Interpreting and cultural safety: First Nations
This page is about services and supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, not a single language. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples speak many languages, and for some people English is not the first language.
Interpreting and cultural safety: First Nations
This page is about services and supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, not a single language. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples speak many languages, and for some people English is not the first language.
For Northern Territory Aboriginal languages, the NDIS names the Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Service. Registered providers can use it for participants, and a participant does not have to live in the Northern Territory for it to be used. It covers Northern Territory languages only.
Arrangements for languages in other states vary. Ask the NDIA, a support coordinator, or a local Aboriginal community-controlled organisation what is available where the person lives.
What to ask
- Ask which language or variety the person speaks, and who in the community they would want involved.
- Ask the provider how it works with the person’s community, kinship and connection to Country, rather than assuming.
- Ask whether an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation or an Aboriginal health service can be involved in planning.
- Do not assume a family member should interpret. There may be cultural reasons, as well as privacy ones, to use an independent interpreter.
You can ask for an interpreter for any meeting about a plan, a service agreement or a decision, not only the first one.
Official information
- NDIS: how providers access interpreting services for participants
- Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Service
Providers that list Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Services
No SolDirectory member provider lists Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Services at the moment. Providers supply their own language information, so confirm the specific worker, fluency, dialect, communication method and availability directly.
Questions to ask before support begins
- Ask whether the allocated worker communicates in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Services, rather than relying on the organisation having one multilingual staff member.
- Confirm spoken, signed, written and Easy Read needs separately, including preferred dialect, terminology and communication aids.
- Ask when a qualified independent interpreter will be used and who books and pays for that service.
- Check current availability, qualifications, worker screening, fees, funding, privacy and the written service agreement.
How bilingual support, interpreters, privacy and funding differ is explained on the language support guide.
Frequently asked questions about Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Services
Does a listing prove that every worker speaks or uses Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Services?
No. Providers supply their own language information. Confirm the specific worker, fluency, dialect and communication method before support begins.
Is a bilingual worker the same as an accredited interpreter?
No. A bilingual worker may communicate directly during support, while an accredited interpreter has a separate interpreting role. Ask what is appropriate for important, technical or consent-related discussions.
Official sources
- NDIS information in other languages
- TIS National: interpreting services (call 131 450)
- NAATI practitioner directory
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
Browse other language and communication guides
Helpful reading
- Registered or unregistered? What it means when you choose an NDIS provider: Registered and unregistered providers can both be legitimate, but the rules, checks and options for your plan are not the same. Here is how to think about the difference.
- Making a complaint about an NDIS provider or worker: where to start: Raising a concern can feel daunting. Here is a clear order of steps, who deals with what, and how to keep a record as you go.
- How to choose an NDIS provider: 12 questions to ask before you commit: A practical checklist for comparing providers, from how a service fits your plan to what happens when something goes wrong.