Cultural Safety Training for Chiropractors
Skills assessment
Cultural Safety Training for Chiropractors
Practicing cultural safety is essential for chiropractors in Australia and New Zealand because it ensures that healthcare environments are respectful, inclusive, and free from discrimination. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Māori have historically experienced barriers and inequities in healthcare, which can lead to feeling culturally unsafe and a reluctance to seek care. By committing to cultural safety, practitioners help build trust, improve health outcomes, and uphold professional and ethical standards.
Cultural safety goes beyond awareness, it requires actively recognising and addressing power imbalances, challenging stereotypes, and creating spaces where individuals feel their cultural identity is acknowledged and respected.
Cultural safety is embedded in the Accreditation Standards for chiropractors and is critical to delivering high-quality care. When patients feel culturally safe, they are more likely to engage in treatment, effectively share important health information, and achieve better outcomes. Your ability to practice in a culturally safe manner reflects your commitment to excellence and equity in healthcare.
About the Cultural Safety Training (CST)
Cultural Safety Training (CST) for Chiropractors will be mandatory for all candidates and will be implemented from the Auckland, Stage 2 Competency Based Assessment in JUNE 2026
The Cultural Safety Training for Chiropractors is a compulsory component of the Council on Chiropractic Education Australasia (CCEA) assessment process. Completion of this program is required as part of the Stage 2 Competency Based Assessment.
This training focuses on applied safety in chiropractic practice, framed both clinically and culturally. You will learn through videos, activities, definitions, theory, and real-life inspired case studies.
Learning Outcomes
Demonstrate an understanding of the history and contemporary cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Māori
Explain cultural safety and why these communities are at high risk of feeling culturally unsafe during healthcare service delivery
Recognise important facts chiropractors must know to provide culturally appropriate and safe services
Identify common misconceptions and stereotypes
Recognise racist behaviour, understand its impact and select appropriate strategies to avoid racist behaviour
Apply the principles of culturally safe practice in a range of chiropractic clinical practice settings.
Course Structure
The program consists of 6 tutorials with a total time commitment of approximately 5 hours:
First Nations Australians and Māori: Contemporary Cultures and Ways of Knowing
An Introduction to Cultural Safety for Chiropractic Practice
Best Practice When Working With Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Māori
Common Misconceptions About Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Māori
Recognising and Responding to Racism in Practice
What Does Cultural Safety in Chiropractic Practice Look Like?
Assessment
To successfully complete the program, you must achieve 80% or above on each of the six post-tutorial assessments and the final exam. If you do not achieve this score, you may repeat assessments and the exam as many times as necessary at no extra cost.
Enrolment and Cost
To enrol you must have a successful Desktop Audit outcome. Following this, you will receive:
An invoice for the CST program
Upon payment, a link to access the CST program
After passing the exam, you may request the Certificate of Completion via the ePortfolio
Fee: AUD $370
Acknowledgements
CCEA acknowledges the Australian Physiotherapy Council (APC) for allowing adaptation of their CST program, developed in partnership with the Physiotherapy Department, and the Mobile Learning Unit, at The University of Melbourne. Special thanks to the authors of the APC Cultural Safety Training for Physiotherapists, Ms Joanne Bolton, Dr Rachel Toovey and Associate Professor Louisa Remedios, and their First Nations Advisory Group that included Associate Professor Shawana Andrews, Professor Shaun Ewen, and Associate Professor Michael Reynolds.
CCEA would also like to acknowledge the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ) for allowing us to include the Māori content used in the Cultural Safety Training for Optometrists.
Additionally, we thank Mather Solutions, in particular Dr Jim Mather, Ms Kerira Tapene and Ms Moana Tuwhare for their assistance in developing additional Māori content in the adaptation of the program to CCEA’s requirements.
We hope you find this training valuable before practicing chiropractic in Australia or New Zealand, and appreciate the opportunity to learn from and about the oldest living culture in the world - Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and about the Indigenous Peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand referred to as Māori.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Cultural Safety Training mandatory?
Cultural safety is a professional and ethical requirement in Australia and New Zealand. It ensures chiropractors provide care that respects cultural identity, addresses inequities, and improves patient outcomes.
Who needs to complete this training?
All candidates undertaking the Stage 2 Competency Based Assessment with CCEA must complete the CST program.
What does the training involve?
The program includes 6 tutorials (approx. 5 hours total) covering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Māori cultures, cultural safety principles, best practice, misconceptions, racism, and applying cultural safety in chiropractic care.
How is the training assessed?
You must achieve 80% or above on each tutorial assessment and the final exam. Unlimited retakes are available at no extra cost.
How much does it cost?
The fee for the CST program is AUD $370.
How do I enrol?
After a successful Desktop Audit, you will receive an invoice. Once payment is processed, you will receive a link to access the program.
Why is cultural safety important for patient outcomes?
When patients feel culturally safe, they are more likely to engage in care, share vital health information, and achieve better health results.