Ms Alessia Aielli1
1Palliative Care Australia, Australia
Biography:
Alessia Aielli is a palliative and community care nurse originally from Italy. Since relocating to Australia, she has worked extensively with rural and remote communities. Driven by a passion for supporting others and making a meaningful impact, Alessia now works as Project Officer at Palliative Care Australia (PCA). In this role, she contributes to national implementation projects across adult and paediatric palliative care and manages the National Register for Palliative Care Consumers and Carers. Alessia’s work reflects her strong commitment to person-centred care, equity of access and improve palliative care outcomes for all people living in Australia.
Abstract:
Background:
In Australia, paediatric palliative care (PPC) resources are predominantly in English, creating barriers for families from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Nearly 28% of Australians were born overseas, with more than 300 languages spoken at home and 23% of the population using a language other than English (2021 Census). CALD families often face challenges such as language barriers, lower health literacy and difficulty navigating unfamiliar systems, leading to inequitable access and poorer outcomes. Accessible, culturally safe and easy-to-read resources are essential to support informed decision-making and inclusion in PPC.
Aim:
The project aims to co-design a compassionate, inclusive resource to introduce PPC to families while ensuring cultural appropriateness and accessibility across diverse communities. It seeks to develop a resource that not only informs but also reflects the voices, values and lived experiences of families, embedding cultural safety as a foundation rather than an afterthought.
Methods:
The Caring Together booklet was co-designed in collaboration with nearly 40 participants, including healthcare professionals and families with lived experience across Australia. The English version was adapted into Easy Read, Arabic and Vietnamese through partnerships with community translators and cultural organisations. Engagement extended beyond translation, focusing on cultural nuance, tone and values to ensure meaningful alignment with each community’s beliefs and preferences.
Results:
Caring Together, due to launch by the end of the year, offers clear, family-centred information on PPC, care teams, decision-making and family rights. Community involvement ensured translations were culturally resonant, not tokenistic, fostering trust and safety.
Conclusion:
Caring Together demonstrates the power of co-design and authentic community partnerships in creating culturally safe PPC resources. This approach strengthens equity, inclusion and compassion in care communication, offering a valuable model for future resource development.