Griffith University and the Aftercare Resource Centre (a program of Relationships Australia, Queensland) have formed a research partnership to explore the value of using drama with counselling to help adults living with the trauma of childhood institutional abuse. In 2003 the Australian Research Council awarded a $60,000 linkage grant for this initiative to Associate Professor Bruce Burton and Dr Penny Bundy from the School of Vocational Technology and Arts Education, Dr Merrelyn Bates from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and the Aftercare Resource Centre.

The project was prompted by the 1999 report fo the Commission of Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Institutions (known as the Forde Inquiry). Its objectives is to assist survivors to be able to present the story of their experience/s within a safe and supportive environment. Although drama has been used in the past to assist people with difficult or traumatic experiences there is no research available that investigates the use of drama and counselling being utilised together.

Participants of the project meet weekly with at least one drama expert and at least one counsellor. Since the workshops commenced towards the end of 2003, participants have formed a fairly cohesive group identity which allows the entrance and exit of participants very easily; they have learnt about the value of play and playfulness; they have begun to understand the value of role and its place in ordinary life; they have been able to explore challenging and difficult life situations in the safe, fictional world of drama; and more recently they have moved into learning about dramatic methodology, scriptwriting and play production. A detailed discussion and debriefing process is conducted at the end of each session in order for participants to manage any heightened emotions and highlight issues, discuss the application of the knowledge and skills to their past, present and future, as well as raise any matter for future workshops.

Findings from the research so far have highlighted that it is essential for the drama facilitators and counsellors to work very closely as a team, utilising their particular expertise but also with an openness to expand their skills into being able to support across the disciplines. For the drama facilitators the focus has been client oriented rather than drama oriented and the counsellors have become action-oriented rather than language focussed. All facilitators have been involved in the discussion of the workshop themes and design. Participants have reported using role in order to manage uncomfortable situations and as a result they have found they are less reactive emotionally.

There has been significant interest in this project both locally and internationally because the issue of institutional childhood abuse has been recognised across the western world. Discussions are currently occurring with other sectors who have contact with ex-residents of institutions. It is hoped that funding will be forthcoming for further research and that participants from this initial project will be involved in some mentor capacity.

In the past decade serious personal, social and economic consequences arising from the abuse of children in government and church institutions have been identified in a number of developed countries. In Queensland extensive counselling provided by the Research Industry Partner - The Aftercare Resource Centre, has ameliorated but not resolved the problems of the on-going trauma and negative experiences of these adult survivors. The aim of this project, funded by an ARC Linkage Grant, is to research the effectiveness of a range of innovative drama techniques and theatre performance with ex-residents of institutions designed to empower them to experience more fulfilling lives, and to assist other survivors to do so. The project will examine several questions:-

• Is possible to design and implement a program of drama workshops and theatre performances that offer a safe environment for ex-residents of institutions who suffered abuse to tell their stories without re-traumatisation?
• Will the re-telling of their stories through drama allow the ex-residents to move on from their state of continuing trauma to re-build their lives?
• Do drama workshops offer opportunities for healing to survivors of institutional abuse?
• Is it possible for ex-residents who have experienced positive outcomes from the purposed program to act as mentors for others and continue and expand the program of drama workshops and theatre performance to meet the needs of ex-residents Queensland - wide?

The project employs applied research in an attempt to address the problem of adult trauma resulting form institutional childhood abuse in close collaboration with the industry partner. The research will use a combination of innovative Drama methodology and Action Research. Participants will engage in improvised drama workshops and theatre performance work. The project uses drama for change and not as therapy as the research context. The intention is to invite adult survivors of institutional child abuse to be involved in a range of process drama and theatre performance activities which will offer them the opportunity to explore aspects of their experiences that they feel able to re-visit and reflect upon. Involvement in the project is entirely voluntary as is withdrawal from it or abstention from any aspect of it. Participants will have access to expert counselling and scaffolding throughout their involvement in the project.

Stage One - 2003

In this first action research cycle ARC clients who have chosen to take part in the project will participate in a series of drama based workshops. The workshops will be designed to explore the use of a range of drama forms and strategies to meet client and partner needs. These will include the full range of process drama techniques as well as appropriate therapeutic drama practices. Throughout stage one, data will be collected to enable the researchers to evaluate the impact of the different techniques. Data will include: detailed observation of the process, interviews with participants and consultation with counsellors.

Stage Two - 2004

Implementation of the second action research cycle.

Drama techniques which proved effective in the exploratory first cycle will be developed and refined and utilised.

The chief investigators and counsellors will work with the participants from Stage One (using the developed and refined techniques) to create a group-devised play with the participants about their experiences Throughout stage two, data will be collected and analysed to determine the impact of the selected drama strategies on the lives of the participants.

Stage 3 - 2005-2006

Participants from the first two stages will work with additional client groups throughout Queensland to develop further group-devised performances, refining and applying the techniques identified as effective in the first two cycles of the research. A detailed evaluation of the outcomes of this stage of the project will be completed.

A wide range of ethnographic data-gathering tools will be used. They will include observation notes, focus group interviews, interviews with all levels of participants, reflective journals questionnaires, video and tape transcript of drama work (where appropriate) and reflective memos. The data will then be analysed in two ways:

• to critically evaluate the effectiveness of the drama strategies and techniques
• to provide grounded theory to address the aims of the project

Literature Review

Despite the widespread nature of institutional abuse over many years in the developed world, and the serious social and economic consequences, (Forde 2000, Law Commission of Canada 2000) there has been very little research into innovative methods of empowering ex-residents to address the consequences of their trauma and to move on in their lives.

The research subjects are former residents of Queensland Institutions, detention centres and former children in care including those who were placed in foster care. Many suffered trauma emerging from familial neglect, family separation, perceived abandonment and physical, emotional or sexual abuse by family members prior to placement in care. These traumatic experiences were significantly compounded by the abuse they suffered while in Queensland institutions (Forde 2000).

Ex-residents need to have their stories told and understood (Landy 2000, Thompson 1999, Blatner1994). In other contexts, drama has provided an effective and safe form to achieve this (Emunah 1994:293). Drama also offers opportunities to build self-esteem and assist the creation of a successful persona (Thompson 1999:22-230) which encourages the removal of a victim persona. Performance and group bonding have a major role in such transformations (Landy 2001:66) as well as legitimising the feelings of the participants. Although research in drama education has shown such positive benefits with a range of client groups, further research is needed to determine if drama can be successful in this particular context. The Industry Partner, the Aftercare Resource Centre, is a subsidiary of Relationships Australia and was formed specifically to provide counselling and support to former residents of institutions. The industry partner will provide extensive, in-kind, expert ,counselling resources to scaffold the drama and counselling expertise of the Chief Investigators, as well as a variety of material resources.

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