residents
Inclusions
The full-time candidature period is 3 years, with possibility of a 6-month extension. Coverage for the domestic HDR student includes:
- Stipend - $38 000 (AUD) per annum, paid fortnightly and is tax-free for full-time students.
- Tuition fees - Full coverage, with a value of $29 300 per annum.
- Relocation allowance - Up to $2,000 to relocate to a UniSC campus
All inclusions are in accordance with UniSC Research scholarship guidelines.
For more information
Contact Professor Fatima Yaqoot at fyaqoot@usc.edu.au.