The Oration was delivered by Dr Aden Ridgeway.
Keynote speakers included: Associate Professor Helen Buckley from Trinity College, Dublin, and Bernadine Mackenzie and Paul Nixon from Child, Youth and Family, New Zealand.
Bernadine heads New Zealand’s statutory care and protection and youth justice organisation. Child, Youth and Family has more than 3,000 staff (around 1,300 social workers), four care and protection and four youth justice residences.
Under Bernadine’s leadership, the Government’s youth justice Fresh Start reforms and cross- agency Youth Crime Action Plan have been implemented. This involved the nurturing of strong relationships with NGO partners, cross-agency governance and helping build and strengthen programmes for young offenders.
New Zealand is now on the cusp of significant child protection reforms which will enhance the response to children who have been abused/neglected, reinforce shared responsibility across agencies to better protect/respond to the needs of vulnerable children and increase better long-term outcomes – keeping children and young people safe.
Paul Nixon is Chief Social Worker for Child, Youth and Family, in New Zealand. Paul is originally from the UK and has worked for more than 25 years in Child Welfare and protection, always in a statutory setting.
Paul has always been interested and inspired by practice and innovations from New Zealand, particularly Family Group Conferences, Restorative Justice, and Whanau / Kinship Care. In 2014, Paul led the Qualitative Review of Social Work Caseload, Casework and Workload Management in Child, Youth and Family. Previously Paul was Head of Social Work services in North Yorkshire, England. Paul has written a number of books on Social Work and numerous articles and chapters. He has provided training and consultancy on Social Work around the world.
This presentation will describe and critically analyse Child, Youth and Family’s response to rising demand on its child protection systems and increasing recognition of the complexity and diversity of needs and risks to vulnerable children in New Zealand
Key messages about changes in New Zealand include:
The presentation will outline of some of the key challenges ahead and changes that are occurring to improve the quality of practice, the organisational culture in which social workers operate and the development of partnerships and services that are more attuned to better outcomes for children.
Helen teaches child protection policy and practice undergraduate and postgraduate students in Trinity College Dublin and has conducted research into different aspects of child welfare over the past 20 years. She is chair of the National Child Death Review Panel in Ireland, and sits on a number of advisory and oversight groups in the child welfare policy sector. In 2013 she led a study commissioned by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on effective methods for developing recommendations from reviews and inquiries (http://dcya.gov.ie/documents/publications/FamilyInquiries2013.pdf)
Helen has a particular interest in the impact of recent child welfare reforms, particularly in respect of multi-agency early intervention and prevention, and is currently working on a project examining the nature and source of referrals. She has co-authored a chapter entitled ‘The sins of the (Irish) fathers: is mandatory reporting the best response?’ in the forthcoming book Mandatory reporting laws and the identification of severe child abuse and neglect edited by Ben Mathews and Donald Bross, to be published in Australia in 2015.
While there is almost unequivocal support for the concept of community based parenting support as a preventive child welfare strategy, there have also been critiques of it as a ‘warm and fuzzy’ concept, often lacking empirical evaluation and sometimes missing the point. This paper will examine the assumptions underpinning the concept of early intervention. It will go on to discuss some of the challenges involved in identifying precisely what interventions are required for vulnerable families and recognising when they are not hitting the mark. It will examine the basis for some of the tensions that define the child welfare system and demonstrate their impact on services working with vulnerable families. Finally it will argue that a generic notion of early intervention needs to be replaced by a more nuanced approach that acknowledges both its possibilities and its limits.
Symposia were presented under the following themes:
Dan Leach-McGill is Manager of Policy and Practice Integration at Good Beginnings Australia. Dan has a background in early childhood and community services and has a particular interest in community development, integrated service delivery and consulting with children. He is currently undertaking PhD research relating to Early Childhood Education and Care
In 2014 Good Beginnings undertook its second national consultation with children attending its programs across Australia. Good beginnings will present a practitioner’s perspective of implementing the consultation in a remote community along with an outline of the national findings and the ways that good beginnings act on these findings in planning and working with children.
Robyn Ramsden is the Research and Evaluation Manager for Royal Far West. Robyn is involved in a number of key research projects in health and education. Her special interests include health promotion and particularly the role of community and family in supporting the health of children, drug education and drug prevention and working with families from diverse cultural backgrounds. She has published in the areas of community capacity building, drug prevention, drug education, and refugee issues.
Samantha Adams is a Research Officer at Royal Far West. Her role involves researching, analysing and evaluating the various programs delivered by the organisation including The Healthy Kids Bus Stop Program. Samantha has a PhD in social psychology, with a focus on human relationships and experiences of dehumanisation and is an Honorary Associate at Macquarie University in the Department of Psychology.
The Healthy Kids Bus Stop Project is a whole of child integrated assessment and pathway to care initiative led by Royal Far West in partnership with the local health and education providers. The presentation will describe the initiative, detail how effective collaboration is achieved, and provide the outcome data from this work.
Ron Mell was appointed to the position of YMCA’s National CEO in 2011. In his current role, along with the National Board and leaders from within the Movement, he is leading a process which is strengthening the YMCA Movement through reshaping our governance, our culture and the way we impact on communities. Ron’s personal vision is one very much aligned to the YMCA Movement, built on the belief that early intervention and support to children, young people and families is the key to building healthy people and communities.
Andrew Smith is a strategic transformation executive with extensive leadership experience in education and training. In March 2013 Andrew was appointed Vice-President (Engagement) at Swinburne University of Technology.In this role Andrew brings together expertise from across the university to design and implement strategic projects to achieve Swinburne’s goal to be the partner of choice for the industries and communities we serve. With a proven record of success in transforming organisations, Andrew’s talents include leading complex organisationsand effectively managing high profile internal and external stakeholder environments to produce mutually beneficial and enduring relationships. Andrew is President of the YMCA Australia Board, Universities Australia and Ruyton Girls School.
Jenny McCombe has diverse senior management experience that spans 25 years in the YMCA. Working in education (school and vocational) and at different levels of management within the YMCA, she has a strong belief and commitment to the National YMCA movement. Jenny has chaired the YMCA National Children Services team for 13 years, been a member of the National Leadership Team for 11 years, member of the YMCA Australia Royal Commission Oversight Committee, and a member of the Safeguarding Children and Young People leadership team. Jenny’s wish is to combine her knowledge and experience to deliver supportive community structures to nurture children and families, and contribute to an equitable society where individual differences are respected and skills valued.
Janise Mitchell is the Deputy CEO of the Australian Childhood Foundation and has more than two decades experience in child protection and the development of child safe policies and practice.
This symposium will illustrate the power of high expectations through the practical exploration of organisational culture and governance within a child-safe framework. By understanding what is expected of us as a community, as an organisation and as individuals, it is critical those high expectations are reflected in our culture and governance.
Download PDF: Child Safe Organisations – culture, governance and the power of high expectations
Pauline Dixon is the Executive Manager of Family Services at Wanslea. She has 25 years’ experience working with vulnerable children and their families. She currently manages a team that works across a range of programs, including parenting, prevention of children entering care, reunification and support to children of parents with mental illness. She is committed to using the evidence from research to enhance work with parents in building on their strengths and increasing their parenting capacity.
Collaboration has been a key feature and driving force behind the development of child focused services at Wanslea. Staff have been encouraged to be outward looking and to notice gaps in service provision. They have been supported to operationalise the link between research and practice in implementing innovations in service delivery
Jo Cavanagh OAM is the CEO of Family Life. She is a respected member of thought leadership in Australia and overseas for exploring new ways of solving and preventing enduring social problems with a particular commitment to strengthening vulnerable children and disadvantaged families. Her leadership was recognised in the 2014 Australian Financial review and Westpac’s “100 women of influence” award for social enterprise and Not for Profit category. Jo has a Masters degree in Social Work and Management.
The Symposium will explore the vision and strategy for change, and the operational leadership required to overcome the practical challenges of implementing a collective impact initiative in the Shire of Cardinia. The symposium will specifically highlight how the empowerment of children and young people can be achieved through the power of new technologies.
Download PDF: Powerful Partnerships-Planning for the greatest impact
Geoff Woolcock is a Manager – Research and Strategy at Wesley Mission Brisbane and an Adjunct Associate Professor in Griffith University’s School of Human Services and Social Work. He is particularly interested in applying indicators of community strengths in socio-economically disadvantaged communities and the factors that contribute to building child-and youth-friendly communities.
Sharyn Donald is the Regional Director for South East Queensland for the Department of Education and Training. She has held the positions of Learning Support Teacher, Head of Department (curriculum), Head of Special Education, Deputy Principal and Principal. Sharyn is passionate about Indigenous Education and high quality education for all our children, irrespective of circumstance.
The Symposium will present the journey in Logan, Queensland from siloed ways of working through collaborative partnerships heading towards a future of Collective Impact. An international and national context for collective impact will be set. With regional learnings shared through discussion about implementation of collective impact initiatives in Logan, Queensland.
Download PDF: Collective Impact – the journey in Logan, Queensland
Anne Hollonds has 17 years’ experience as Chief Executive of the Benevolent Society and Relationships Australia NSW. A child and family psychologist and policy consultant with an interest in prevention and early intervention, Anne has extensive experience in child, youth and family services, domestic violence, and mental health, and is Co-Chair of the NSW Domestic and Family Violence Council.
Hayley Panetta One of the largest foundations in Australia, including many international projects, Minderoo has a focus on the importance of early childhood development. Hayley is leading Minderoo’s efforts in advocating for best practice early years’ approaches to be implemented at scale throughout Australia. Hayley holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Australia and a Graduate Certificate in Community Development from Deakin University.
Ali Trewelha Project Officer, ACT Trauma Recovery Centre and ACT Child and Family Centre Redesign Project. Previously Ali worked for Care and Protection Services and Youth Justice Services in the UK and has also worked as a hospital Social Worker at The Canberra Hospital, Calvary John James and St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne. Ali has a Bachelor of Social Work Degree (Honours) from Monash University of Child and Adolescent Welfare degree.
Joe Hutchinson has been the centre manager at Tuggeranong Child and Family Centre since 2012 and previously Operations Manager at Care and Protection Services for many years in the ACT. Ms Hutchinson is committed to working with the vulnerable children in the community and has a Bachelor of Education degree and a Master of
This Symposium will weave together the perspectives of frontline service providers, philanthropic funders, researchers and policy makers, and draw on recently published reports to facilitate discussion about how research has been applied in the policy and practice of integrated child and family services. It will examine what has been learnt so far, and how these lessons can be applied to deliver scalable service models based on emerging evidence, and facilitate effective service coordination and evidence-based interventions to improve child wellbeing.
Catherine Flynn is a senior lecturer in the Department of Social Work at Monash University; her core research area is the intersection of criminal justice and social work.
Tess Bartlett is a Masters graduate of Victoria University Wellington, currently working as a researcher on an ARC project examining care planning for children whose primary carer is imprisoned.
Michael Wells is the Victorian state manager for SHINE for Kids.
Melanie Field-Pimm is the Manager of Communications and Development with the Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (VACRO).
Vicky Saunders is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Child Protection Studies and teaches in Social Work at ACU. She is completing her doctoral studies on the experiences of children whose fathers are imprisoned.
With the current climate encouraging ‘wrap-around’ and ‘connected’ services for vulnerable families, it is timely to focus attention on children whose parents are involved with the criminal justice system. This symposium presents four papers focusing on cross sector initiatives and the challenges and benefits to practice.
Jenny Riley is a Senior Evaluator at the Centre for Community Child Health responsible for the design, implementation and knowledge transfer of CCCH’s evaluation work in early years and place-based initiatives. Jenny is currently leading the evaluation of the Linking Learning Action Demonstration sites in Victoria. Jenny has over 17 years experience working in local community development, remote Aboriginal communities and in International Development for government, local community organisations and global not for profits. Jenny has led and facilitated a number of cross-sector collaborations in the areas of early education, transition to work and mental health and co-created shared measurement systems.
Louise Payne is a facilitator with the Go Goldfields approach in Central Goldfields Shire and is focussing on using collective impact to improve outcomes for children aged 0-8 years. This work includes facilitating a locally created and owned wrap around approach and strengthening the voice of families in service design. Louise has over twenty years of experience in the area of service development with a range of community sectors including disability, family violence, child protection, homelessness, problem gambling and financial counselling.
Central to successful or promising collaborations is the use of data as a powerful mobiliser. This interactive workshop will explore the use of data, including AEDC data, across the lifecycle of collaborative projects. Participants will be provided with simple tools and frameworks they can use to build stronger partnerships and collaborations.
Download PDF: The power and potential of data in collaborative planning
Paper presentations were presented under the following themes:
Joseph McDowall has a PhD in social psychology, has lectured in the areas of research methods, statistics, social skills training, and photography. His research interests range from empirical aesthetics to his current concerns with child protection. Joseph authored the CREATE 2008, 2009 and 2013 Report Cards dealing with Transitioning from Care and Experiences of Out-of- Home Care in Australia. He has consulted to the Queensland Department of Child Safety. Joseph became a CREATE Director in 2008.
CREATE will present its Sibling Placement and Contact in Out-of-Home Care report findings and recommendations, including young people’s voices on the importance of their relationships with their siblings whose perspectives will show how their contact, or conversely their inability to maintain contact with
Download PDF: The importance of sibling contact for children and young people in out-of-home-care
Janine Regan is the Manager of Practice and Research with Playgroup Victoria. She has worked with families and children for over 30 years across playgroups, schools, early education settings and community services and has managed state and national playgroup programs. She is currently researching best practice across all playgroup models, including Playgroups for families known to child protection.
Playgroups provide early intervention and prevention by enhancing parent and child attachment and strengthening social connectedness. This presentation will explore how Child Aware approaches lead to better practice within playgroups by promoting child safety and wellbeing, adopting strategies to prevent harm to children and build stronger partnerships across sectors.
Carolyn McAlinden has over 30 years experience in Early Childhood, including Early Childhood Educator, Child Health Worker, Parenting and Skill Development worker for high risk families, Inclusion Support worker, and Project worker for state government early years projects before becoming team leader of the Early Years team at Glastonbury
Glastonbury’s PLAY program supports parents to enable their child reach the necessary learning goals that will see them become confident learners throughout their education – when their parenting capacity is impacted by various factors such as mental health, isolation, substance abuse, deprivation, family violence or themselves having had poor parenting modelled to them as a child.
Download PDF: The PLAY program – families learning, growing and belonging through play
Lisa Farrelly graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Counselling. After completing her internship with Gosnells Women’s Health Services, Lisa continued counselling in Women’s Health and then moved into the area of Drug and Alcohol counselling. Currently Lisa is the Senior Clinician in Anglicare’s Young Hearts program offering trauma counselling to children and parents affected by Domestic Violence. Lisa is a qualified facilitator of the Drumbeat program and the Seasons of Growth grief and loss program. Lisa has attended and presented at many professional development workshops in her area of expertise of childhood trauma and development.
The primary aims of the Young Hearts re-connect group program are to assist and rebuild broken bonds and attachment between the parent and child and to re-connect in a way that they are able to tackle the effects of violence on them in a co-operative and mutually enhancing way. This interactive presentation will demonstrate the therapeutic interventions which have been used.
Jenny Terry has over twenty-three years’ experience in social work with children and families in mental health, child protection and out-of-home care. She is currently Clinical Manager for Wanslea Family Services, a non-government agency in Western Australia. Jenny assisted in setting up Wanslea’s Children of Parents with Mental Illness (COPMI) Program. She has a passion for working with children and young people. She completed her MA on the topic of resilience in vulnerable children.
This presentation is relevant to practitioners working directly with children and their families as well as supervisors, managers and policy-makers. It aims to provide delegates with a description of the development and continuation of an agency’s child-aware approach and its application in practice as it encompasses all family members.
Tanya Dannock is passionate about empowering and equipping parents to give their children the best possible start in life. As a birth assistant and parenting advocate, Tanya engages with pregnant women and their families and supports them through pregnancy, birth and during the first few weeks of their baby’s life. Tanya draws on her rich and extensive 20+ years’ experience working on family and parenting policies in the public sector and credits her two adult children for her inspiration and drive in advocating for a better deal for parents.
Vanessa Vanderhoek delivers highly professional and very practical coaching, helping people get a competitive edge, put their best foot forward and be the boss of their career. Her coaching expertise is complemented by over a decade of experience in senior executive roles and consulting to the private sector and government. Vanessa’s kids are her biggest supporters and constantly present her the opportunity to view the world through a different (brighter) lens.
The FAST Lane program supports parents in the workforce to develop Family Advocacy and Strengths-based Techniques to help optimise family wellbeing and career satisfaction. The program engages both parents from mid-late pregnancy, throughout the parental leave period and as they transition back into the workforce
Dr Sue Green is a psychologist, trainer and mediator. This workshop will draw on some of the content of a two day training program entitled Looking through the ‘lens of adoption’ in working with loss and trauma which has been provided to mental health practitioners across Victoria.
This workshop will focus on the life long impact of adoption, the context of past adoption practices and the experience of loss and trauma. Awareness of the need for adoption-sensitive practice and inquiry of an individual’s experience, particularly when presenting with mental health difficulties and at critical transition periods such as prior to and during family searching, will be explored.
Kylie Mulcahy has been a Community Inclusion Worker at the Burnie Child and Family Centre for the past three years. She has 20 years experience in Early Childhood settings in many locations across Australia, including the remote communities of Cape York Peninsula.
How a 12 month creative program for vulnerable and isolated families was successful. Outcomes for participants were around fostering connectedness, skill-building, and enhancing knowledge of child development and the importance of the early years. It became apparent that time, relationships and participant contribution were crucial to our success.
Annette Michaux is Director, Social Policy and Strategy, at the Parenting Research Centre.
This session describes some early findings from the Parenting Research Centre’s examination of policy interventions that support parents in their parenting role, and will cover:
Annette Jorgensen has nearly 30 years experience in Family and Community Services within the Government and the Non-Government Sector. Currently Program Manager for the Baptcare Home-Start Programs.
Jane Worthington has 20 years experience working in Home-Start programs. Fifteen years in the UK – six years in the Greater City of Bendigo.
Nevin Cetiner has worked in Child, Youth & Family Services for over 25 years and in the last seven years in the Home-Start Program.
Baptcare Home-Start supports vulnerable families with young children by linking them with a volunteer who visits weekly. The program is about early intervention, building parenting confidence, supporting children to grow, and connecting the family with other families, the community/local services. The families report that it works because “it is parents helping parents”.
Coleen Clare is currently the manager of VANISH the Victorian Adoption Network for Information and Self-help, a position she has held for three years following a long career in leadership in child and family services in the community and in government. Coleen is a psychologist and a teacher and has worked in domestic violence, work and family balance, out of home care and adoption. She has personal experience of alternate family formations.
This paper discusses the responsibility of governments to only allow adoption, donor conception and surrogacy based on ethical principles. It argues that the debate on the use of adoption, donor conception and surrogacy must be research and evidence based and that we must provide expert, support services to ensure the wellbeing of children.
Jeanette Conrick is a social worker who has worked as a clinician and manager within the Victorian child and family welfare field for over 30 years. Her area of speciality is adoption and she has presented at national and internatinal conferences, held the Vera Scantlebury Brown Memorial Trust Scholarship in 2012 and has has also published in this area. She is currently completing her PhD, looking at the experiences of adopted women as they parent their own children, within the Monash School of Social Work, while working as the Counselling Co-ordinator with VANISH.
What adopted adults tell us about their experiences of identity formation, belonging and self regulation can provide insights into the needs of children who are being adopted and permanently placed today. Insights are also provided about how to support those who care for them.
Michelle Waterford, Research and Policy Director at Anglicare Australia, works to build capacity for and conduct research across the Anglicare network as well as to champion social justice issues important to people who use Anglicare services. She draws on degrees in Psychology, Community Education and a Masters in Social Policy as well as experience at both ends of the social spectrum: client work in the community sector through to policy development in the public service.
How does a young person’s history of trauma and current feelings of connection to people and places impact on their future outcomes? This is the question that the Anglicare Australia network sought to answer with its national survey of young people and their insights on belonging.
Download PDF: Being a/part: the strength and the struggle of young people’s experiences of belonging
Alanna Philipson has worked for Queensland Health in the field of health promotion for over a decade. Alanna has a passion for promoting health in the early years and, as such, has completed a Masters of Public Health and Graduate Certificate in Perinatal and Infant Mental Health to support her work. Alanna has managed multiple health promotion projects across multiple settings in partnership with government, non-government and the tertiary sector. Currently, Alanna works part time for Children’s Health Queensland co-managing the Contemporary Practice in Child Health and Development Project.
Connecting2U – connecting baby, family and community oral presentation will outline a project that piloted the use of text messages to deliver health promotion information to mums and dads on strategies to support their child’s development. The pilot of weekly SMSs took place in Logan, Queensland and was undertaken by the Centre for Children’s Health and Wellbeing, CHQ.
Download PDF: Connecting2U Project – connecting baby, family and community
Mary Ivec has over twenty five years experience in human services ranging from the not-for-profit sector, government, social work education, clinical practice as a mental health social worker and research. Her long term work has been in the areas of community development, cross-cultural mental health and trauma counselling, especially with refugee communities and working with families involved in the child protection system. She has been researching the application of responsive regulation and restorative justice to child protection for the past seven years at RegNet, ANU.
This poster provides an overview of international models of engagement with parents, families, children and young people who have contact with child protection systems. The examples encompass social work (support) and child protection (control) systems – the basic dimensions for a responsive regulatory and restorative justice approach to child protection.
Download PDF: A Geography of Hope: Bridging social distance in the child protection landscape
Sarah Bailey is a registered nurse and Team Leader for The Queen Elizabeth Centre ‘Cradle to Kinder program’. Cradle to Kinder is an intensive outreach program that supports young vulnerable parents during the ante natal period up until the child is four years of age. Sarah has worked as a Health Visitor in the United Kingdom for 11 years supporting families with children under the age of four, and worked as a Coordinator in the Parenting Assessment and Skills Development Program at the Queen Elizabeth Centre before commencing her current role 16 months ago. Sarah has an interest in Infant Mental Health and in building parenting capacity and parent child interactions.
Laura Dale is a Senior Early Parenting Practitioner working for The Queen Elizabeth Centre in the Cradle to Kinder program, which is an intensive outreach program that supports young vulnerable parents during the ante natal period until the child is four years of age.
Cradle2kinder seeks to highlight the effectiveness of a relationship based invention and the work of a key worker. The service is tailored to the family’s needs and abilities and is a placed based service using the family’s home. There is a focus on social inclusion and group intervention also.
Shaun Lohoar is a Senior Research Officer at the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), working at the Child Family Community Australia (CFCA) information exchange. He produces various publications and resources about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
Sue-Anne Hunter is a Wurundjeri woman and has worked at VACCA for twelve years, undertaking senior roles within a number of programs from policy and project work to service delivery. Sue-Anne is also member of the SNAICC Executive. Currently Sue-Anne is the Manager of the Aboriginal Children’s healing Team at VACCA. The healing Team is the central point for the development across VACCA of an integrated culturally appropriate and trauma informed approach to working with Aboriginal children and families.
This presentation presents findings from the recently published Strengths of Australian Aboriginal cultural practices in family life and child rearing. The discussion focuses on how traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practices can strengthen families and communities, and have positive effects on children throughout the life course.
Download PDF: Strengths of Australian Aboriginal cultural practices in family life and child rearing
Helen Francis is the Health Promotions Officer at Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI) national initiative. Helen has experience in change management, community development and community capacity building strategies and workforce development with a focus on supporting parenting and the needs of children.
Bradley Morgan is Director of the Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI) national initiative.Brad trained as an occupational therapist and has experience in public health, mental health promotion and prevention, workforce development and early childhood programs. In his current role, Brad works with the COPMI team to partner with family members, professionals and organisations to support the development of national strategies to improve outcomes for children and families where a parent is experiencing mental illness.
Christine Gibson, BSW, MPS is the Community Research Liaison Coordinator at the Australian Centre for Child Protection where she applies advanced skills in communication and evaluation with strategic project management capabilities. Christine’s focus is to collaboratively build and disseminate robust evidence to enhance the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary for working with and for children.
This interactive workshop will present change strategies. A demonstration of the video case studies will be presented from the e-learning site as well as a discussion about how the work book and reflective exercises can be used to promote organisational and practice change to support ‘child aware’ practice across the service continuum.
Dr Anna Thomas is the Manger of the Australian Gambling Research Centre, located in the Australian Institute of Family Studies. Dr Thomas’ research has focused on gambling and other addiction-related research. She has an ongoing interest in the interactions between factors influencing the development of gambling problems and other addictions as well as ways to reduce harm from gambling to gamblers and their families.
Gambling can lead to harm for gamblers and their families. This presentation will discuss impacts of gambling problems on family and children. It will consider ways the gambling sector can become more aware of the safety and welling needs of children and families.
Download PDF: Helping the Gambling Sector become more Child Aware
Deborah McCarthy is an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and has been mediating in family disputes for over six years. She has experience working in a range of family and children’s services in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, including domestic violence, child protection and early childhood services.
This presentation will use a case study to highlight the complexities of cases being utilised for legally assisted mediation, the role of mediators and child centred techniques adopted and demonstrate the positive outcomes that can be achieved. This will be co-presented with mediators and lawyers.
Download PDF: The role of Lawyers in Child Centred Mediation
Meredith Kiraly is a psychologist with over thirty years practice experience, much of this in out of home care. She is a part-time Research Fellow (Child, Youth and Family Research Cluster) in the Social Work Department at the University of Melbourne and has a small consultancy in human services. Her specialty research area is kinship care on which topic she has published extensively. Her work has a strong focus on children’s rights.
British research has identified an unexpectedly large number of sibling kinship carers living with various disadvantages. This presentation will describe research in progress to determine the incidence and support needs of Australian young kinship carers, that is, carers under age 31 who are caring for siblings or other related children.
Vicki Cowling OAM, is a clinical social worker and registered psychologist and independent practitioner in child and family mental health. Vicki has worked with children and families in government and non-government settings, including public child and adolescent mental health services. She has conducted research concerning children of parents with mental illness and their families, which has led to the publication of several articles, and edited books, including Infants of Parents with Mental Illness
When a child or adult in a family is affected by a mental illness, other family members may be affected: partners, siblings, grandparents, foster carers, and others. However little is known about the number involved, the impact on their health and wellbeing, and what they may need to feel supported.
Norma Williams has a social science background focussing on children and families spanning over 30 years including: child development and care, ADR, education and training and family law dispute resolution for children’s matters. Through her personal and professional commitment to practice development and innovation she has presented at national and international conferences during her career including most recently, FRSA, National Mediation and Child Aware conferences. She believes innovative thinking brings infinite possibilities for complex
Knowledge of child development and psychological care can be used in family law-based non-therapeutic interventions with at risk families to empower child-oriented motivation for behavioural change and protection from harm; when UN Convention of the Rights of the Child and Child Aware Approaches underpin child informed dispute resolution practices.
Jane Chia is the Program Manager for Communities for Children, Anglicare Victoria, Frankston. Jane has over 20 years of experience working with children, including Regional Management of Out of School Hours children’s services, in addition to teaching in both early childhood and Primary Schools across the Southern and Mornington Peninsula Region. Jane has spent a number of years undertaking relationship building and brokering, partnership development, collaborative projects and contract management in both the profit and not for profit sectors. She is passionate about the voices of children and innovative methods of supporting vulnerable families and children.
Camilla Krauze is the Project Coordinator for Communities for Children, Anglicare Victoria, Frankston. She has worked alongside vulnerable families who experience: disability, problematic drug and alcohol use, mental health issues, homelessness, domestic violence, forensic and child protection orders. She also has extensive knowledge of and experience in Youth and Adult Justice, Child Protection systems, specialising in multiple and complex needs and the not-for profit sector. Camilla has a strong understanding of the importance of capturing children’s voices, in both developing practice for professionals and creating leadership opportunities for children.
Samantha Adams is a Research Officer at Royal Far West. Her role involves researching, analysing and evaluating the various programs delivered by the organisation including The Healthy Kids Bus Stop Program. Samantha has a PhD in social psychology, with a focus on human relationships and experiences of dehumanisation and is an Honorary Associate at Macquarie University in the Department of Psychology.
Anglicare Victoria, Communities for Children (CfC) – Frankston, supports children’s participation to improve the wellbeing of vulnerable children, birth to 12 years. It acknowledges the guiding principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. CfC Frankston enables children’s feedback to influence decision makers and inform wider service networks, policy and planning for children and their families, in line with the principles of a child friendly city.
Download PDF: Children’s voices: participation, practice, development and delivery
Heather Ward’s background is as a preschool teacher and Director with DECD for approximately 20 years. She has a particular interest and a degree in special education and managed the statewide Preschool Support Program for eight years. She has been Manager Children’s Centre Project for the last four years and oversees the development and establishment of Children’s Centres across the state. Within this role she provides leadership and management to the Children’s Centre Project team to ensure the timely and coordinated development and operation of the Children’s Centres. In addition she works collaboratively with officers from other agencies including Government and Non-Government Organisations and community members to develop and implement models of integrated early childhood service delivery, including centre-based models.
All services and programs provided in Children’s Centres contribute to identified priority population outcomes through a comprehensive range of universal and targeted interventions at multiple levels. The success of providing integrated services through Children’s Centres relies on the development of a partnership approach to working with children, families and the community.
Katrina Ochan A graduate of Flinders University, Elder Conservatorium and Uni SA, Katrina has worn many hats on the way to becoming the CDC at an inner city Children’s Centre working with children and families.
Nicky King started her journey in community development after seeing first hand how lives can be changed through the right support at the right time. She is passionate about working with disadvantaged families.
Children’s Centres are multi purpose sites supporting children and families to achieve the best possible learning, health and wellbeing outcomes. The model is a result of a South Australian government inquiry into early childhood that shows good early experiences bring long term benefits to children, families, communities and the state.
Download PDF: Children’s Centres – It Takes a Community to Raise a Child
Meredith Oglethorpe is a Grandparent Adviser for the Australian Government Department of Human Services and has extensive knowledge with over 20 years of experience. The Grandparent adviser role provides tailored information about payments and services to families and referrals to other federal, state and community services providers.
The presentation highlights strengthening partnerships across sectors, working with communities to improve outcomes for Indigenous and vulnerable children. Engaging diverse communities to improve their access to available programs and services.
Download PDF: Connecting Australians to the services they need
Django Love is part of the Children and Young People Team at Our Watch. Django has been with Our Watch since October 2014 and has supported projects which aim to address the underlying causes of violence against women and promote respectful and gender equitable relationships among young people. Django has a background in the prevention of violence against women and participatory approaches to working with young people both within the International and Australian context.
To prevent violence against women and their children, research shows that we must address the underlying cause of this violence and work to change the attitudes, behaviours, social norms and practices that underpin and create it. This presentation will outline key concepts in the primary prevention of violence against women and their children and explore Our Watch’s Responding to the Sexualisation of Children: Creating safe, equitable and respectful identities project to articulate the need for a gendered approach to this issue.
Download PDF: Our Watch – Partnerships to prevent violence against women and their children
Karen Craggs is a Childbirth Educator, Parenting under Pressure Accredited Therapist, Certified Infant Massage Instructor, working with families in pregnancy and early childhood for 13 years. She developed The Pandanus Project, an ante and postnatal support program for young mothers across Darwin and Indigenous communities. Karen established Point of Engagement which has proven to increase the safety for infants and children whose parental substance misuse places them at risk of harm and neglect.
Point of Engagement is an early intervention program in collaboration with Drug and Alcohol Services SA for ‘at-risk’ families and utilises child aware approaches. Partnerships with agencies allow all stakeholders to benefit from integrated joint case management which enables a stronger continuum of care, more efficient and effective service delivery with better outcomes for families.
Sam Crosby is a passionate and experienced outdoor educator and trainer with a love of nature play. She shares her passion for nature play regularly and has developed and delivered high quality nature play programs to kids of all ages and backgrounds as well as training educators, carers, teachers, OOSH workers, park rangers and parents who wish to learn how to get kids playing out in nature.
Why is it so important for children’s well-being to enjoy free play in nature? This presentation will discuss a partnership between Centennial Parklands and 10 OOSH services to deliver nature play with the aim of improving well-being and child development. Also includes some hands-on advice and practical activities.
Deborah Lockwood manages the team of Children’s Therapeutic Workers in Together4Kids Program. With 20 years experience at Relationship’s Australia (SA) she has been part of establishing and developing a diverse range of specialist children’s services. T4K received a 2014 NAPCAN Play Your Part Award for Innovation in Prevention of Child Abuse.
First Touch™ has demonstrated effectiveness in increasing parenting confidence and is an innovative approach to early intervention with at risk parents and their infants. Relationships Australia SA, and the International Association of Infant Massage, have provided professional development training, educating communities in the skills required to facilitate First Touch™ programs.
Gayle Stuart-Murray is a Community Services Program Manager at UnitingCare Community in Queensland. She is a Psychologist and teacher with over 20 years’ experience working with Children, young people and families across the Community Sector, including Education, Disability, Out of Home Care and Family Services. Gayle has worked inVictoria and Queensland and has a particular interest in the provision of trauma informed practice for children and young people. She holds post graduate qualifications in Science (clinical psychology) and Developmental trauma.
Identifying gaps in service provision, and then promoting and implementing change is well known to be a difficult process particularly when the work crosses Sectors. The following paper describes and discusses the process used by a consortium of cross sectorial agencies from Welfare, Health, Child Safety and Education to resolve one such gap – access and equity to and sustainability of parenting group programs.
David O’Rafferty has a tertiary qualification, is a certified trainer and runs his own training and consulting business part time while working for Junction Australia. David has been working in the community sector with children and young people for over 20 years in a diversity of roles and settings which has enabled him to develop exceptional knowledge and skills which he applies as a manager in structuring the provision of high quality residential care services for young people with high and complex needs.
Junction Australia (JA) provides Therapeutic Residential Care for young people who are under Guardianship of the Minister. JA has developed a therapeutic model by creating a structure whichsupports, staff, young people and the agency. The model takes into account Developmental Trauma, Attachment and Epigenetics and how these affect behaviour.
Lynette Stoker has developed courses for, and is teaching in, the Masters of Family Studies. She is a social worker who has worked in state Government and with non-government organisations and has a strong interest in out-of home care, trauma informed practice, developing support for families and how practitioners, carers and families hear the voices of children and young people. Lynette has a Masters in Adult Education, is an accredited mediator and conflict management coach with experience in teaching, training, supervision, change management, facilitation, curriculum development, policy and planning.
Jessica Cocks is a social worker with many years’ experience in child protection and out of home care practice and management in government and non-government settings. Jessica has a keen interest in encouraging greater family inclusion in policy and practice with children and young people in these contexts. She is also interested in how the experiences of parents and family can contribute positively to knowledge development in child protection and out of home care as has occurred in the Family Inclusion Strategies Hunter project. Jessica holds a Masters degree in the advanced practice of social work.
A group of practitioners and managers from several human service NGOs in the Hunter Valley of NSW formed to improve family inclusion in the lives of children in out of home care and to explore how parents and family could contribute to improved care of their children through relationships and partnership.
Liz Sanders has a background in Family Therapy and Social Work and has spent the past twenty-five years working with families. In 2005, Liz moved to Australia to manage Newpin operations and is responsible for practice and quality in Newpin programs across the states. Liz led the enhancement of the Newpin model for the Social Benefit Bond and works closely with colleagues in the government sector, to ensure the successful implementation of the program.
Adele Brookes has worked in NSW for 24 years in both the Non Government and Government sector and is the Department of Families and Community services’ Contract Manager for the NSW Social Benefit Bonds. Adele’s experience in implementing and monitoring funding programs, alongside her many years of experience in direct service provision, have instilled in her a high regard for the benefits of collaboration between stakeholders, in working towards providing high quality services.
This presentation features the development of the first Social Benefit Bond in Australia and highlights how joint work between a government child protection department and a Non-Government Organisation led to the successful development and roll out of a reunification program in New South Wales.
Download PDF: Working in Partnership towards the Reunification of Children to their Birth Families
Dr Gail Winkworth is an adjunct professor of the Australian Catholic University, with a continuing role in research, publishing and teaching. Her major area of specialisation is collaboration across service delivery systems.
Michael White is the director of MW Group Consulting Pty Ltd. Prior to this Michael held senior executive positions in health, education and community services Departments in a number of State jurisdictions in Australia. He now offers strategic support to Government and non-government agencies.
In this interactive workshop we demonstrate capacity building approaches to collaboration – using a Collaboration Rubric. We report on data gathered across four networks which show substantial improvement in network governance,over a 12 month period. In small groups we will facilitate understanding of key concepts and how these apply in practice.
Amanda Harris is a Psychologist and the Director of the Australian Child and Adolescent Trauma, Loss and Grief Network. She has worked extensively with children and families who have experienced trauma, including in homeless services, immigration detention and following the tsunami in Sri Lanka.
This presentation will outline and discuss the process of multi agency collaboration that led to the implementation of a trauma sensitive schools project in the Australian Capital Territory
Download PDF: Creating TRUST: Trauma Understanding and Sensitive Teaching in the ACT
Anne Hollonds has 17 years’ experience as CEO of NFP’s, including as former CEO of The Benevolent Society. Anne has extensive experience in child, youth and family services, child protection, family counselling, mediation, domestic violence, and mental health. Anne is a child and family psychologist interested in building bridges between research, policy and practice to facilitate effective prevention and early intervention, and is currently researching models of integrated child and family services and measurement of outcomes.
Findings to be presented from a 2015 national report on the implementation of a growing service system of integrated child and family centres providing health, education and social services. The extent to which research evidence is being utilised in the implementation of these “one-stop-shops”, and emerging evidence of outcomes, will be discussed, along with recommendations for scalable service models.
Download PDF: The politics of prevention and early intervention: Why is acting early so hard?
Tomasz Sitek is a Senior Research and Evaluation Officer at the Benevolent Society. Tomasz has over six years of experience in carrying out and managing mixed methods research and evaluation projects across a wide range of subject areas which include Community Development and Early Intervention, Mental Health, Community Ageing and Disability, Early Childhood Education, Tertiary Child Protection and Family Law. Tomasz has a particular interest in quantitative methodologies including survey design, database development and primary and secondary data analysis.
This paper presents an overview of a collaborative partnership between Benevolent Society and Goodstart, to enhance child aware best practice in the early years sector. The implementation of the Partnerships in Early Childhood (PIEC) model and the results of an evaluation of its implementation at two Goodstart Early Learning Centres in South Australia, will be discussed.
Sue West As Associate Director of Policy and Service Development, Sue is responsible for research, knowledge synthesises and translation to inform early childhood policy, service delivery, professional practice and parenting. She has a specific interest in generating and exchanging knowledge to support the efforts of policy makers, program managers and practitioner networks toward local area strategies for service re-development. Her employment history spans roles in academia, local government and the non‑government sector.
Dr Dianne Jackson is the newly appointed CEO of ARACY. Prior to joining ARACY she was the CEO of Connect Child and Family Services, a position she held for almost 11 years. Dianne’s career has spanned practice, research and policy, with a particular focus on translating evidence at the grass roots level and she has recently been appointed the Australia Country Coordinator for EECERA.
Seri Renkin is the CEO of the ten20 foundation and has worked in the non-profit, philanthropic government and corporate sectors, supporting development of sustainable organisations and facilitating cross sector partnerships to improve outcomes for the most disadvantaged in Australia, for more than twenty years. For the nine years prior to 2012, Seri undertook a range of roles at Social Ventures Australia (SVA), including Director of their Melbourne office.
This workshop will explore place based approaches to improving outcomes for children and what these approaches offer in the Child Aware context. Participants will learn more about policy, research, and practice in Australia including the ARACY outcomes framework – the Nest and Opportunity Child, a collective impact initiative.
Download PDF: Place Based Approaches to Improving Outcomes for Children
Aunty Sue Blacklock (Chair of Winangay Resources Inc) is a respected Elder of the Nucoorilma people from Tingha, NSW. Aunty Sue has been a lifelong advocate for finding new strength based ways of working with Aboriginal children and families. Aunty Sue was recently appointed the first Ambassador for Children, Australian Centre for Child Protection.
Karen Menzies (Vice Chair Winangay Resources Inc) (BSW) (MSW) (MMed Science) Currently Lecturer at the Wollotuka Institute, University of Newcastle. Karen is currently doing a PhD through Macquarie University. She has extensive experience in child protection, education, health and human rights services. An Aboriginal woman, Karen is from the Wonnarua people, NSW.
Gillian Bonser is a cofounder and developer for Winangay Resources. She is a psychologist, consultant and facilitator who specialises in creative lateral thinking and innovative resource development. She has a long history of social justice activism in relation to Aboriginal people and those who are living with trauma, particularly in the fields of mental health and community work.
Paula Hayden has been a social worker for 30 years working in frontline Child Protection and Out of Home Care, she has co-authored resources which are in use across Australia. Paula has had a long history of activism across many areas and was a founding member of Winangay Resources. She developed the Winangay Resources in collaboration with Aunty Sue and the team.
The workshop will tell the story of how led by Aunty Sue Blacklock (Australian Ambassador for Children) Winangay Resources has worked with Aboriginal peak bodies (eg QATSCIPP & SNAICC), The Department of Child Safety, and Leading Academics (Professor Fiona Arney, ACCP, Professor Morag McArthur ACU) and other Aboriginal organisations to implement culturally appropriate resources which are strength based and culturally appropriate and have been described as “Deadly” by Elders, Kin, Kids and Workers. The Winangay Team and those who have journeyed with us would like to share their story in an interactive dynamic workshop to discuss what works in building effective partnerships that contribute to better outcomes for Aboriginal kids and families.
Alison (Aly) Madden has completed a Bachelor of Social Welfare and has over 14 years of experience in the Community Services Sector. She currently works as the Creating Capable Communities (CCC) Community Development Coordinator at Family Life. CCC is a family and community strengthening program that is delivered by integrating Family Support and community outreach efforts to high need neighbourhoods and vulnerable groups. Aly has been delivering and coordinating the highly successful program since 2009.
Family Life partnered with the Willum Warrain Aboriginal co-operative to deliver Creating Capable Leaders, an innovative and evaluated training program. The presentation will demonstrate the high impact results for participants and how it has provided the foundation for sustainable change and improved well-being outcomes for children.
Fiona Williams is a Child Protection/Safeguarding Advisor at Save the Children Australia providing technical advice to SCA’s international and domestic programs. Prior to SCA Fiona worked at Child Wise and previously worked as a solicitor in the areas of Family Law, Child Protection and Juvenile Justice Law. Fiona is the co-convener of the ACFID Child Rights Working Group and Chair of the Board of Bethany Community Support in Geelong.
To implement effective and meaningful child safe detection and prevention strategies in organisations across all sectors, staff and volunteer feedback is essential. The key findings from the Save the Children Australia Child Protection Policy Survey will be presented to illustrate the strategies staff and volunteers from different country and cultural contexts felt shifted child safeguarding beyond compliance to becoming everyday practice.
Download PDF: Implementing child safe and aware policies into organisational everyday practice
Megan Mitchell was appointed Australia’s first National Children’s Commissioner on 25 February 2013. This marked a significant step in the protection of children in Australia. Megan focuses solely on the rights and interests of children, and the laws, policies and programs that impact on them. Megan has had extensive experience in issues facing children and young people, having worked with children from all types of backgrounds, including undertaking significant work with vulnerable children. She has practical expertise in child protection, foster and kinship care, juvenile justice, children’s services, child care, disabilities, and early intervention and prevention services. Megan’s previous roles include NSW Commissioner for Children and Young People, Executive Director of the ACT Office for Children, Youth and Family Support, Executive Director for Out-of-Home Care in the NSW Department of Community Services and CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service. Megan also holds qualifications in social policy, psychology and education, having completed a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney (1979), a Diploma of Education from the Sydney Teachers College (1980), a Master of Arts (Psychology) from the University of Sydney (1982) and a Master of Arts (Social Policy) from the University of York (1989)
In 2014, the National Children’s Commissioner examined intentional self-harm and suicidal behaviour in children and young people aged 0-17 years, with outcomes reported in her Statutory Report to Parliament. The Report includes new details about children and young people aged 4-17 years who died due to intentional self-harm, and hospitalisations for intentional self-harm for children aged 3-17 years. This presentation will describe the findings of the examination including priorities for research, prevention and intervention.
Penny Mackieson A social worker with Bachelor and Masters degrees from Melbourne University in 1983 and 1989, respectively, Penny Mackieson has worked primarily in Victoria’s children and family services sector – including with the Department of Human Services, from which she resigned in 2013 after almost 12 years with the Intercountry Adoption program. Also an adoptee, Penny joined the Committee of Management of VANISH, the Victorian Adoption Network for Information and Self Help, in 2014.
This paper argues that the influence of Australian mainstream media in shaping community opinions is currently counter-productive to the development of child-focussed policies and practices aimed at preventing psychological harm to vulnerable children. Expert opinions and testimonial experiences are being ignored in favour of the perspectives of prospective parents.
Michelle Pittaway is a clinical psychologist. She has a Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) and a Masters of Clinical Psychology. She is also a registered supervisor with AHPRA. Michelle has a keen interest in the areas of child psychology, trauma and anxiety. She worked at Bravehearts for over two years, as well as time at headspace Southport and a private practice in Darwin.
Bravehearts is a child sexual assault charity that provides counselling for children, adolescents and adults. Our interactive workshop will cover the Personal Safety Education program, including the topics of feelings and warning signs, private parts, boundaries and trust networks. You will receive practical strategies and resources to inform your practice.
Download PDF: Teaching Personal Safety in a Counselling Setting
Marilyn Casley is an Associate Lecturer in Child and Family Studies, School of Human Services and Social Work. Marilyn has over 30 years experience in children’s and community services. Marilyn is a designer and facilitator of conversational processes and experiential learning programs. Marilyn’s research interests focus around using conversational processes to develop resilience and leadership skills in young children and the development of pedagogical leadership and integrated practice in children’s and human services.
‘Talking Circles’ can be used to discuss and listen to children’s ideas about things that matter to them. They are an innovative technique for having conversations between and with children to promote and support their right to participate (Article 12 UNCRC).
Lesley Taylor is the founder and Manager of NAPCAN Northern Territory. Based on over 25 years experience in the child protection field and in promoting child abuse prevention initiatives, Lesley has developed a keen sense of how strong communities create safe environments for children. Lesley is involved in advocacy and workshop delivery to promote the safety and wellbeing of children across regional and remote NT. Lesley believes that every adult can play a key role in creating safer communities for children and young people.
This presentation will provide an overview of the Communities Keep Kids Safe Parenting Program delivered by NAPCAN in Yuendumu, NT. It will share the innovative tools used to engage parents in conversations about their own, as well as their children’s safety, feelings and skills in help-seeking.
Dr Cathy Kezelman is a medical practitioner, mental health consumer advocate and President of Adults Surviving Child Abuse (ASCA), the leading national organisation for adults who have experienced all forms of childhood trauma and abuse. She is co-author of the nationally and internationally acclaimed Practice Guidelines for Treatment of Complex Trauma and Trauma Informed Care and Service Delivery. In collaboration with a range of other organisations, including the Mental Health Coordinating Council, NSW ASCA is leading the way in trauma informed policy and practice across human health service sectors, to improve outcomes for individuals and families impacted by childhood trauma.
This workshop will present information about childhood trauma, its prevalence, dynamics and intergenerational transmission. Taking the core principles of trauma informed practice it will workshop the ways/areas in which it can be implemented across services, systems and sectors to improve individual, family and child outcomes.
Download PDF: Developing an integrated trauma-informed service system
Debbie Brewis has extensive experience working with parents and their infants and young children, to support and enhance their parenting skills. Debbie has worked across the range of early parenting programs provided at QEC for the past 17 years. She has a special interest in guiding and promoting positive parent/caregiver child interactions and supporting parents to provide enhanced nurturing care environments and build secure attachments with their children. Debbie’s work has involved the sharing of practical parenting strategies, information and support to parents based on current best practice. Debbie is a trained Family Partnership facilitator. She is currently a member of QEC’s Education team and is involved in delivering training programs to the Early Childhood Sector and in supporting the development of QEC’s staff and standards of professional practice.
PlaySteps is a parent education program with the emphasis on learning through play. It is a program designed to improve parent-child interaction by assisting caregivers to develop a positive relationship with their child. It consists of an 8-week program which introduces parents to the core elements of healthy relationships.
Download PDF: PlaySteps: A therapeutic parent child interaction program
Angela Lynch is a community legal education lawyer with Women’s Legal Service QLD. She has had a long association with the issue of abuse on contact being the co-author of the report An Unacceptable Risk: a report on contact arrangements where there is violence in the family that named abuse on contact as an issue in 2000.
Rebecca Shearman is a qualified social worker and the program coordinator with the Ipswich Women’s Centre Against DV and has been working in the DV field for over 10 years.
Anna Jones is the program manager with Carinity Communities – Talera and has worked as a therapist for over six years. Talera specialises in childhood trauma and runs a child witness to DV program.
The abuse of children on contact visits is a serious and complex issue that intersects both justice and welfare system responses. Practitioners are often required to work with families responding to abuse on contact. This session will equip practitioners with information and tips to improve the safety of women and children post separation.
Aunty Sue Blacklock (Chair of Winangay Resources Inc) is a respected Elder of the Nucoorilma people from Tingha, NSW. Aunty Sue has been a lifelong advocate for finding new strength based ways of working with Aboriginal children and families. Aunty Sue was recently appointed the first Ambassador for Children, Australian Centre for Child Protection.
Karen Menzies (Vice Chair Winangay Resources Inc) (BSW) (MSW) (MMed Science) Currently Lecturer at the Wollotuka Institute, University of Newcastle. Karen is currently doing a PhD through Macquarie University. She has extensive experience in child protection, education, health and human rights services. An Aboriginal woman, Karen is from the Wonnarua people, NSW.
Gillian Bonser is a cofounder and developer for Winangay Resources. She is a psychologist, consultant and facilitator who specialises in creative lateral thinking and innovative resource development. She has a long history of social justice activism in relation to Aboriginal people and those who are living with trauma, particularly in the fields of mental health and community work.
Paula Hayden has been a social worker for 30 years working in frontline Child Protection and Out of Home Care, she has co-authored resources which are in use across Australia. Paula has had a long history of activism across many areas and was a founding member of Winangay Resources. She developed the Winangay Resources in collaboration with Aunty Sue and the team.
Hearing, listening to kid’s means adults are more likely to do things that work for kids. The ‘Winangay KiDs say cards’ are a trauma informed resource which reflect key principles of trauma informed practice, choice, control, respect, relationship, healing and recovery. The interactive and participatory workshop will showcase the wisdom of Kids from Northern NSW and what they say workers do to promote, choice, control, respect, relationship, healing and recovery. The workshop will provide opportunities for workers to use the resources and identify what they do now and can do into the future which embeds children and young people’s participation in their practice. It will provide participants with an opportunity to creatively have their own say.
Hoda Nahal is an experienced Child Counsellor with an interest in working with families from diverse backgrounds. Hoda has a passion for community development and is currently working at FMC as a child counsellor and Community liaison worker.
Kath Cooney is a Social Worker and trainer at Foundation House (The Victoria Foundation for Survivors of Torture), and is currently working on a number of innovative projects with newly arrived refugee communities.
This network was a highly effective mechanism for engaging and building capacity within the four agencies and this community. The presentation will describe the network; provide frameworks, transferable models and strategies for collaboration; and will highlight the successes, challenges and learnings from the project.
Karen Flanagan AM is a qualified social worker with over 30 years national and international clinical, managerial, training and research experience in Child Protection. Karen currently works for Save the Children International and is a member of the Global Child Protection Initiative Steering Group. Karen was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (AM) for ‘Service to the community in Child Protection. She is currently enrolled at Monash University undertaking a Masters/PhD in International Child Protection.
To end violence and protect children, sustainable practices building on community strengths are essential. International development child protection programs using ‘system strengthening’ approaches will be described. Policies and legislation supporting family based care and community responsibility for child protection in Asia Pacific countries will be described.
Download PDF: System-strengthening approaches to Child Protection in diverse communities
Dan Leach-McGill is Manager of Policy and Practice Integration at Good Beginnings Australia. Dan has a background in early childhood and community services and has a particular interest in community development, integrated service delivery and consulting with children. He is currently undertaking PhD research relating to Early Childhood Education and Care.
Leanne Kelly is the Research and Development Coordinator for Integrated Family Services at Windermere Child and Family Services in Melbourne. She has a particular interest in participatory research and evaluation as a tool for empowerment and development. She is currently completing her Masters dissertation at Deakin University using the voice of people living in poverty to challenge existing assumptions and stereotypes.
Kylie Smith is a Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education (MGSE) at the University of Melbourne. Her research examines how theory and practice can challenge the operation of equity in the early childhood classroom and she has worked with children, parents and teachers to build safe and respectful communities.
This symposium will bring together three presentations exploring Child Aware Competencies that will discuss ways of practising differently with children, thinking differently about children and ways of acting differently for children. It will present ideas relating to engaging children as capable contributors at an organisational level, from a practice perspective and an academic and researcher’s perspective.
Download PDF: Practising, Thinking and Acting differently for Children
Rebekah Adcock and Renae Smith are Senior Child Protection Workers in the Broome Duty, Intake and Intervention team. Kristen Orazi is the Senior Practice Development Officer. Rebekah, Renae and Kristen have all participated in the joint operation.
Jeremy Spivey is a Detective for the WA Police. He has been a key officer involved in the response.
This presentation will support the theme “Working within diverse communities” by exploring how the Signs of Safety framework was used to guide safety planning and ongoing work with children, families and the wider community during a joint CPFS and WAPOL operation to address concerns for multiple cases of child sexual abuse.