Childawareconf14 handbook by Conference Logistics

a p p r oac h e s co n f e r e n c e 3 1 M A r c h - 1 A p r i l 201 4 Melbourne exhibition centre

Sharing, Building and Recognising ChildÂ AwareÂ Innovation

#childaware

handbook

childaware

a p p r oac h e s conference

C O N TE N T S Welcome .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 3

A B S T RAC T S .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .25

Acknowledgements .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 4

Concurrent Session Abstracts .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .25 Resource Display Abstracts .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 59 Poster Abstracts .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .62

G ENERA L I NFOR M A T I ON .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

PRO G RA M .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 7

Lunchtime Sessions .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 16

SPONSORS AN D E X H I B I T ORS .. .. .. .. 63

Major Sponsor .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 63 Oration Supporter .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .63

K E Y NO T E SPEA K ERS .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 17

Conference Supporters .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .64

Families Australia Oration ‘A Safer Future for Children’ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 21

Exhibitors .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 66

Panel Discussion .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23

Venue Floorplan .. .. .. .. .. .. inside back cover 71

Evaluation Form .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 69

We would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support M A J O R S P O N S O R

C O N F E R E N C E S U P P O R TE R S

e x h i b i t ors

O ra t i on S u ppor t e r

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Welcome The Hon Kevin Andrews MP Minister for Social Services Federal Member for Menzies (Vic)

Welcome to the 2014 Child Aware Approaches Conference, hosted by Families Australia and supported by the Australian Government. This important national forum will bring together practitioners, providers, researchers, and policy advisers to share innovation and evidence in approaches that promote and enhance the wellbeing and safety of children in Australia. Happy and healthy children are the greatest contribution that we can make to the future of our nation, indeed, to humanity. As you may know, I have a strong interest in this

policy area and I believe that a functional family framework provides the best chance for a child to prosper. Functional families ensure children learn important life skills that provide benefits that set them up for success. Early intervention is critical when children do not have the benefit of social and family support. This conference provides a unique opportunity to share information and evidence about early intervention and prevention initiatives that are having success in local communities. Child Aware Approaches is a central priority in the National Framework for Protecting Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Children 2009-2020.

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a p p r oac h e s conference

Prue Warrilow Chair of Familes Australia

Welcome to the 2nd annual Child Aware Approaches Conference. Families Australia is excited to again host this gathering as it contributes to advancing the goals of the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020, the National Mental Health Reform and the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022. The conference will provide an important opportunity to recognise the uptake of Child Aware Approaches in the delivery of services and learn about current research and innovative practices. We are delighted that the Hon Kevin Andrews MP, Minister for Social Services, will open conference proceedings. We would like to thank the Minister and the Department of Social Services for their generous support of the conference, which contributes to Families Australia’s ongoing work to promote the wellbeing of families. As well as outstanding international and local keynote speakers, the next two days will see a total of 82 presentations, including 32 interactive workshops and 10 displays of resources and posters. We would like to thank our many industry sponsors and exhibitors for their support. The Families Australia Oration will again be a highlight of conference proceedings. We are delighted that Justice Peter McClellan AM, Chair of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, will deliver the 2014 Oration. We are also grateful for the support of the Australian Centre for Child Protection in bringing the event to you. I do hope you will attend the Oration and stay for the cocktail reception afterwards.

The Child Aware Approaches website (www. childaware.org.au) will continue to play an important role as a place where conference presentations and promising practice information can be accessed to assist both practitioners and policymakers in their work. I wish you a thoughtful, provocative and challenging two days as we work together to advance the wellbeing of all Australian children and families.

Acknowledgements Families Australia gratefully acknowledges the work of the conference steering group Professor Fiona Arney Brian Babington Helen Bedford Stella Conroy Margaret Fisher Dr Wendy Foote Dr Daryl Higgins Jennifer Horsfield Elizabeth Hunter Vanessa Lee Professor Morag McArthur Brendan O’Hanlon Bev Orr OAM Prue Warrilow

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General Information Conference Venue

Conference Satchel

Melbourne Exhibition Centre 2 Clarendon Street, South Wharf www.mcec.com.au

Each registered attendee will receive a Conference satchel when you collect your name badge. Please note: shared registrations will receive one satchel.

Accommodation

Delegate List

CROWNE PLAZA MELBOURNE 1-5 Spencer Street, Melbourne Phone: 03 9648 2777

A delegate list with name, organisation and state will be supplied to delegates and exhibitors at the Conference. Anyone who indicated on their registration form that they did not want their name and organisation to appear on the list has not been included.

HILTON MELBOURNE SOUTH WHARF 2 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf Phone: 03 9027 2000 TRAVELODGE SOUTHBANK 9 Riverside Quay, Southbank Phone: 03 8696 9600 CROWN PROMENADE 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank Phone: 03 9292 6688

Conference Registration Desk Location and Hours

Dress The conference dress is smart casual for all sessions.

Disclosure Families Australia is committed to providing an unbiased, balanced and objective educational program.

Displays – Resource and Poster

The Conference registration desk will be located at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre (MEC) Mezzanine Foyer (Clarendon Street end) and will be open as follows:

Resource Displays will be located in the Clarendon Foyer (level 2) from morning tea on Monday until the conclusion of afternoon tea on Tuesday. Please make sure you spend time viewing the displays and discussing the work with the presenters.

Monday 31 April 2014 0800 - 1800 Tuesday 1 April 2014 0800 - 1630

Displays – Trade

Upon arrival, please ensure you collect your conference handbook and name badge from the registration desk. Conference Logistics staff will be happy to assist you in any way they can.

Catering and Dietary Requirements Arrival tea/coffee, lunches, morning and afternoon teas will be in the Clarendon Foyer, level 2 of the MEC (Clarendon Street end). Lunches will be served as an informal standup buffet. Dietary requirements noted on your registration form have been passed on to the catering staff, and will be available from the dedicated catering station. Please ask the catering staff to assist if needed.

The Conference Trade Display will be located in the Clarendon Foyer (level 2) and will be open from morning tea on Monday until the conclusion of afternoon tea on Tuesday.

Duplication/Recording Unauthorised photography, audio taping, video recording, digital taping or any other form of duplication is strictly prohibited in Conference sessions.

Evaluation Survey Please take the time to complete the included evaluation survey, as your feedback will be extremely helpful for the planning of future conferences.

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Lost And Found Please report any lost or found property to the Registration Desk (Clarendon Foyer).

Messages Messages can be left at the Registration Desk. The messages will be posted on the message board situated near the desk. Please check the board on passing. The registration desk can be contacted on 0448 576 105.

Mobile Phones Attendees are asked to switch off their mobile phones when in sessions.

Name Tags The MEC is open to public access. For security purposes attendees, speakers and exhibitors are asked to wear their name tags at all times. If you misplace your name tag, please go to the Registration Desk to arrange a replacement.

Privacy

The Speaker’s Preparation Room will be open at the following times: Monday 31 March 2014 0800-1700 Tuesday 1 April 2014 0800-1500

Smoking Smoking is not permitted in, or outside of, the session rooms or the catering areas.

Special Requirements Every effort has been made to ensure people with special requirements are catered for. Should you require any assistance, please contact the registration desk to enable us to make your attendance at the Conference a pleasant and comfortable experience.

Twitter Join the conversation #childaware

Wi-fi Complimentary wi-fi is available for all delegates.

Information provided on the registration form will be used only to administer the Conference including accommodation, catering, sponsorship and exhibition. Data obtained will remain the property of Conference Logistics and Families Australia.

Further Information

Program

Conference Logistics PO BOX 6150, Kingston ACT 2604 T 02 6281 6624 F 02 6285 1336 E conference@conlog.com.au W www.conferencelogistics.com.au

Every endeavour has been made to produce an accurate program. If you are presenting at the Conference, please confirm your presentation times as contained within this program. The Conference Committee reserves the right to change the Conference program at any time without notice. Please note that this program is correct at the time of printing.

Speakers’ Preparation Room All speakers are asked to check into the Speakers’ Preparation Room at least two hours prior to their presentation, to upload their presentation, or make any necessary changes. The Speakers’ Preparation Room will be located in the Trust Room, which is located next to Clarendon Room F, on Level 2.

For further enquiries regarding Child Aware Approaches 2014, please contact the Conference Secretariat.

Disclaimer Child Aware Approaches Conference including the Conference Secretariat will not accept liability for damages of any nature sustained by participants or their accompanying persons for loss or damage to their personal property as a result of the Conference and exhibition or related events. All details contained in this Conference Handbook are correct at the time of printing.

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Program Day 1

Monday 31 March 2014

0800-0900

Registration

0900-1020

PLENARY ONE

ROO M

Auditorium

S e ss i o n C h a i r

Brian Babington, CEO, Families Australia

0900-0915

W E LCO M E Prue Warrilow, Chair, Families Australia Welcome to Country

0915-0930

0930-0950

OPENING ADDRESS The Hon Kevin Andrews MP, Minister for Social Services

0950-1020

K EY N OTE A D D R E S S ‘Moving Beyond Individualised Child Protection Systems’ Professor Nigel Parton, University of Huddersfield, England

1020-1050

M O R N I N G TE A

i n vit a ti o n t o f a mili e s A u s t r a li a o r a ti o n for mor e i nforma t i on

See page 21 for details

Fa m i l i e s A u s t r a l i a 2 0 1 4 O r at i o n

‘A Safer Future for Children’ to be delivered by

Justice Peter McClellan AM Chair of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse proudly supported by the Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia

Monday 31 March 2014 The oration will commence promptly at 4:20pm followed by a cocktail reception at 5:00pm

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Day 1 1050-1220

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Monday 31 March 2014 CO N C U R R E N T S E S S I O N O N E Building community engagement with Child Aware initiatives #Community Engagement

Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches #Child Focus

Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches #Pre-adolescent Children

ROO M

Clarendon A (Level 5)

Clarendon D

Clarendon E

s e ss i o n c h a i r

Simon Schrapel

Dr Sue Packer AM

Stella Conroy

Workshop: Measuring what matters: creating state of Children’s Wellbeing Reports in Australian local communities Dr Geoff Woolcock, Wesley Mission Brisbane Workshop: Breaking cycles and building Dreams for Indigenous children impacted by parental incarceration Caroline Vale, Shine for Kids

Workshop: Bringing the child’s perspective into post-separation family dispute resolution: a window to the current practice context Amelia Wheeler, Relationships Australia NSW Workshop: Children and families; the ‘forgotten victims’ of the offending cycle Romy Same, Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders Nikki Fairchild, Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders Workshop: Evaluation of Domestic and Family Violence Refuge using Child Participation and Action Research Methods Theresa Kellett, Save the Children

Presentation: Emerging Findings: ‘My Changing Family and Me’ – a group to support children through parental separation Claudia Stephenson, Relationships Australia NSW Robyn Stowe, Relationships Australia Presentation: Music therapy with pre-adolescent children and families living in crisis: Understanding their experience Rebecca Fairchild, Bethany Presentation: Children moving ahead: working with children and youth affected by violence and trauma Christine Guido,The Alannah and Madeline Foundation Presentation: Using neuroplasticity to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children: The Benevolent Society’s Shaping Brains program Dr Samantha Batchelor, The Benevolent Society Sheryl Batchelor

1220-1320

LU N C H

1300

M onday Lu nc h S e ss i on 1 Report Launch: “Talking with Children and Young People About Child Safe/Child Friendly Organisations” V e n u e Auditorium

1300

M onday Lu nc h S e ss i on 2 Briefing on Family Matters National Initiative V e n u e Clarendon Room D

1320-1420

PLENARY TWO

ROOM

Auditorium

SESSION CHAIR

Anne McLeish OAM, Secretary, Families Australia

1320-1355

K EY N OTE A D D R E S S ‘Services to enhance safe and supportive family environments for Australia’s Children’ Dr Daryl Higgins, Deputy Director (Research) Australian Institute of Family Studies

1355-1420

K EY N OTE A D D R E S S The Hon Mary Wooldridge MP, Victorian Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Community Services, Minister for Disability Services and Reform

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Responding to risk factors: family violence, mental health and substance misuse #Childhood Trauma

Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety #Mixed

Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety

DSS Forum

Clarendon B (Level 5)

Clarendon F

Auditorium

Dr Tim Moore

Dr Daryl Higgins

Mike Tizard

Brian Babington

Workshop: The Changing Role of Grandparents in Child Protection Dr Ron Frey, Carinity Communities Maree Lubach, KinKare/ QCOGs Workshop: Responding to risk factors: family violence, mental health and substance misuse – Our Men Our Healing Steven Torres-Carne, The Healing Foundation

Presentation: Deaf Children Australia’s Safe Programme Alice Brennan, Deaf Children Australia Alan Campbell, Anglicare WA Presentation: Children’s Wellbeing Following Parental Separation in the Context of Australian Family Law Policy Prof Thea Brown, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Monash University Presentation: Retaining a sense of self while being bulldozed: Does a manualised resilience-building program have any positive effects on participants’ self-esteem? Angela Markovic, University of Canberra Pamela Connor, University of Canberra Presentation: Working in the Cloud – making personal records accessible Dr Margaret Kertesz, University of Melbourne

Symposium: Joining the dots to promote child wellbeing and safety by connecting national initiatives Presenters: Lauren Tyrell, Mental Health Professionals Network Bradley Morgan, Children of Parents with a Mental Illness Helen Francis, Australian Centre for Child Protection Cathie Valentine, Anglicare Victoria Communities for Children Cathie Valentine, Anglicare Victoria Communities for Children

Commonwealth Department of Social Services forum, presented by program managers Presenters: 1800 Respect Jill Farrelly, Children’s Policy and Family Safety, DSS. How Family Mental Health Support Services (FMHSS) were developed to focus on ‘Child at the centre’ and target an identified gap Karen Pickering, Community Wellbeing and Mental Health, DSS Update on the Family Support Program Eliza Strapp, Family Support Program Branch, DSS

S y mpos i u m

Clarendon C

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Monday 31 March 2014 CO N C U R R E N T S E S S I O N T W O Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches #Children & Young People

Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety #Mixed

Responding to risk factors: family violence, mental health and substance misuse #Mixed

ROOM

Clarendon C

Clarendon D

Clarendon F

session chair

Tricia Murray

Simon Gardiner

Helen Francis

Workshop: Innovative Approaches to working with children who are homeless Deanna Rohrsheim, Relationships Australia SA Presentation: Supporting Staff & Managers to Identify and Respond Proactively to Abuse and Neglect in Children with Disability Meredith Fordyce, Yooralla Presentation: Linking Research to Practice – how an agency in WA is working towards better outcomes for vulnerable families Pauline Dixon, Wanslea Presentation: Children in Brunei Darussalam Amy Young, Griffith University

Workshop: Parenting Skills for Stormy Times Sarah Decrea, Relationships Australia SA Workshop: The Common Approach for Communities Working With Families Amarylise Bessey, The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth; Katrina Bester, Anglicare Tasmania Workshop: More than just words: New approaches to children’s participation Dr Tim Moore, Australian Catholic University, Prof Morag McArthur, Australian Catholic University

Presentation: Young People Transitioning from Out-of-Home Care in Victoria: Strengthening Support Services for Dual Clients of Child Protection and Youth Justice A/Prof Philip Mendes, Department of Social Work, Monash University Presentation: Open adoption for children and babies from care Dr Susan Tregeagle, Barnados Australia Presentation: Enhancing inter-sectoral practice between alcohol and other drug services and the child and family welfare sector Michael White, National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, Flinders University Presentation: How do Mothers with Mental Illness plan the Care of their Children when Facing Imprisonment? Alannah Burgess, Social Work Department, Monash University

1550-1620

A F TE R N O O N TE A

1620-1700

P L E N A R Y TH R EE

ROOM

Auditorium

Session Chair

Prue Warrilow, Chair, Families Australia Fam i l i e s Au s t ral i a O rat i on ‘A Safer Future for Children’ Justice Peter McClellan AM, Chair of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Oration Rapporteur: Prof Fiona Arney, Director of the Australian Centre for Child Protection The Oration is proudly supported by the Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia

1700-1800

CO C K TA I L R EC E P TI O N

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Integrating service delivery to families and children, including place-based solutions #Children & Young People

Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety #Child Aware

Building community engagement with Child Aware initiatives

Clarendon E

Clarendon B (Level 5)

Auditorium

Prof Fiona Arney

Stella Conroy

Prue Warrilow

Jacqui Reed

Workshop: Integration in Action: A Case Study Lynn Farrell, The Infants’ Home Presentation: Alternative realities: comparing the views of prisoners, their families and professionals on meeting children’s needs Dr Catherine Flynn, Monash University Presentation: A hidden group of kinship care families? - Young kinship carers Meredith Kiraly, University of Melbourne Presentation: Focus on the child: Supporting Children after Separation Program Hoda Nahal, FMC Mediation and Counselling

Workshop: Strengthening Children’s Voices: Strategies in Engaging Parents in Child Focused Thinking Joanne Trentin, UnitingCare Community & Norma Williams, UnitingCare Community Workshop: Child Aware Approaches – recognising and implementing child aware principles and practice Rhys Price-Robertson, Australian Institute of Family Studies Cathryn Hunter, Australian Institute of Family Studies

Symposium: HEAR ME Children and Young People Inclusive Practices in Services The ‘How’ Presenters: Sarah Leach, Glastonbury Community Services Dina Dasic, Glastonbury Community Services Shona Evans, youth representative

Workshop: The Parental Regard Project: Integrating a Relational Approach into PostSeparation Family Dispute Resolution Presenters: Bill Hewlett, Relationships Australia NSW Amelia Wheeler, Relationships Australia NSW

S y mpos i u m

Integrating service delivery to families and children, including place-based solutions W orks h op

Clarendon A (Level 5)

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Day 2 Tuesday 1 April 2014 0800-0900

Registration

0900-0955

PLENARY FOUR

ROOM

Auditorium

SESSION CHAIR

Simon Schrapel, Board Member, Families Australia, and Chief Executive, Uniting Communities

0905-0930

K EY N OTE A D D R E S S ‘Healing - Building Strong Communities for our Children and Young People’ Richard Weston, CEO, Healing Foundation

0930-0955

K EY N OTE A D D R E S S ‘Towards a Child Aware Movement’ Emeritus Professor Dorothy Scott OAM, Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia

0955-1030

M O R N I N G TE A

1030-1200

CO N C U R R E N T S E S S I O N TH R EE Building community engagement with Child Aware initiatives #Organisational

Responding to risk factors: family violence, mental health and substance misuse #Resource

Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches #Organisational

ROOM

Clarendon A (Level 5)

Clarendon D

Clarendon C

SESSION CHAIR

Prue Warrilow

Tricia Murray

Simon Schrapel

Workshop: Kid’s Stuff - Collaborative work between an NGO/NFP Agency and School(s) in Rural Victoria Lisa-Maree Stevens, Mallee Family Care/Mildura Family Relationship Centre Peta Duncan, Mildura West Primary School Workshop: Volunteer Family Connect: A best-practice model of volunteer home visiting services to support vulnerable families Dr Rebekah Grace, Centre for Health Equity Training Research and Evaluation, University of NSW Workshop: A partnership approach to developing Child Safe Organisations: A case study in continuous improvement Melinda Crole, YMCA Australia Janise Mitchell, Australian Childhood Foundation

Workshop: Keeping Kids Central: an interactive workshop Dr Tim Moore, Australian Catholic University, Prof Morag McArthur, Australian Catholic University Workshop: Newpin: supporting the parent child dyad, through addressing parental trauma Liz Sanders, UnitingCare Burnside Workshop: My Kids and Me: Building capacity in the parents of at risk children Angharad Candlin, CatholicCare Sydney Christine Gibson, Australian Centre for Child Protection

Presentation: Collaborative conversations shaping child and family sensitive practice across a large diverse service organisation Jennifer Evans, Red Cross Jody Sachs, Red Cross Presentation: Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure!’ Personal safety education protecting against child sexual assault Sharon Stewart, Bravehearts Inc Presentation: Collaborative Practice: Innovative Child Focused Family Dispute Resolution Dr Amanda Shea Hart, Connect Psychology Presentation: How do we know we are making a difference? Tomasz Sitek, The Benevolent Society

1200-1300

LU N C H

1215

T u e sday Lu nc h S e ss i on 1 HubWorks! Digital Inclusion Session V e n u e Clarendon Room D

1230

T u e sday Lu nc h S e ss i on 2 Report launch: Connect with Children Consultation Report V e n u e Auditorium

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Integrating service delivery to families and children, including place-based solutions #Play

Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety#Complex Needs

Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety-

Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches

W orks h op

S y mpos i u m

Clarendon B (Level 5)

Clarendon E

Clarendon F

Auditorium

Anne McLeish OAM

Prof Fiona Arney

Helen Francis

Stella Conroy

Workshop: PLAY. A strength based, individual, holistic parent child interaction program for vulnerable families Debbie Maddocks, Glastonbury Community Service Beth Kershaw, Glastonbury Community Services Presentation: Play Across the Generations Anne McLeish OAM, Grandparents Australia Presentation: Intervening early through Play: Building understanding and capacity between parents and children A/Prof Kym Macfarlane, School of Human Services and Griffith Health Institute Presentation: Building Animal Relationships with Kids (BARK) Kedy Kristal, Patricia Giles Centre

Presentation: You want a bit of everyone when you are growing up: Involving children and young people to link up services Dr Karleen Gwinner, Child and Youth Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology Presentation: Interpretations of meaning: the ‘white welfare’ voice and Aboriginal child, family and Community voices in the official dialogue of Cultural Consultancy Anne Nicolaou, Aboriginal Family Support Services Inc Leila Plush, Aboriginal Family Support services Presentation: BEYOND THE RHETORIC: How do we learn to really include children in health service planning and delivery? Dr Sue Packer AM, Families Australia Board / NAPCAN

Workshop: Talk Less Listen More parenting e-course for Gen X and Gen Y parents Michael Hawton, Parentshop

Symposium: Protection and Rights: How child protection systems can work to enact rights and responsibilities Presenters: Practice First - two years on Kate Alexander, NSW Department of Family and Community Services Upholding rights and protection Valerie Braithwaite & Sharynne Hamilton, Australian National University A pyramid of parental engagement in child protection Mary Ivec, Australian National University

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Day 2 Tuesday 1 April 2014 1300-1430

CO N C U R R E N T S E S S I O N F O U R Implementing innovative Child Aware Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches Approaches #Organisational #Resources

Integrating service delivery to families and children, including place-based solutions #Service Integrations

ROOM

Clarendon B (Level 5)

Clarendon D

Auditorium

Session chair

Prue Warrilow

Dr Sue Packer AM

Tricia Murray

Workshop: Youth Care UPA LCP - Preparing Young People in OoHC for Independence Angela Reid, Youth Care UPA Aiden Thomas, Youth Care UPA Presentation: Connect with Children: consulting with children across Australia Daniel Leach-McGill, Good Beginnings Australia Presentation: Developing and Implementing Evidence-Informed Practice (EIP): Promoting Resilience in Vulnerable Children Greg Antcliff, The Benevolent Society Presentation: Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety Lesley Taylor, NAPCAN

Workshop: Using touch-screen kiosks to raise awareness and inspire the community to take action to keep children safe and nurture their wellbeing Ollie Heathwood, YWCA NSW Lismore Communites for Children Workshop: Embedding child aware approaches: implementing change that lasts Briannon Stevens, Micah Projects Karyn Walsh, Micah Projects Workshop: Fostering Together – better support and participation for the children of foster carers Stephan Lund, Wanslea

Presentation: Working Outside the Silo – trialling a model for an inter-agency co-located team Andrew Peschar, Office for Children Catherine Schofield, Department of Health and Human Services Presentation: Grandparent Advisers Meredith Oglethorpe, Department of Human Services Presentation: Steps to Prep: Integrating early education, health and family support for a better start to school Dr Samantha Batchelor, The Benevolent Society Sue Durance, The Benevolent Society Presentation: A Tale of Two Programs: Integration and Collaboration in One Location Jenny Terry, Wanslea

1430-1500

A F TE R N O O N TE A

1500-1615

PLENARY FIVE

ROOM

Auditorium

Session chair

Simon Schrapel, Board Member, Families Australia, and Chief Executive, Uniting Communities Panellists: Ms Megan Mitchell, National Children’s Commissioner Dr Lance Emerson, CEO, Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth Ms Jayne Meyer Tucker, CEO, Good Beginnings Ms Vanessa Lee, Senior Lecturer Indigenous Health, Sydney University Ms Cate McKenzie, Group Manager, Commonwealth Department of Social Services C LO S I N G Brian Babington, CEO, Families Australia

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Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety #Practitioner / Resource

Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety #Trauma

Responding to risk factors: family violence, mental health and substance misuse

Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches #Professional Development

Clarendon A (Level 5)

Clarendon C

Clarendon E

Christine Gibson

Mike Tizard

Stella Conroy

Jayne Meyer Tucker

Workshop: Developing a Reflective Practice Tool for Engaging with Socially Isolated New Parents Dr Wendy Foote, Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies Robert Urquhart, Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies Workshop: Safe from the Start Indigenous Project – resources to assist working with young children who have witnessed family violence Nell Kuilenburg, The Salvation Army Workshop: Future Foundations: Engaging children and families in early intervention to promote social and emotional wellbeing Katherine Ritchie and Jodie McMurtrie, The Benevolent Society

Presentation: Moving to prevention: exploring outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children through intensive/targeted family support services Garry Matthews, Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Clare Tilbury, Griffith University Presentation: Child aware means being trauma aware Dr Cathy Kezelman, Adults Surviving Child Abuse Presentation: Addressing Filicide in Australia: Developing Professional Knowledge and Service Provision Prof Thea Brown, Monash University Presentation: Supporting practitioners’ engagement with parents with multiple and complex needs to improve child wellbeing: eLearning Helen Francis, Australian Centre for Child Protection Christine Gibson, Australian Centre for Child Protection

Symposium: Learning from the Past Presenters: Where’s the child? Child-aware lessons from past policy and practice Dr Daryl Higgins, Australian Institute of Family Studies Learning from the Past, Influencing the Future Caroline Carroll OAM, Alliance for Forgotten Australians What recent research tells us about overcoming the adversity of early stress and trauma Dr Howard Bath, Office of the Children’s Commissioner Lessons from the past: Implications for today Simon Gardiner, Manager of Open Place

Workshop: Circles of Change Revisited: using generative dialogue with professionals working with children and families to shape and improve practice Dr Jennifer Cartmel, Marilyn Casley, School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University.

S y mpos i u m

Clarendon F

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Lunchtime Sessions Monday Lunch Session 1

Tuesday Lunch Session 1

Report Launch: “Talking with Children and Young People About Child Safe/Child Friendly Organisations” V e n u e Auditorium D a t E Monday 31 March 2014 T i m e 1:00 pm

HubWorks! Digital Inclusion Session V e n u e Clarendon Room D D a t e Tuesday 1 April 2014 T i m e 12:15 pm

Presented by Gabrielle McKinnon, co-author and Senior Advisor to the ACT Children & Young People Commissioner. It is not possible to become a ‘child safe’ organisation without seriously considering the views of children and young people. Children and young people have knowledge and experience which is different to that of the adults in the organisation, and they can make a unique contribution to planning, policy development and decision making.

Monday Lunch Session 2 Briefing on Family Matters National Initiative V e n u e Clarendon Room D D a t E Monday 31 March 2014 T i m e 1:00 pm

Presented by Frank Hytten, CEO of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are ten times more likely to be placed in out-of-home care than non-Aboriginal children. While Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children represent only 5 per cent of the population they comprise 34 per cent of children in out-of-home care. Family Matters - Kids safe in culture, not in care is a national initiative led by SNAICC and driven by key peak Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal organisations to reduce this overrepresentation.

This session covers social inclusion for not for profits through digital platforms. There’s a lot of study and practical information that our host, David Salajan will show. The session aims to challenge, inspire and comfort educators and administrators around the use of technology, which can sometimes appear daunting. The Brotherhood of St Laurence have been key behind the research for social digital inclusion in not for profits and the founder of our company, has been inclusive with BSL in this research.

Tuesday Lunch Session 2 Report Launch: Connect with Children Consultation Report V e n u e Auditorium D a t e Tuesday 1 April 2014 T i m e 12:30 pm

Presented by Jayne Meyer Tucker, CEO Good Beginnings. Good Beginnings undertook a national consultation with children participating in Good Beginnings programs over a six week period. The Connect with Children: Consultation Report outlines the findings and presents context specific examples of this work. Good Beginnings programs and services objectives are as follows: • To involve children in the evaluation and consultation of Good Beginnings services; • To increase staff and organisational capacity to consult and involve children; and • To pilot a national approach to involving children in service design and evaluation, documenting: -- What children said when we listened? -- What we did and how it went?

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Keynote Speakers Professor Nigel Parton Professor in Applied Childhood Studies at the University of Huddersfield, England Nigel Parton has been teaching, writing and researching about child protection, child welfare and social work for over 35 years. In recent years a central focus of his work has been comparing child protection systems in different high income countries including the four jurisdictions in the UK. His publications include: Reforming Child Protection (with Bob Lonne, Jane Thompson and Maria Harries) (Routledge, 2009), and Child Protection Systems: International Comparisons and Orientations (edited with Neil Gilbert and Marit Skivenes) (Oxford University Press, 2011). His most recent book is The Politics of Child Protection: Contemporary Developments and Future Directions (Palgrave/Macmillan, 2014), a detailed study of child protection policy in England over the last 15 years. P r e s e n t a t i on Moving Beyond Individualised Child Protection Systems A b s t rac t All studies of the prevalence of child maltreatment demonstrate that only about a tenth of the amount of child maltreatment ever becomes known to statutory child protection agencies and that there are a number of policy dimensions which need to be considered if we are serious about addressing the problem; issues related to gender, social class and inequality are central. I argue that current and long-standing problems indicate it is now time to move beyond individualised child protection systems. In being so concerned with the operation and failures of the child protection system, we have failed to address what we mean by child maltreatment and what we should do about it. I argue that child maltreatment is a significant social problem which cannot be ameliorated by individualised systems of intervention alone.

I propose that a broad public health approach to child maltreatment can provide an important beginning framework for future policy and practice but that this needs to place a children’s rights perspective at its centre and that we need to recognise that there are a wide range of significant social harms which cause maltreatment to children, many of which are clearly related to structural inequalities. This will be demonstrated through a project entitled ‘Mothers of sexually abused children in charge’ which is led by mothers whose children have been sexually abused which has been highly successful. I recommend the importance of engagement with a variety of community-based groups in the process and that the processes of change are as important as the overall aims which we want to bring about.

The Hon Mary Wooldridge MP Victorian State Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Community Services, Minister for Disability Services and Reform Mary Wooldridge was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 2006 representing the electorate of Doncaster. With her appointment as a Minister following the election of the Coalition Government in November 2010, Mary immediately set an ambitious agenda of reform and improvement across her portfolios. Mary has been at the forefront of the Coalition Government’s major overhaul of the state child protection system, securing a full roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in Victoria, whole-of-government action plans in alcohol and drugs and family violence and reform of community mental health and alcohol and drug treatment systems. Mary has a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from the University of Melbourne.

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Kenote Address

The Hon Mary Wooldridge MP, Minister for Community Services, will provide a keynote address on the Victorian Government’s current approaches to working with vulnerable and traumatised children and young people, and the reforms that have been implemented, including collaborative approaches with the community sector, to ensure better outcomes for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children and their families.

Dr Daryl Higgins Deputy Director (Research) Australian Institute of Family Studies BA (Melb), BA(Hons) (Deakin), PhD (Deakin) Daryl Higgins is a registered psychologist, and has been researching child abuse, family violence, sexuality and family functioning since 1993. He has extensive experience in managing and supervising research, and has led projects looking at child abuse and neglect, child protection, children in out-of-home care, child-safe organisations, Family Court processes for responding to allegations of child abuse, caring for a family member with a disability, welfare reform, jobless families, past adoption practices, and community development approaches to children at risk in Indigenous communities. He has a sound knowledge of state and territory policy contexts across Australia. He has considerable experience in evaluation methodology and frameworks across areas including child protection, out-of-home care, sexual assault, child care, parenting, care for family members with a disability, and family and community wellbeing. Daryl also has experience in conducting qualitative research and program evaluations with Indigenous communities, as well as understanding and analysing and interpreting quantitative administrative data (such as child protection departmental statistics relating to Indigenous Australians). In particular, Daryl has led projects examining best practice in Indigenous out-of-home care, and a range of

community development projects focusing on early childhood, young people, and education engagement/mentoring for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. He is currently leading AIFS’ contributions to the Closing the Gap Clearinghouse. P r e s e n t a t i on Services to enhance safe and supportive family environments for Australia’s children

Families can play a crucial role in protecting children by providing a safe and supportive environment. There is considerable research in Australia and internationally looking at the most ‘at-risk families’ (where statutory child protection systems are focused); however, there is relatively little focus on how children’s wellbeing is affected by different family environments in the broader Australian population. To illustrate this, I present data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) that show three broad family environments can be identified: cohesive, disengaged, and enmeshed (particularly where conflict between parents seeps into relationships between parents and children). Internationally, best practice in child abuse prevention is grounded in a public health approach – identifying risk factors (such as parental substance misuse, mental health problems, or family violence), and putting in place strategies to reduce the ‘burden of disease’ by altering the risk profile of the entire population. Our results suggest that potentially problematic dynamics within families are not just concentrated in particular socio-economic groups. Public health strategies can be enlisted to identify and respond to the needs of children in families characterised by disengagement or enmeshment (e.g., parenting programs, public information campaigns) and using universal services to lower the risk of dysfunctional family environments and target referrals for more intense services. This involves balancing the need for both universal and targeted services that are “child-aware” in order to enhance family environments for children (i.e., progressive or proportionate universalism). This combination shifts the risk profile of the entire population of families, as well as targeting those who need a more intense service. Data from LSAC showing changes in the family environment and child outcomes over time support the assumption that policy interventions to address

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family environments have the capacity to produce tangible outcomes for children. Examples of where services could screen for problematic family environments will be briefly addressed, along with other implications for service delivery.

Richard Weston CEO, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation Richard Weston is descended from the Meriam (Murray Island) people of the Torres Strait with traditional owner links to his grandfather’s country. He is currently CEO of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation based in Canberra. Working closely with the Board of the Healing Foundation over the last four years he has established this new organisation on the Indigenous Affairs landscape. Richard’s work history spans public sector administration in Indigenous employment, education, housing and health and over the last 30 years he has lived and worked in urban, regional and remote settings where he has gained a unique insight into grass roots Indigenous issues. Between 2000 and 2009 Richard was CEO of the Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation which he developed into an effective organisation delivering measureable improvements in health outcomes to Aboriginal people in the difficult remote Australian environment of Far West NSW and recognised nationally as a leader in improving Indigenous health. He spent 2009/10 as CEO of the Brisbane Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service. In the last 4 years the Healing Foundation has funded 90 projects across Australia that have delivered 1675 healing activities to over 16,000 men, women and children in remote, regional and urban settings. These projects have employed 730 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

P r e s e n t a t i on Healing – building strong communities for our children and young people

In his keynote Richard will explore why healing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is so compelling and offers a major opportunity for addressing the seemingly intractable nature of issues found in Indigenous communities. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have borne the brunt of colonisation with the strength of our cultural systems undermined and our people struggling to deal with their pain and bewilderment in positive ways. Our children have always been at the heart of our communities, our systems were designed to support them to be healthy and strong. However the trauma and grief that our people have experienced is impeding many of our families and communities in being able to play this role as effectively. The trauma that Indigenous peoples have suffered is often acknowledged but there is little policy in place that directly and consciously addresses it. Richard will explore how healing can provide a lens that challenges governments and agencies to view the solutions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander within a differing framework. This key note will share some of the work of the Healing Foundation which will provide an opportunity to think about how communities can be supported to rebuild their strength and the challenges that this poses for governments and agencies when the focus is on providing services from a western knowledge system, rather than enabling processes that can change the nature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People interactions and understandings of their own experiences.

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Emeritus Professor Dorothy Scott OAM Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia Emeritus Professor Dorothy Scott OAM is a Director of Bracton Consulting Services and was the Foundation Chair and inaugural Director of the Australian Centre for Child Protection at the University of South Australia. She holds honorary professorial positions at both the University of South Australia and the University of Melbourne. Early in her career as a social worker she pioneered innovative approaches in the fields of child welfare, sexual assault and mental health for which she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. Professor Scott has conducted a number of child protection inquiries and provides policy advice to State and Commonwealth Governments. Her most recent book (co-authored with Professor Fiona Arney) is Working with Vulnerable Families by Cambridge University Press. Professor Scott is a member of the Australian National Council on Drugs, the Advisory Council of the Australian Institute of Family Studies, the Myer Foundation Board and the Tasmanian Early Years Foundation Board.

P r e s e n t a t i on

Movement

Towards a Child Aware

Child Aware approaches are increasingly being adopted in both policy and practice domains. Such is the momentum building that it carries the hope of a transformational movement transcending the services sector and reaching deep into the community. There are inspiring innovations occurring at a local level across our land, and across a broad range of traditionally adult-focussed sectors such as mental health, alcohol and other drugs, family violence and homelessness. What are we learning from initiatives which aim to build the capacity of all organisations to “think child, think family” and to build strong bridges between sectors in the service of vulnerable children and their families? What are the obstacles and what are the opportunities for a Child Aware Movement?

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Families Australia Oration ‘A Safer Future for Children’ The Hon Justice Peter McClellan AM Chair of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse The Hon Justice Peter McClellan AM was appointed Chair of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on 11 January 2013. Justice McClellan is a Judge of Appeal in New South Wales. Prior to this, Justice McClellan was the Chief Judge at Common Law of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, having been appointed to that position in 2005. Before that appointment, he held judicial and other appointments including Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales, Chairman of the Sydney Water Inquiry and Assistant Commissioner at the Independent Commission Against Corruption. Justice McClellan was admitted to practice law in 1974 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1985. Justice McClellan became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2011 for services to the judiciary through the Supreme Court of NSW, to environmental law, and to legal education.

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse The Royal Commission is inquiring into how institutions with a responsibility for children have managed and responded to allegations and instances of child sexual abuse. The Royal Commission is hosting public and private hearings, as well as thousands of private sessions across every State and Territory of Australia to hear people tell their stories. O ra t i on R appor t e u r :

Professor Fiona Arney Director of the Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia Professor Fiona Arney has become one of Australia’s leading child protection researchers, leading major child protection research concentrations as Head of the Child Protection Research Program in Menzies School of Health Research at Charles Darwin University, as Deputy Director and Head of Research at the Australian Centre for Child Protection at the University of South Australia, and now in her current position as Director and Chair of the Australian Centre for Child Protection.

Presented

P ro u dl y

s u ppor t e d by

The Families Australia Oration is an address by a prominent Australian to highlight important family and community issues and ways ahead. Previous orations have been delivered by: • Ms Megan Mitchell, Australia’s first National Children’s Commissioner, in 2013; • Professor Patrick McGorry AO, Executive Director, Orygen Youth Health Research Centre in 2011; and • Her Excellency Quentin Bryce AC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, in 2008.

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15-21 May 2014

www.familiesaustralia.org.au

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Panel Discussion Ms Megan Mitchell

Dr Lance Emerson

National Children’s Commissioner

CEO, Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth

The announcement of the appointment of Megan Mitchell as Australia’s first National Children’s Commissioner was made in Canberra on 25 February 2013. This marks a significant step in the protection of children in Australia. Having commenced her term on March 25 2013, Megan will focus 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).

Dr Lance Emerson has headed up ARACY since 2007. Originally trained as a geneticist, Lance has worked in Public Health and primary health care for most of his career. He has worked in senior government positions at both the state and federal level, as a private consultant, and as an executive of a national member-based health organisation. He is a member of many federal government working groups and committees. His passion is in systems reform and prevention, and in using evidence to inform policy and practice to improve the wellbeing of children and youth. Lance is a wellrespected child and youth advocate.

Ms Jayne Meyer Tucker CEO, Good Beginnings Jayne Meyer Tucker is the Chief Executive Officer of Good Beginnings Australia. A global Thought Leader with experience in the provision of early intervention programs for children and families, leading to successful long-term societal change through leadership for collaborative advantage. Prior to working for Good Beginnings, Jayne was a Director of the UK’s Sure Start program, an interdepartmental government initiative to reduce child poverty. She was responsible for leading and evolving Sure Start Dover Kent from its inception, driving change based on workable solutions. Jayne has a Masters Degree in Public Health and a postgraduate Certificate and Diploma in Organisational Training, Development and Executive Coaching. She has recently commenced studies for a PhD in Social Policy and Political studies with Crawford School Australian National University.

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Her local and global experience gives her a rare dual perspective that lends integrity and pragmatism to everything she undertakes.

Mr Simon Schrapel

Ms Vanessa Lee

Simon Schrapel has enjoyed a 30+ year career of working in the Social and Community Services field in the UK, Sri Lanka and Australia. This has involved positions in local government, State Government and non government organisations. He is currently the Chief Executive of Uniting Communities, a South Australia based agency committed to social justice and inclusion. Throughout his career Simon has undertaken a number of leadership positions in sector peak bodies, advocacy groups and advisory boards. He was President of ACOSS from 2009-13 having served as the Chair of SACOSS from 2002-2009, is a past Chair of the Child and Family Welfare Association of Australia, Board Member of Families Australia and Director of Foodbank. He served as a member of the national Compact Advisory Group and amongst other positions has been a member of the national Stronger Families and Communities Partnership, Australian Council for Children and Parenting, Ministerial Advisory Group on Gambling and the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children Implementation Working Group.

Senior Lecturer Indigenous Health, Sydney University Vanessa Lee, a descendant of the Meriam people from the Torres Strait, is a senior academic at the University of Sydney where she is involved in the integration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health into the curriculum across a range of disciplines. Vanessa is currently completing her PhD research on the Aboriginal Medical Services. Vanessa has local, national and international research experience within the area of public health and Indigenous health.

Ms Cate McKenzie Group Manager, Women and Children’s Safety and Communities Group, Commonwealth Department of Social Services Cate McKenzie has worked in a range of portfolios since joining the Australian Public Service in 1985. These include the departments of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Finance, Environment, Primary Industry and Energy, Territories and Social Services. For the past ten years Cate has worked in DSS (previously FaHCSIA) on a broad range of issues including housing and homelessness, people with disabilities and their families and carers, disability business services, the communities’ agenda, indigenous, welfare reform and programs to assist people with multiple, non-vocational barriers to employment. Two of Cate’s most significant roles in the last few years have been working on the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children and the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children.

Pan el Faci li tator

Chief Executive, Uniting Communities

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Concurrent Session Abstracts C o n c u r r e n t S e ss i o n ONE

Day 1

Monday 31 March

1050-1220

Building community engagement with Child Aware initiatives

Youth (ARACY) and is a board director of the Logan Child-Friendly Community Charitable Trust, the Australian National Development Index (ANDI) and the Brisbane Housing Company.

#Community Engagement 1050 -1220 Cl aren don Room A (le vel 5)

Measuring what matters: creating State of Children’s Wellbeing Reports in Australian local communities (30 min workshop) A/Prof Geoff Woolcock1, David Pugh2, Jayne Meyer Tucker3 1

Wesley Mission Brisbane/ARACY, 2Anglicare NT, Good Beginnings

Little empirical attention has been devoted to linking the impact of children’s wellbeing measures and their application in local communities. This presentation will focus on how a sound, rigorous basis for demonstrating how wellbeing outcomes for children and young people are measured and impact at the local community scale are being applied through the development of local children’s wellbeing reports. This workshop will focus on key learnings in establishing an evidence base in a local community about its children and young people, including the complexities in drawing from multiple data sources and also presenting data in reports. Audience members will be invited to speak on their own experiences of assembling data and evidence about the state of children’s wellbeing in their own local areas. A/Prof Geoff Woolcock is Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Senior Research Fellow and an Adjunct Associate Professor at Griffith University. Geoff is the current chair of the Australian Community Indicators Network, the Queensland convenor for the Australian Research Alliance for Children &

Breaking cycles and building dreams for Indigenous children impacted by parental incarceration (30 min workshop) Caroline Vale1, Gloria Laman1 1

Shine for Kids

The aim of the workshop is to raise the awareness of the unique needs of Indigenous children impacted by parental incarceration. It is well recognised that the number of Indigenous Australians being incarcerated is increasing. Despite their complex and varied needs for information and support, children and families of offenders are virtually invisible. Key learning outcomes of the session will be: • to inform workshop participants of the unique needs of children impacted by parental incarceration to gain an insight into the policy gaps existing across jurisdictions • to identify possibilities for collaboration to break adverse cycles impacting on Indigenous children impacted by parental incarceration and to work toward building dreams with these children and their families . Carol Vale is a Dunghutti woman and has a background in public policy and is a Board member of SHINE for Kids. Gloria Laman is CEO of SHINE for Kids and has a long career in working to address the needs of children and young people impacted by parental incarceration.

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Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches #Child Focus 1050 -1220 Cl aren don D

Bringing the child’s perspective into postseparation family dispute resolution: a window to the current practice context (30 min workshop) Amelia Wheeler1 1

Relationships Australia NSW

This workshop provides an opportunity for those employed in the broader child and family sector to reflect upon the ways in which clinicians can keep children’s perspectives at the forefront of practice. Emerging data from the presenter’s PhD study explores how Relationships Australia NSW clinicians and managers involved in family dispute resolution services understand and incorporate the perspectives of children into post-separation mediation. This workshop features rich, qualitative accounts from in-depth interviews with practitioners. Participants will gain knowledge of the multiple ways in which practitioners are including the perspectives of children in a primarily adult-focused service, as well as the issues and constraints associated with this practice area. We will encourage small-group discussion as well as feedback discussion in the larger group. Amelia Wheeler is a PhD Candidate (Social Work) at UNSW. Amelia completed her Bachelor of Social Work (Honours Cl. 1, University Medal) and has worked in various clinical roles with children and families. Amelia has taught in social policy and socio-legal courses in the Undergraduate Social Work program at UNSW.

Children and families; the ‘forgotten victims’ of the offending cycle (30 min workshop) Romy Same1, Nikki Fairchild1 1 Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders

Children and families are often the forgotten victims of the offending cycle. Research highlights the trauma, grief and distress experienced by children as their parent travels through this cycle. Impacts can also include behavioural issues, emotional difficulties and physical symptoms as well as significant disruption to their family and broader systems. Using visual aids and small group discussion, this presentation will highlight how VACRO works to build community knowledge and skills around these issues. Key learning outcomes will include the indicators and risk factors to be aware of, themes, strategies and challenges that arise from supporting children in the context of parental contact with the justice system and provide insight into the complex interactions between an individual, their family and community. Nicole Fairchild is VACRO’s Family Links worker at the Geelong magistrates court. She has a background in the justice system.

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Evaluation of Domestic and Family Violence Refuge using Child Participation and Action Research Methods (30 min workshop) Theresa Kellett1, Peta Nichol1, Stacey Larkin1, Linda Andersen1 1

for increasing self-esteem and peer connections for clients. Findings from our ongoing evaluation demonstrate that treatment engagement was improved by the program, and that parental helpseeking had increased. Claudia Stephenson: Relationship Education and Family Safety Co-ordinator, North Region, Relationships Australia, NSW. Claudia has been part of Relationships Australia for over 6 years, initially as a Couple and Family Therapist and more recently as an integral part of the Group Work Program.

Save the Children Australia

Save the Children understands the impact that Domestic and Family Violence has on children, having operated two refuges for women and children for over 30 years. Our intensive support model is built on a human and child rights practice framework and is child focused. In attending the session, participants will gain an understanding of the value of capturing children and young people’s voices and opinions in a genuine and non-tokenistic way; especially with regard to the value added to program improvement and development. This session will provide participants with some tools to trial; to learn from children and use those learnings to improve outcomes for children. During the session participants will trial some of the resources, such as the mapping tools and animation software in small groups. Save the Children Australia has been providing crisis accommodation to women, children and young people for 30 years.

Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches #Pre-adolescent Children 1050 -1220 Cl aren don E

Emerging Findings: ‘My Changing Family and Me’ – a group to support children through parental separation (20 min presentation) Claudia Stephenson1, Robyn Stowe1 1

Relationships Australia NSW

‘My Changing Family and Me’ program aims to engage and facilitate positive change for families experiencing separation and conflict. We contribute to the limited research available on children’s groups and outline effective strategies

Robyn Stowe: Senior Family Advisor at the Northern Beaches Family Relationships Centre. Robyn has worked for Relationships Australia for the past 6 years, and has been involved with the My Changing Family and Me program since its conception in 2010.

Music therapy with pre-adolescent children and families living in crisis: Understanding their experience (20 min presentation) Rebecca Fairchild1, 2 1

The University of Melbourne, 2Bethany

This paper describes a research project exploring how pre-adolescent children in crisis experienced group music therapy. Acknowledging the importance of hearing directly from children, the researchers conducted interviews with program participants and their parents providing a valuable insight into their experience, contributing to a deeper understanding of the ways that the service system, therapeutic programs and wider community can work together to support their often complex needs. Rebecca Fairchild, Registered Music Therapist, is a Masters by Research candidate at the University of Melbourne and music therapy group facilitator at Bethany. Her clinical and research interest is working in the community with children and families experiencing homelessness and family violence.

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Children moving ahead: working with children and youth affected by violence and trauma (20 min presentation)

Dr Samantha Batchelor has over 10 years’ experience in research and evaluation. Her PhD investigated links between parenting, children’s feelings about school and educational outcomes in disadvantaged communities.

Tina Guido1 The Alannah and Madeline Foundation

‘Children Ahead’ is a model of care developed by The Alannah and Madeline Foundation in partnership with RMIT University for children/youth affected by violence and trauma. The program’s uniqueness lies in its child-focus, long term and holistic work to aid recovery and build resilience. It addresses physical and mental health, emotional wellbeing, educational support, connection to family and community, resilience building, healthy and respectful relationships and social skills and development of competencies and talents. Tina Guido has a Masters in Social Work and Graduate Diploma in Child and Family Practice Leadership, which has supported her lifelong commitment to working with marginalised members of society, especially vulnerable children and youth. She has worked with street and destitute children in India, during which time she co-founded the Coordination Committee for Vulnerable Children, funded by UNICEF. Tina’s vast experience as a relationship counsellor, and family and children’s counsellor and supervisor, has driven her current role at The Alannah and Madeline Foundation.

Using neuroplasticity to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children: The Benevolent Society’s Shaping Brains program (20 min presentation) Dr Samantha Batchelor , Sheryl Batchelor 1

The Benevolent Society

The Shaping Brains program is an innovative program for children aged 5 to 8 years that aims to improve children’s learning and enhance their wellbeing by applying the principles of neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to reorganise and grow new connections in response to experience). Shaping Brains offers a suite of evidence-informed interventions that target essential skills including self-regulation, working memory, attention, and auditory processing.

Responding to risk factors: family violence, mental health and substance misuse #Childhood Trauma 1220 Cl aren don B (level 5)

The Changing Role of Grandparents in Child Protection (60 min workshop) Dr Ron Frey1,2 Maree Lubach1,2 Queensland University of Technology, 2Kin Kare Queensland, 1

This workshop deals with the issues faced by grandparents as they attempt to cope with multiple demands placed on them by the needs of the child, the child protection system, their own children (both the child’s parent and that parent’s siblings), and the adjustments they must make to their current stage in life (as older persons) with its own cultural expectations. The workshop will be delivered as an extended group discussion with accompanying slides and a video of grandparents reflecting on their lives as kin carers. A literature review will be made available for participants. At the completion of this workshop, participants will: 1. be aware of the role and challenges for grandparents caring for their grandchildren; their motivations and their needs as carers in the Australian child protection system. 2. know the skills required by child protection professionals to engage and support grandparents who are care providers and the specific approaches to help them deal with common challenges. Dr Ron Frey lectures in the School of Psychology and Counselling at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane. He has been involved in the child protection field for over thirty years, and

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works on a part-time basis as a child and family therapist at the Talera Centre, a specialist service for children and their families who have been exposed to child abuse and family violence, where he has facilitated, for the past five years, a regular support group for grandparents who are also kin carers. Maree Lubach has been the co-ordinator (and cofounder) of KinKare for 11 years and grandparent representative, now President, of the Queensland Council of Grandparents (QCOGs). She is also entering her second term as a grandparent representative on the Queensland Government’s Carers Advisory Board, (QCAC).

Our Men Our Healing (30 min workshop) Steven Torres-Carne1 The Healing Foundation

Our Men Our Healing is a project that the Healing Foundation has been undertaking in three remote localities in the Northern Territory in partnership with the Office of Children and Families. The projects are assisting men to explore the nature of their healing in the context of their relationships with their families and children and utilising a codesign methodology to drive systemic change. The workshop will: • give participants an understanding of how men have been engaged in the co-design of their own healing projects and been enabled to drive and lead change in their communities in relation to domestic and family violence and child abuse • detail the impact that this has had on men in the community and the pathway to healing it has enabled • outline the learnings and challenges to date including how the Healing Foundation has used implementation science to guide and develop our processes. The workshop, with Q&A, will include representatives of the Men from the communities the project is being delivered in. Steven Torres-Carne Senior Project Officer, The Healing Foundation, Our Men Our Healing Project NT. Bardi name Djumbleboy; Yolngu name Bilij Bilij.

Descended from Jabbir Jabbir and Bardi Nation’s Dampier Peninsula Kimberley WA also Scottish, English, French, Philippino,/Spanish heritage. Worked with Northern Land Council, Social Security, North Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service, Relationships Australia NT (Family Relationship Centre), Yilli Rreung Regional Council Indigenous Youth Issues & Needs Consultancy, Miwatj Aboriginal Health Service, Yirrkala Council & School, Anglicare WA (Family Relationship Centre Broome) FRC Mediator and Facilitator of ‘Hey Dad’ Indigenous Dads, Alternative to Violence and Red Dust Healing programs, Suicide Response Team Member and Chairperson Broome Men’s Outreach Service (2 years).

Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety #Mixed 1050 -1220 Cl aren don F

Deaf Children Australia’s Safe Programme (20 min presentation) Alice Brennan1 1

Deaf Children Australia

International research has consistently highlighted that deaf and disabled children are at a substantially greater risk of being the subject of abuse. Deaf Children Australia’s ‘Safe’ programme supports the personal safety skills training of children through a ground breaking web based resource, helping teachers, social workers and psychologists give children aged seven and over the awareness, information and language to protect themselves. Alice Brennan has a Bachelor and Honours Degree in Psychology. She plans to do further post-graduate study to achieve her goal of working in prevention and promotion of youth mental wellbeing. Being profoundly deaf with two cochlear implants, Alice has a wealth of personal experience in deafness and hopes to use this to address the needs of those who are deaf or hearing impaired. Her work at Deaf Children Australia involves promotion of a web-based safety and awareness program. She also works for a mentoring program for hearing-impaired youth and is a psychology research assistant at La Trobe University.

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Children’s Wellbeing Following Parental Separation in the Context of Australian Family Law Policy (20 min presentation)

Angela Markovic: Provisional Psychologist, studying a Master in Clinical Psychology at the University of Canberra. Angela graduated with a first class honours and was also awarded the University Medal in 2012. Angela is particularly interested in working with children and endeavours to gain a greater understanding in the development of attachment and resilience.

Prof Thea Brown1, Alan Campbell2 1

Monash University, 2Anglicare WA

The paper will focus on parents and children’s views as to children’s involvement in post separation services at FRCs, the front line service for parents and children post separation. It will also focus on the use of an explicit child inclusion and child protection model in such disputes as a way of ensuring children’s wellbeing.

Dr Pamela Connor: Dr Connor is the Director of the Psychology Clinic at the University of Canberra. Prior to accepting this position, Dr Connor was employed as Director of the Psychology and Social Work Department at Calvary Healthcare ACT. She was previously employed as the Implementation Manager for the Intensive Treatment and Support Program, Disability ACT; as a Senior Psychologist for Care and Protection Services; as Senior Psychologist in the Assessment Unit of Family Services; and as a psychologist within Mental Health ACT. Dr Connor also conducts clinical practice in her own private practice.

Prof Thea Brown is a social work researcher working in the families and children post separation area. She is best known for her work on parental separation and family violence, and has published many reports, articles and two books (one co-authored with Renata Alexander and one with Becky Batagol) in this area. Alan Campbell is a psychologist researcher whose work has focused on children and their rights in family law and on family law mediation. He has published reports and articles on this topic. He is a family and children services and mediation manager having worked in this area in Victoria, SA and WA.

Retaining a sense of self while being bulldozed: Does a manualised resiliencebuilding program have any positive effects on participants’ self-esteem? (20 min presentation) Angela Markovic1, Dr Pamela Connor2 Provisional Psychologist: University of Canberra, Associate Professor / Director, Psychology Clinic: University of Canberra

A study has been developed to evaluate the effectiveness of a recently developed antibullying intervention program. Goodbye Bully is a cognitive-behavioural intervention that targets resiliency, assertiveness, self-concept, healthy friendships, coping with criticism, cyber bullying, and problem solving for school-aged bullied children. As low self-concept is a prominently harmful effect of bullying, it is a worthwhile factor to focus attention towards.

Working in the Cloud – making personal records accessible? (20 min presentation) Dr Margaret Kertesz1, Prof Cathy Humphreys1 1

University of Melbourne

Working in the Cloud project is exploring the possibilities of a digital storage space for personal documents of those in out-of-home care. Young people are working as expert consultants alongside researchers to design a ‘virtual locker’ in an easily accessible format for all users - children in care, and their workers and carers. The security of the personal information held is paramount and is a significant feature of the research. Dr Margaret Kertesz is a research fellow with the Alfred Felton Research Program at the University of Melbourne. With a background in both historical research and social work, Margaret has worked in out-of-home care services and also spent some years as a researcher in the Child and Family Welfare sector.

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Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety

Lauren Tyrell started work in the area of social policy, holding research and evaluation roles at the University of Melbourne and the Brotherhood of St Laurence. She has worked as a Senior Project Officer for MHPN since 2009, where she supports the establishment of networks of mental health professionals across the country. Lauren enjoys the opportunity to collaborate with other organisations who share similar objectives and values, to enhance each organisation’s capacity to achieve common goals.

Symposium 1050 -1220 Au di tori um

Joining the dots to promote child wellbeing and safety by connecting national initiatives (90 min symposium) Lauren Tyrell1, Bradley Morgan2, Helen Francis3, Cathie Valentine4

Bradley Morgan is Director of the Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI) national initiative. Bradley has previous experience working in the rural health sector as an occupational therapist in early childhood development and mental health prevention. Bradley has also been involved in public health research, health promotion initiatives and workforce development.

Mental Health Professionals Network, 2Children of Parents with a Mental Illness, 3Australian Centre for Child Protection, 4Anglicare Victoria Communities for Children

Collaboration: a process by which parties who see different aspects of a problem can constructively explore their differences and search for solutions that go beyond their own limited version of what is possible. (B Gray 1989). This symposium will demonstrate the benefits of strategic collaboration by sharing the journey of how four nationally funded initiatives came to join the dots and bring their collective wisdom, knowledge, and resources to support community action with a focus on vulnerable children and their families. Using the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children as the policy environment, we will explore the synergies between the Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN), Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI), the Australian Centre for Child Protection through the Protecting and Nurturing Children; Building Capacity Building Bridges initiative and the Communities for Children Program. Each speaker will outline their agency’s journey to child aware approaches, and then how collective conversations and a combined approach has extended their area of influence in communities. This Symposium will show how collaborating with other organisations who share similar goals and values across professions and sectors at both an organisational level, as well as at a local network level, enhances the capacity of each organisation to achieve the common goal of increasing child aware practice.

Helen Francis has extensive experience from working in the non-government sector, significant project and contract management knowledge as well as her grounded and practical involvement in Community Development and Community Capacity Building initiatives. Cathie Valentine manages Cardinia Communities for Children for Anglicare Victoria. She is committed to building collective responses to make a difference for vulnerable children and their families.

DSS Forum (90 minutes) Department of Social Services forum, presented by program managers 1050 -1220 Cl aren don C

1800RESPECT Jill Farrelly1 1

Department of Social Services

This presentation will discuss the expansion of 1800RESPECT – the free National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Service – to include support for frontline workers who may encounter in the line of their work, victims of sexual assault and domestic and family violence.

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Jill Farrelly is the Branch Manager of Children’s Policy and Family Safety in the Commonwealth Department of Social Services (DSS). Jill is responsible for overseeing the Commonwealth’s contribution to actions under the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020 and the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010‑2022. A key part of her role includes working in partnership with state and territory governments and civil society. She brings a depth of experience in policy and program development for vulnerable people, families and communities.

How Family Mental Health Support Services (FMHSS) were developed to focus on ‘Child at the centre’ and target an identified gap Karen Pickering1 1

Department of Social Services

This presentation will discuss the development and implementation of Family Mental Health Support Services, community based services delivering intensive, flexible and ongoing support for children, young people and their families at risk of or experiencing mental illness.

Karen Pickering is Branch Manager, Community Wellbeing and Mental Health, in the Department of Social Services. Karen has a broad range of experience working across a range of Commonwealth policy and program areas including Indigenous, women’s, housing and homelessness and communities. Karen is responsible for the Targeted Community Care Mental Health Initiative, which includes Personal Helper and Mentors, Family Mental Health Service Support and Mental Health Respite, and Carer support. Her role includes working across Government and the sector on the implementation of the 2011 Mental Health Reform Budget initiatives.

Update on the Family Support Program Eliza Strapp1 1

Department of Social Services

Update on the recontracting of services under the Australian Government’s Family Support Program, including changes to the program. Eliza Strapp is the a/g Branch Manager of the Family Support Program Branch in the Department of Social Services. The Family Support Program is an Australian Government program which funds non-government organisations across Australia to deliver services to support the wellbeing of children and families, to enable them to manage life’s transitions, ensure children are protected and contribute to stronger more resilient communities.

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C o n c u r r e n t s e ss i o n T W O

Day 1

Monday 31 March

1420-1550

Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches #Children & Young People

Supporting Staff & Managers to Identify and Respond Proactively to Abuse and Neglect in Children with Disability (20 minute presentation)

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Melanie Wall1, Meredith Fordyce1

Innovative Approaches to working with children who are homeless (30 minute workshop) Elizabeth OConnor1, Deanna Rohrsheim1, Carolina Haro1, Deborah Lockwood1 1

Relationships Australia, South Australia

The first of its kind in Australia and a finalist in the inaugural National Homelessness Achievement Awards in 2012, Together4Kids provides childfocussed professional development and training to the homelessness and domestic violence sector; assists and works in partnership with services to deliver therapeutic group work to children; and provides individual therapy and case management for children with complex needs. This workshop will showcase and demonstrate a range of simple, effective and innovative exercises from Together4Kids group programs, along with tools and training resources that every worker in the community sector can implement when working with children and families. Deanna Rohrsheim, Team Leader of Together 4 Kids (T4K) has a background in Art Therapy and Developmental Trauma as experienced by children and young people. Deanna has been instrumental in developing a child focused therapeutic service for the homlessness sector in SA.

Yooralla

This Yooralla Child Aware Initiative aims to increase staff and management confidence in their ability to identify risk factors in carers, recognise the early signs of carer stress and respond proactively to prevent abuse. The Training Module also assists with defining staff and management roles when responding to concerns of abuse, managing ongoing relationships with families following identified abuse and self-care strategies for staff. Meredith Fordyce is an Occupational Therapist who has specialised in supporting children with disabilities and their families over the last 25 years. She is currently a Group Manager, working with Yooralla Children’s Services.

Linking Research to Practice – how an agency in WA is working towards better outcomes for vulnerable families (20 minute presentation) Pauline Dixon1 1

Wanslea

Wanslea’s home based parenting services have engaged practitioners in a process of coproduction of a practice framework that linked existing practices to research evidence. This framework aims to build on practice wisdom and enable vulnerable families to receive evidence based interventions that ensure their children’s safety and wellbeing. Pauline Dixon is the Executive Manager of Family Services at Wanslea. She has 25 years experience working with vulnerable children and families. She currently manages a team that works across a range of programs including parenting, prevention of children entering care, reunification and

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support to children of parents with mental illness. She is passionate about building the capacity of professionals working with families and has recently been involved in the co-production and implementation of an evidence based practice framework for working with vulnerable families and their children.

Children in Brunei Darussalam (20 minute presentation) Amy Young1 1

We will demonstrate, using a case study, some principles for ensuring that families who are dealing with multiple restraints are not being set up to fail. We will provide discussion points, questions and tips for participants to take away and consider in their own work. Sarah Decrea is an educator/community development worker with the Indigenous Parenting Support Services. Sarah is a Torres Strait Islander woman (Sabai Island) who grew up in Port Ausgusta. Sarah has worked in early childhood both in Adelaide and Port Augusta.

Griffith University

This paper examines possible strategies for promoting culturally appropriate child and family wellbeing and safety in the Muslim-majority nation of Brunei Darussalam. It evaluates the strengths of practices already in place and provides an overview of the everyday realities experienced by children in Brunei. Tentative conclusions can then be drawn on how suitable these approaches may be in other contexts such as within recent migrant communities in Australia. Amy Young is currently completing her PhD research at Griffith University. Her topic is child protection in Brunei Darussalam.

Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety #Mixed 1420 -1550 Cl aren don D

Parenting Skills for Stormy Times (30 minute workshop) Sarah Decrea1 1

multiple providers. Participants will learn how to facilitate successful reunification/access meetings for parents and their children in an environment of complex and competing needs.

Relationships Australia

As a non-government organisation, it is important that Relationships Australia South Australia provides a safe healing space for Aboriginal parents; a non-judgmental and non-blaming space where parents can talk about what has happened and a space where they can share their struggles with other parents who have the same lived experiences. This workshop will demonstrate best practice principles and creative ways to support vulnerable people when working with

The Common Approach for Communities Working With Families (30 minute workshop) Amarylise Bessey1, Katrina Bester2 The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, 2Anglicare Tasmania Inc 1

The Common Approach to Assessment, Referral and Support, developed by ARACY, skills practitioners in first contact with families to better engage with, identify strengths and needs, and link families with the supports they need before problems escalate into crises. This presentation details the implementation of The Common Approach in a Communities for Children setting in northern Tasmania, facilitated by Anglicare Tasmania, including the steps required to establish support among service providers, identify potential barriers and facilitators to successful implementation, training and support. This workshop format will allow for discussion of the benefits of The Common Approach for different settings and organisations, and unpacking of the intricacies of the implementation. Amarylise Bessey is a Senior Research Manager with ARACY, where she has led the formative evaluation of the Common Approach and its implementation in FMHSS and in other agencies. Amarylise’s particular areas of expertise are in conducting research with children and families, and in communications research.

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Katrina Bester is employed by Anglicare Tasmania in the ‘Communities for Children’ Program as an Advanced Skills Worker. Katrina has Masters of Social Work and Bachelor of Education and Social Work degrees. Katrina is passionate about equality for all and working toward assisting all people to achieve their full potential.

More than just words: New approaches to children’s participation (30 minute workshop) Dr Tim Moore1, Prof Morag McArthur1 1

Australian Catholic University

There is a strong view that to be child aware, practitioners must provide multiple openings and opportunities for children’s views to be heard and acted upon. This workshop will take a theoretical view of children’s participation, providing participants with a strong rationale and a framework for identifying ways that children’s views and wishes might best be elicited, understood and taken into account when providing services within child, youth and family support programs. The benefits for individual children, families, workers and organisations will be explored by the group as will some of the challenges of implementing participatory approaches. The workshop will include group discussion and activities. Delegates will gain an understanding of the international literature and findings from research conducted by the Institute of Child Protection Studies. Prof Morag McArthur is the founding Director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies at Australian Catholic University. Her research expertise include issues facing vulnerable children, young people and families including homelessness, substance abuse, implementation of social policy and early intervention approaches using innovative and participatory methodologies. Dr Tim Moore joined ICPS in 2005 after working in the community sector and has since conducted projects engaging children, young people and families on a number of sensitive issues using participatory research. Tim developed the Kids Central toolkit and training package to help workers develop their child-centred practice.

Responding to risk factors: family violence, mental health and substance misuse #Mixed 1420 -1550 Cl aren don F

Young People Transitioning from Out-ofHome Care in Victoria: Strengthening Support Services for Dual Clients of Child Protection and Youth Justice (20 minute presentation) A/Prof Philip Mendes1, A/Prof Pamela Snow2, Susan Baidawi 1 Social Inclusion and Social Policy Research Unit, Department of Social Work, Monash University 2 School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Faculty of Nursing, Medicine and Health Science 1

A significant proportion of young people leaving out of home care also experience involvement with the Youth Justice system, exposing them to further risks and reducing their likelihood of full social and economic engagement in mainstream society. However, little is known about the experiences of this client group as they transition from care. This presentation reviews the findings of a research project based on a partnership between Monash University and seven nongovernment child and youth welfare agencies in Victoria which point to areas for policy reform and improved interventions, with a view to achieving improved outcomes for this high risk group. A/Prof Philip Mendes is the Director of the Social Inclusion and Social Policy Research Unit at Monash University. He has been engaged leaving care research for the past 13 years. A/Prof Pamela Snow is located at the Bendigo Regional Clinical School. She is both a psychologist and speech pathologist and her research interests cover various aspects of risk in childhood and adolescence.

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Open adoption for children and babies from care (20 minute presentation)

Michael White is the Senior Project Manager - Workforce Development at NCETA. Michael has more than 20 years of experience in the community sector with a focus on workforce development and learning. Michael’s current work includes a focus on the intersection between alcohol and other drugs and the wider welfare system with an emphasis on engaging with child welfare, domestic violence and family support services. Michael’s previous roles include: Workforce Development Leader, Australian Centre for Child Protection; Executive Director of Victoria’s Community Services and Health Industry Training Board; and, Learning and Development Director at the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare in Victoria.

Dr Susan Tregeagle1, Lynne Moggach1, Elizabeth Cox1, Louise Voigt1 1

Barnardos Australia

This paper considers the rights of non-Indigenous children who are otherwise caught in an inadequate foster care system and destined for a life where they never really ‘belong’ to a family. There is a new form of adoption that is ‘open’ and ensures ongoing contact between a child and their birth parents. We will present findings of a study on ten years practice of open adoption involving 65 children. Dr Susan Tregeagle has been Program Services Senior Manager at Barnardos Australia for the last twenty years. She is a social worker with a PhD in Social Administration. Susan has published extensively on permanency planning, case management, costing of services, service user participation, and, information and communication technology in child welfare.

Enhancing inter-sectoral practice between alcohol and other drug services and the child and family welfare sector (20 minute presentation) Michael White1 1 National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, Flinders University

This presentation will explore the opportunities and challenges that arise when the alcohol and other drug sector seeks to work collaboratively with a range of other services to deliver ‘child and family sensitive’ services. The presentation will highlight some of the resources that have been developed to support child and family sensitive practice and discuss the process involved in co-developing resources across sectors with different philosophical orientations, values and perspectives.

How do Mothers with Mental Illness plan the Care of their Children when Facing Imprisonment? (20 minute presentation) Alannah Burgess1 1

Monash University, Department of Social Work

As part of a multi-state study examining how primary carers plan the care for their children when they are arrested, sentenced and imprisoned, mothers with a mental illness imprisoned within Victoria were interviewed. Complementary data was gathered from professionals from Forensicare, Victoria’s forensic mental health service. The results indicated that a range of personal and systemic factors influence the mothers’ ability to transverse multiple adult focused systems in order to plan the care of their children at the three crucial time-points of arrest, sentencing and imprisonment. Alannah Burgess is a PhD candidate at Monash University’s Department of Social Work who is looking at how imprisoned mothers with a mental illness plan the care of their children when facing imprisonment. Furthermore, she currently works as a research assistant for the Department of Social Work, Monash University.

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Integrating service delivery to families and children, including place-based solutions

Alternative realities: comparing the views of prisoners, their families and professionals on meeting children’s needs (20 minute presentation)

#Children & Young People

Dr Catherine Flynn1, Tess Bartlett1, Paula Fernandez1, Dr Anna Eriksson1, Dr Kay McAuley1

1420 -1550 Cl aren don E

Integration in Action: A Case Study (30 minute workshop) Lynn Farrell1 The Infants’ Home

This presentation will share knowledge learnt and the journey of working from an interdisciplinary model of service provision when working with a family with complex support needs. It will be presented from the perspectives and voices of the child, their family, the case worker and the key worker. It will also overview learnings from external agencies.

This paper reports on an ARC funded study being conducted in Victoria and NSW, which examines how children are responded to when their primary carer is facing prison, with a specific focus on care arrangements. Drawing on data gathered from around 120 incarcerated parents, carers and children, as well as 113 expert practitioners, this paper compares the needs for service delivery as identified by professional stakeholders and families. Dr Catherine Flynn, Dr Anna Eriksson and Kay McAuley are Senior Lecturers at Monash University, from Social Work, Criminology and Nursing and Midwifery respectively, who are examining the care needs of children of prisoners in Victoria and New South Wales as part of an ARC Linkage grant.

Some of the key elements when working from an interdisciplinary perspective include strong leadership, collaborative partnerships, shared goals, professional identity and transparency. These will be explored as they emerged from real life meaningful practice. The importance of evaluating and reviewing processes and practices with a critical eye will complete the picture and provide participants with an opportunity to critically reflect and engage in dialogue with peers. Lynn Farrell is the Integrated Services Manager at The Infants’ Home Ashfield. TIH employs early childhood teachers and allied health professionals who work within an interdisciplinary model to provide high quality services for children and families with complex support needs. Lynn has a strong commitment to children’s rights and social justice which informs her practice and leadership.

Monash University

Paula Fernandez and Tess Bartlett are Research Associates on this grant.

A hidden group of kinship care families? Young kinship carers (20 minute presentation) Meredith Kiraly 1, 2 University of Melbourne Department of Social Work (Health Sciences), 2Meredith Kiraly Consulting 1

Previous Australian research on young carers of vulnerable adults has identified disadvantages relating to income, education, employment and social support. This presentation will describe a new research project that will explore the incidence and characteristics of young kinship carers in Australia. The findings may allow for advocacy for a hidden group of young carers and children. Meredith Kiraly is a psychologist with over thirty years experience in child and family welfare. Her numerous research projects have focussed largely on vulnerable families and children. She has

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presented at local and international conferences on topics in child welfare. She is currently working on several kinship care research projects.

Focus on the child: Supporting Children after Separation Program (20 minute presentation) Hoda Nahal1, Nicole Artico1 1

FMC Mediation and Counselling

The FMC Mediation and Counselling Victoria Supporting Children After Separation Program is a strengths-based counselling model that incorporates a psycho-educational component in helping children better understand and manage their feelings; develop healthier relationships with their parents and significant others; and equip them with coping skills which in turn build their level of resilience, confidence and self-esteem. Hoda Nahal has been practising in the field of child counselling for over 20 years. In that time she has specialised and refined her skill and expertise in the area of separation and conflict and their impact on child and adolescent development and their wellbeing. Hoda has a strong commitment to service delivery enhancement and the importance of collaborative practice across the service sector to enhance earlier invention responses and improved outcomes for vulnerable children and families. Hoda has worked at Family Mediation and Counselling for over five years.

workshop supports the principles of the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children. We will share how Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners can engage with clients in a ‘child informed’ experience within a legislative and family law context, and with this clarity of purpose in dispute resolution, create a developmentally therapeutic and solutions focussed environment during the crisis. Our workshop will focus on evidencing the premise that parenting disputes cannot be ‘resolved’ pragmatically and provide a safe and secure parenting base for children. Joanne Trentin currently works as the Senior Practice Advisor - Child and Family Wellbeing Family Law Services. Joanne has previously been the Manager and Senior Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner for an FRC in Queensland. Joanne has qualifications in Law and Social Science. Norma Williams is a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and Manager of FRC Logan, Brisbane. Norma has a background spanning over 30 years in social science with a focus on child and human development; conflict resolution; and education and training. Norma’s work as manager and practitioner has a focus on staff professional development.

Child Aware Approaches - recognising and implementing child aware principles and practice (60 minute workshop)

Promoting child and family well‑being and safety

Rhys Price-Robertson1, Cathryn Hunter1

#Child Aware

UnitingCare Community

The Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) was commissioned by the Department of Social Services to produce a paper outlining some of the key principles of Child Aware Approaches National Initiative and to showcase best practice examples. The main purpose of this paper was to make the application of Child Aware Approaches practical for service managers and practitioners working in the human services, and in particular those working in adult-focused service sectors.

In this interactive workshop we will focus on how child-focussed practice in a family law context can support and assist children and their parents affected by long-term high conflict and attachment trauma post-separation. This

In this session, the key components of the AIFS paper will be outlined. This will be followed by an interactive discussion and small group activities, where participants will have the opportunity to reflect on how Child Aware principles and

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Strengthening Children’s Voices: Strategies in Engaging Parents in Child Focused Thinking (30 minute workshop) Joanne Trentin1, Norma Williams1 1

Australian Institute of Family Studies

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practices may apply to their own settings. The key learning outcomes for participants will be the identification of how Child Aware principles and practices can be applied at the local level (e.g., in their own sector or workplace). It is hoped that the information generated in this session can contribute to future Child Aware initiatives. Rhys Price-Robertson joined the Institute in 2009. His areas of interest include family relationships and child protection. As well as experience in research and information exchange, he has worked as a nurse in the aged care and mental health sectors, and as an intern in the Ethics and Health Department of the World Health Organization in Geneva. Cathryn Hunter joined the Institute in 2010. She is a research officer in the Child Family Community Australia (CFCA) information exchange researching across the areas of family relationships, parenting and child protection. She is also involved in several program evaluations related to couple relationships and parenting.

Building community engagement with Child aware Initiatives #Symposium 1420 -1550 Au di tori um

HEAR ME Children and Young People Inclusive Practices in Services – The ‘How’ (90 minute symposium) Dr Sarah Leach1, 2, Dina Dasic1, Shona Evans3 Glastonbury Community Services, Deputy Director Barwon Health Board, 3 Youth Representative

Hear Me

Dr Sarah Leach The Voice of the Child project advocates for the vulnerable children and young people in our community by promoting their participation and input in community services and the broader community as a whole. This gives young people a positive sense of self-worth and integrity and a feeling they are a worthwhile and valued person. The project implementation involves an Inter-agency reference group, informed by ideas from a Youth Advisory Group. This project

is designed to empower young people and result in meaningful participation for them, as well as help organisations and service providers improve their service provision according to the youth’s recommendations. Dr Sarah Leach is responsible for overseeing the strategic and service development opportunities for Glastonbury. This senior leadership position is part of Glastonbury’s Executive Management team, with a focus on leading and developing research and innovation, growth, advocacy projects, service quality, the volunteer and community relations program and engagement with stakeholders.

Youth participation – The ‘How’ Dina Dasic

This presentation is a practical guide on how to engage children and young people. It will explore some of the strategies used to engage young people and will look at youth inclusive practices more broadly and explore the various ways children and young people can be involved in decision making. Topics covered include organisational and professional commitment to youth participation, skills development of both staff and young people and the underlying belief that youth participation will result in better outcomes. Dina Dasic is the Voice of the Child project worker at Glastonbury Community Services. She has a background in International Relations and Project Management with an interest in human rights. Originally from Serbia, and briefly living in the US, Dina has worked with UNICEF and other organisations advocating for children’s rights.

Practical implications of youth participation Shona Evans

This presentation will explore the positive outcomes youth engagement and participation can have on young people and their outcomes and prospects in life. It will explore the hows of participation, providing practical examples of both positive and negative practice. It will also look at the perception issue of young people in an adult centered world, the ways these perceptions impact the dynamic between adults and young people, as well as how this impacts young people’s willingness to participate.

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Shona Evans went through the community service sector in her teenage years, which spurred her passion for helping others, especially young people, and advocating for their rights. Shona works as a Residential Care Worker and is passionate to make a positive change for young people in care through participation and engagement.

Integrating service delivery to families and children, including place-based solutions #Workshop 1420 -1550 Cl aren don A (le vel 5)

The Parental Regard Project: Integrating a Relational Approach into PostSeparation Family Dispute Resolution (30Â minuteÂ workshop) Amelia Wheeler1, Bill Hewlett1 1

Relationships Australia New South Wales

This workshop will report on the Parental Regard Pilot Project, conducted at the Blacktown Family Relationship Centre between 2011 and 2013. Amelia Wheeler will present rich qualitative accounts from research conducted with clients and practitioners, including a reflection on

outcomes for children, and a discussion of the theoretical frameworks underpinning the Parental Regard model. Bill Hewlett will provide a unique and engaging presentation of the Parental Regard model through the use of role play with actors. An interactive dialogue between presenters, participants and actors will form a core part of the workshop. Participants will gain an understanding of how relational, client-centred models of practice can inform work with post-separation clients and an understanding of the importance of, and techniques to assist with, client engagement and rapport-building. Amelia Wheeler is a PhD Candidate (Social Work) at UNSW. Amelia completed her Bachelor of Social Work (Honours Cl. 1, University Medal) and has worked in various clinical roles with children and families. Amelia has taught in social policy and socio-legal courses in the Undergraduate Social Work program at UNSW. Bill Hewlett currently works as a trainer and supervisor in Family Dispute Resolution with Relationships Australia. He has extensive experience in child inclusive mediation, having practised as a child consultant for nine years. Bill provides training and supervision for Family Relationship Centres, Family Relationship Service providers and Child Protection agencies.

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C o n c u r r e n t s e ss i o n THREE

Day 2 Tuesday 1 April

1030-1200

Building community engagement with Child Aware initiatives #Organisational 1030 -120 0 Cl aren don A (le vel 5)

Kid’s Stuff – Collaborative work between an NGO/NFP Agency and School(s) in Rural Victoria (30 minute workshop) Lisa-Maree Stevens1, Peta Duncan2 1 Mallee Family Care, 2Mildura West Primary School Primary Welfare Officer

The key message from this presentation will be how community engagement can work between NGOs and schools through outreach delivery of Kids Stuff groups – fun interactive 6 week groups for primary aged children, who move between two homes due to parental separation. Participant’s attending this interactive workshop will: • walk away with ideas on how to approach and engage with schools • hear ‘what it’s like for children moving between two homes and still do school work • be walked through the program from intake/ assessment, the 6 week session topics, feedback and evaluations received • hear of those reciprocal bonuses of the program from the perspectives of teachers and counselling staff. Lisa-Maree Stevens is a Social Worker with 20 years experience and background in counselling, in the last ten years has worked to support parents who are separated/divorced in either a counselling role or as a family dispute resolution practitioner (mediator), now in a General Manager role with the Community Services Directorate of Mallee Family Care in Mildura. All through this time Lisa-Maree has worked with a child focused practice approach and in 2013 due to a small local council community grant was able

to deliver groups to children who move between their parents’ homes due to parental separation in local primary schools. Peta Duncan completed her Bachelor of Social Work at the University of South Australia in 2011. Peta has a passion for rural social work and examined through her honours thesis farm women’s experiences of accessing the internet for businesses and educational purposes in the South West Corner of New South Wales. After graduating Peta began working in a primary school in the role of the Primary Welfare Officer and has just finished her second year with Mildura West Primary School. Peta met Lisa-Maree from Mallee Family Care in early 2013 and collaboratively ran two successful groups with students at school.

Volunteer Family Connect: A bestpractice model of volunteer home visiting services to support vulnerable families (30 minute workshop) Dr Rebekah Grace1, Heather Smith2, Yvonne McCann3, Saul Flaxman4, Jaimie Tredoux1, A/Prof Lynn Kemp1 1 University of New South Wales, 2Good Beginnings Australia, 3Karitane, 4The Benevolent Society

The Benevolent Society, Good Beginnings Australia and Karitane are three of the leading providers of volunteer family support services on the east coast of Australia. These organisations have come together to form a collaboration with researchers from the University of NSW to develop and trial a best-practice model of volunteer home visiting: the Volunteer Family Connect (VFC) model. This main aim of this workshop is to provide an overview and opportunity to discuss the VFC bestpractice model, including the processes involved in establishing high quality implementation across three different organisations. Some preliminary pilot study results will be presented. This research makes an important contribution to the national and international evidence base, providing a foundation for improved policy and practice to support vulnerable families.

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Dr Rebekah Grace is a Senior Research Fellow and Program Manager for Research with Children and Young People in the Centre for Health Equity Training Research and Evaluation (CHETRE) at the University of NSW. Her primary research focus is on vulnerable children and families and their support needs.

A partnership approach to developing Child Safe Organisations: A case study in continuous improvement (30 minute workshop) Melinda Crole1, Janise Mitchell2 YMCA Australia, 2Australian Childhood Foundation

A range of factors within organisations can increase the risk of abuse and exploitation of children. The YMCA embarked on a partnership in 2006 with the Australian Childhood Foundation in regards to the Safeguarding Children Program – a voluntary accreditation scheme that facilitates organisations to become compliant with seven key child protection standards. A number of examples of the key issues and challenges in implementing child safe policies across a national multi-member organisation will be presented and analysed with the group. Participants will learn about how this partnership operates in reality. Melinda Crole currently holds the position of National Executive Manager, Member Development and Licensing for YMCA Australia. She has had over 10 years experience in senior management for YMCA and career experience in children’s services and programs, childcare and compliance development. Janise Mitchell is a social worker and Deputy CEO at the Australian Childhood Foundation. She has experience in child protection, high risk adolescents, public policy analysis, program development and evaluation. She has a Masters degree examining the policy and practice underpinning therapeutic care initiatives in Australia. Janise is also an Adjunct Research Fellow with Monash University.

Responding to risk factors: family violence, mental health and substance misuse #Resource 1030 -120 0 Cl aren don D

Keeping Kids Central: an interactive workshop (30 minute workshop) Dr Tim Moore1, Prof Morag McArthur1 1

Australian Catholic University

Although there is general agreement that services should be child aware, there is often little guidance as to how to appropriately and effectively support children’s participation in practice. This interactive workshop will provide participants with a series of tools and strategies for working in child-centred ways and in listening, hearing and acting on what children say and need. Participants will have an opportunity to reflect on their current practice, to identify openings for new ways of working and in helping children engage in program planning and development. Participants will also have an opportunity to try out some of the tools developed by the Institute of Child Protection Studies at the Australian Catholic University in its Kids Central toolkit. Prof Morag McArthur is the founding Director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies at Australian Catholic University. Her research expertise include issues facing vulnerable children, young people and families including homelessness, substance abuse, implementation of social policy and early intervention approaches using innovative and participatory methodologies. Dr Tim Moore joined ICPS in 2005 after working in the community sector and has since conducted projects engaging children, young people and families on a number of sensitive issues using participatory research. Tim developed the Kids Central toolkit and training package to help workers develop their child-centred practice..

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Newpin: supporting the parent child dyad, through addressing parental trauma (30 minute workshop) Liz Sanders1 1

UnitingCare Burnside

The majority of families that attend secondary and tertiary child protection services come with entrenched and complex issues, resulting from intergenerational childhood trauma. In order to promote the safety and wellbeing of the children, it is essential to provide an opportunity for parents to heal their inner child and to meet the emotional milestones that they missed out on in their early years. This workshop will commence with a presentation on the work of the Newpin program and will outline some of the key interventions. The Newpin model is underpinned by attachment theory and trauma informed practice. Families attending the program are either working towards the reunification of their children from the care system or they are at imminent risk of their children being taken into care. Workshop participants will explore, in small groups, ways in which they can enhance the healing opportunities for children and parents within their particular work settings. Liz Sanders has a background in Family Therapy and Social Work. Liz has spent the past twentyfive years working with families in a variety of government and non government settings. In 2005 Liz moved from the UK to Australia to manage the UnitingCare Burnside Newpin program.

My Kids and Me: Building capacity in the parents of at risk children (30 minute workshop) Angharad Candlin1, Christine Gibson2 CatholicCare Sydney, 2Centre for Child Protection, Hawke Research Institute Uni of South Australia

This workshop will commence with a presentation on the work of the Newpin program and will outline some of the key interventions. The Newpin model is underpinned by attachment theory and trauma informed practice. Families attending the program are either working towards the reunification of their children from the care system or they are at imminent risk of their children being taken into care. Workshop participants will explore, in small groups, ways in which they can enhance the healing opportunities for children and parents within their particular work settings. Angharad Candlin is a Psychologist with over 20 years experience working with families. Currently, she is the Co-Ordinator of Parent Education with CatholicCare Sydney and an Adjunct Supervisor with Macquarie University’s Psychology Department. Prior to her current role she worked in the area of Adoption for 15 years; initially as a caseworker and then as the Principal Officer of Centacare Adoption Services NSW followed by Manager of the NSW Post Adoption Resource Centre. Angharad has researched, designed and written a number of parenting courses and regularly facilitates groups for parents and training for professionals. Christine Gibson BSW, MPS is the Community Research Liaison Coordinator for the Australian Centre for Child Protection, a national research centre based at the University of South Australia. Christine has led many diverse evaluation and other projects including many with a focus on services to children. Before moving to Adelaide in 2007 she was the Manager of Research and Quality Assurance for UnitingCare Burnside, a large children’s welfare agency in NSW. Christine was Partner Investigator on an ARC-funded project The Needs of Children in Out of Home Care. Earlier she had worked for community legal centres before applying her accumulated experience to teach in the School of Social Work at UNSW.

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Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches #Organisational 1030 -120 0 Cl aren don C

Collaborative conversations shaping child and family sensitive practice across a large diverse service organisation (20 minute presentation) Jennifer Evans1, Jody Sachs1, Donna Shkalla1 1

Australian Red Cross

Australian Red Cross identified that a child and family sensitive practice strategy would best facilitate the organisation to maximise its reach to children who may be experiencing challenging situations. Red Cross sought guidance from the Australian Centre for Child Protection in shaping the approach and to conduct a pilot workshop. This paper will report on the path travelled so far, identify challenges and enablers and next steps. Jennifer Evans National Coordinator Families Children & Food Security Australian Red Cross, has extensive experience in leading service innovation and organisational change across the health, community, disability and child and family services sectors within a community and client focused capacity building framework. Jody Sachs has worked in human services for the past 20 years in roles ranging from field work to executive management. With qualifications in education, community services, training and management she has focussed her career in the disability and homelessness sectors. Presently Jody works with the Australian Red Cross leading homelessness prevention programs in South Australia.

Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure! Personal safety education protecting against child sexual assault (20 minute presentation) Sharon Stewart1 1

Bravehearts Inc

Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure! Education Program (DKSA) has been developed by Bravehearts Inc as an important developmentally-appropriate child sexual assault prevention strategy. It is delivered to children from pre-school to Grade 3 and is based on protective behaviour programs. This paper will present an overview, sharing knowledge, experience and strategies to protect children from sexual harm. Sharon Stewart worked as a teacher in both state and independent primary schools and worked in various roles in the community service sector prior to joining Bravehearts in 2013. With a Bachelor of Education (Primary) and a Diploma in Community Service Co-ordination, Sharon is the National Education Program Manager for Bravehearts. Sharon is passionate about nurturing and empowering children through early intervention programs that educate them with personal safety skills to help them stay safe and ultimately reduce the incidence of child sexual assault.

Collaborative Practice: Innovative Child Focused Family Dispute Resolution (20 minute presentation) Dr Amanda Shea Hart1,2,3 International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP), 2Australian Association of Social Workers (Accredited Mental Health Practitioner), 3IACP Australia and South East Asia Collaborative Committee 1

Multidisciplinary Collaborative Practice poses a lot of challenges, particularly in cases of domestic violence. The multidisciplinary Collaborative team provides an innovative and influential approach to help avoid decision making over post separation parenting arrangements that gamble with the child’s future safety and wellbeing. This model supports Australia’s national framework that child protection is everyone’s responsibility and that cross disciplinary collaboration is beneficial in addressing clients’ needs and in reducing risks to the child.

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Dr Amanda Shea Hart is an accredited mental health clinician, mediator, and Collaborative Practitioner who specializes in family disputes in cases of violence and abuse. She introduced child inclusive family dispute resolution to Australia. Her Doctoral research was in children’s best interests in family law in cases of family violence.

How do we know we are making a difference? (20 minute presentation) Tomasz Sitek1, Cherie Nay1, Lucy Corrigan1 The Benevolent Society

To answer the question, “Are we making a difference?” the Benevolent Society set out to develop a child and family outcomes measurement framework. This presentation will discuss the organisation’s journey to create and embed an outcomes framework across a range of child and family programs. It will discuss preliminary evaluation results and some of the lessons learnt in measuring an outcomes framework across a large, diverse organisation. Tomasz Sitek is a Research and Evaluation Officer at the Benevolent Society. He is involved in a number of evaluations across the social service sector, including evaluations of programs delivering home and community care as well as place based early intervention. He has recently been heavily involved in developing an organisation wide outcomes measurement framework, working across evaluation, IT, and practitioner teams.

Integrating service delivery to families and children, including place-based solutions #Play 1030 -120 0 Cl aren don B (level 5)

PLAY. A strength based, individual, holistic parent child interaction program for vulnerable families (30 minute workshop) Debbie Maddocks1, Beth Kershaw1 1

Glastonbury Community Services

Glastonbury’s Early Years PLAY Program provides parents with children 0-6 the support needed in enhancing their child’s development through play. We focus on parental engagement, attachment and building parent capacity, knowledge and self-esteem. The child centred, strength based PLAY program is delivered within the home so parents can generalise skills learnt in their natural environment. The program has been built from research and evidence collected from over 10 years of delivering Glastonbury community programs. We recognise that all parents are their child’s first and main educator. But at some point some parent’s capacity can be impacted by various factors such as mental health, isolation, substance abuse or themselves having had poor parenting modelled to them as a child. This workshop will look at how the PLAY program evaluated and adapted a strengths based, family focused method of delivery and to review some of the outcomes attained. Debbie Maddocks started teaching at a young person psychiatric unit before joining Manchester’s Sure Start Team, home visiting some of England’s most vulnerable families. She left England in 2011 and joined the Early Years Team at Glastonbury. Debbie strongly advocates that every child has the right to a positive childhood. Beth Kershaw’s background is in teaching and social work, working with vulnerable families and their children. Beth has worked in the Early Years Team at Glastonbury for 10 years, developing, delivering and evaluating the PLAY program. Beth is passionate about social justice and the impact of trauma on child development.

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Play Across the Generations (20 minute presentation)

Dr Kym Macfarlane has experience as an early childhood teacher and in higher education in the field of Human Services and Child and Family Studies. Her research and publication work covers a wide range of topics related to the disciplines of human services and education and she demonstrates a strong understanding of practice related issues in these disciplines. Dr Macfarlane’s PhD research entitled “An analysis of parent engagement in schooling in contemporary Queensland” has stretched her research into philosophical and sociological perspectives on education and particularly relates to the notion of community engagement in schooling and the issues for parents that result from this engagement in the current context. This work compliments her early childhood education and care knowledge and enables her to deliver teaching and research that is underpinned by multiple knowledge bases.

Anne McLeish OAM1 1

Grandparents Australia/Victoria

Grandparents Australia conducted a survey of grandparents, drawn from various walks of life. They were asked to share their views on the changing nature of play over three generations. This paper will draw on the results of this survey and will describe some of the grandparent’s fondest memories of play. It is hoped raising the debate about children’s play from a cross generation perspective will bring a new dimension to the discussion. Anne McLeish OAM, holds a number of positions in organisations established specifically to promote the role and views of grandparents. These include Director of Grandparents Australia/Victoria, and of Kinship Carers Victoria. Anne is also a Board member of Families Australia. Anne’s work focuses on issues concerning all grandparents. One of the issues of interest to grandparents is the nature of children’s play. Much of Anne’s work relates to the needs of grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. In 2013 Anne initiated the formation of an international network of long experienced academics and practitioners for five countries committed to working together to highlight the work of grandparent kinship carers.

Intervening early through Play: Building understanding and capacity between parents and children (20 minute presentation) Dr Kym Macfarlane1, Chris Maher2 1

Griffith University, 2The Salvation Army

Play can be used as a soft entry, early intervention and prevention activity that assists families to build and strengthen interactions, attachments and relationships. This paper explores the notion of ‘authentic play experiences’ and investigates how such experiences might be implemented and used to build relationships between parents and children.

Building Animal Relationships with Kids (BARK) (20 minute presentation) Kedy Kristal1 1

Patricia Giles Centre

BARK is an animal assisted therapeutic group program for children affected by family violence. The program promotes empathy, healing and trust in primary aged children who have experienced family violence and who have lost a pet due to adult violence, leaving their home or hurting animals themselves due to their exposure to family violence. The program is facilitated by a children’s counsellor, child support worker and animal educator from the RSPCA. Kedy Kristal has been working to support women and children to escape domestic violence since 1983. She joined the Patricia Giles Centre in 1992. Over the last 21 years the Patricia Giles Centre has grown into a specialist Domestic and Family Centre providing high quality and innovative services to women and children.

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Promoting child and family well‑being and safety

a practical focus in offering insights and advice to those working in frontline care and protection processes with Aboriginal children and families.

#Complex Needs

Leila Plush is a Kaurna and Narrunga woman and the Cultural Consultant for Aboriginal Family Support Services.

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You want a bit of everyone when you are growing up: Involving children and young people to link up services (20 minute presentation) Dr Karleen Gwinner1, Angela Jegou2 1

Child and Youth Research Centre QUT (CYRC), NAPCAN Play a Part (PaP)

NAPCAN’s Play a Part program is unique as a prevention program in the way that it engages children and young people to have a voice and to be heard to address the complex problems of child abuse and neglect. This presentation will provide delegates with knowledge of both formal and informal practices that facilitate and monitor child-led, rights-based notions of participation in the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Play a Part is a program advancing child abuse and neglect preventative strategies. In 2013, Dr Gwinner (CYRC) undertook an evaluationresearch to establish evidence of the program’s positive influence for families, young people and children and evaluate how the program assists communities to action and sustain child friendly activities.

Interpretations of meaning: the “white welfare” voice and Aboriginal child, family and Community voices in the official dialogue of cultural consultancy (20 minute presentation) Anne Nicolaou1, Leila Plush1 1

Aboriginal Family Support Services

This presentation will explore some of the commonly expressed “white welfare” representations of Aboriginal children and families that continue to dominate and define the care and protection dialogue, and deconstruct this voice to the underlying themes about power, influence, and recognition of the experiences and needs of Aboriginal people. The presentation has

Anne Nicolaou is Leila’s manager, who prior to moving to AFSS, worked in statutory child protection for many years.

Beyond the rhetoric: how do we learn to really include children in health service planning and delivery? (20 minute presentation) Dr Sue Packer AM1 1

Families Australia Board / NAPCAN

As a nation we are not skilled in hearing children’s voices. Is it important for health service delivery? I have worked for the last 20 years in a health service for children and teenagers where there are concerns about abuse and neglect. I will discuss my learnings from my experiences designing this service and maintaining and developing the services and facilities from the perspective of children. I will explore possibilities for including children more effectively. Dr Sue Packer AM has been a paediatrician since 1972 and worked as a Community Paediatrician with a special interest in child abuse and abuse prevention since 1990. Sue works at the Child at Risk Health Unit, ACT, where her role regularly includes assessing children for concerns of abuse and neglect. Sue was awarded the Order of Australia for services to Paediatrics, Child Protection and the Community, in 1999.

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Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety • Workshop

Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches • Symposium

1030 -120 0 Cl aren don F

1030 -120 0 Au di torium

Talk Less Listen More parenting e-course for Gen X and Gen Y parents (90 minute interactive workshop) Michael Hawton1

Protection and Rights: How child protection systems can work to enact rights and responsibilities (20 minute presentation)

Parentshop

Practice First - two years on

Talk Less Listen More (TLLM) – solutions for children’s difficult behaviour is a book, first published in July 2013 that provides parents with strategies to discipline their children more calmly. The book has been recently transformed into a standard course and a partly-completed Indigenous e-course. Designed by a trained school teacher and psychologist, the online course is taught by way of 15 short-duration video clips (on average between 4-15 minutes long per episode).

Kate Alexander1

This workshop will give participants an understanding of the TLLM e-course objectives and how to help parents handle their children’s misbehaviour calmly; the chance to complete two exercises (that are completed by parents doing the e-course); and a demonstration of how the e-course can be adapted to Indigenous parents. Michael Hawton is a psychologist and teacher with over 25 years experience working with children and families. In July, 2013 he published his first book Talk Less Listen More - solutions for children’s difficult behaviour. He has worked as an expert witness in the Family Court and as a report writer in the NSW Children’s Court.

1 NSW Department of Family and Community Services

‘Practice First’ is a NSW model for child protection and out of home care service delivery aimed to get our people out the door and into families’ homes, working as agents of change and using relationship-based practice. The presentation will focus on the essential components and key messages when changing a practice culture; capturing the hearts and minds of the workforce; engaging senior staff, the broader regulatory community including non-government organisations and families. Kate Alexander currently works in the position of Executive Director, Office of the Senior Practitioner for Community Services, NSW Department of Family and Community Services. Kate has a Masters of Social Work (Family Therapy) and has worked in the Child protection field for more than 20 years in a variety of roles including therapeutic, casework and management. In 2010 Kate was awarded a Churchill Fellowship and travelled to the UK, Norway and America researching child protection systems with a focus on the skill set of the frontline work force. The Practice First model was designed by Kate and based on this research.

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Upholding rights and protection (20 minute presentation) Valerie Braithwaite1, Sharynne Hamilton1 1

Australian National University

Child protection authorities in Australia work under enormous pressures to evaluate claims of abuse and neglect and put in place measures to protect children. At the same time, their working relationships with families and partner agencies to contribute constructively to finding solutions for children are poor. The authors identify key aspects and principles in restorative justice and regulatory theories, which can assist with system responsiveness and present a solution for effecting practical, multilevel system change. Valerie Braithwaite is a professor in the Regulatory Institutions Network, ANU. Her work focuses on the interplay between regulators and regulatees, the governing and the governed, asking the questions: What sort of institutional practices generate defiance and disrespect? What role does social capital play in regulatory effectiveness and failure? She has authored Defiance in Taxation and Governance: Resisting and Dismissing Authority in a Democracy (2009) in which she argues that successfully managing relationships is central to effective regulatory practice. She is currently working on child protection regulation and human rights with Sharynne Hamilton, Mary Ivec and Nathan Harris. Sharynne Hamilton is a Ngunnawal woman, and Research Assistant who works at the Regulatory Institutions Network at the ANU on the Community Capacity Building in Child Protection project, Ms Hamilton has many years’ experience in family inclusion in child protection practice, is a founding member of the Family Inclusion Network in WA and has been extensively involved in the development of the Family Inclusion Network in Australia. Research interests include the transfer of trauma across generations of families who have child protection interventions, and in rights-based and restorative approaches to child protection practice. Sharynne Hamilton graduated from the Australian National University in 2013 with BA Hons 1 (Political Science) and is looking to undertake graduate studies in the near future.

Protection and rights: How child protection systems can work to enact rights and responsibilities (20 minute presentation) Mary Ivec1 1

Australian National University

Protecting children while preserving and supporting families is not an irreconcilable position to hold in child protection practice. While policy intent on engagement with families is evident, attention to how this engagement could be strengthened at an operational level is lacking. This presentation will focus on national and international strategies and approaches which have shown to be promising practices. Using a pyramid of parental engagement strategies start as a model for child protection, will be presented. Mary Ivec has over twenty-five years’ experience in human services ranging from the not-forprofit sector, government, research, social work education and cross cultural mental health and trauma counselling with refugee communities. Her research interests include the application of restorative justice and responsive regulation in child protection and in social work practice.

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C o n c u r r e n t s e ss i o n F OUR

DAY 2 Tuesday 1 April

1300-1430

Implementing innovative Child Aware Approaches #Organisational 130 0 -1430 Cl aren don B (le vel 5)

Youth Care UPA LCP: preparing young people in OoHC for independence (30 minute workshop) Angela Reid1, Aiden Thomas1 Youth Care UPA

The Youth Care UPA Leaving Care Planner (LCP) was designed and developed in response to the crucial gap in the aftercare preparations of young people leaving Out of Home Care (OoHC). The planner details the skills and knowledge every young person in OoHC and their carers need to know before the young person exits their care situation. This presentation will showcase what the planner is, how it is used and why it was developed; it will also include an overview of the LCP interactive workshops that enhance the planner and aim to get young people physically involved in learning the skills and knowledge they need. The audience will have the opportunity to work in small groups with the LCP to generate their own ideas to engage Young People in preparing for their futures. Angela Reid has a Degree in Social Science and a Diploma in Management. She has worked in OoHC for the past seven years with children, young people and their carers and has a passion for ensuring young people leaving OoHC are physically and emotionally prepared. Aiden Thomas has worked extensively in OoHC for the past 15 years as a foster carer, mentor, youth worker and now Caseworker. He is currently studying a Bachelor of Behavioural Neuroscience and has a passion for developing new resources to enhance the lives of young people in OoHC.

Connect with Children: consulting with children across Australia (20 minute presentation) Daniel Leach-McGill1 1

Good Beginnings Australia

Good Beginnings is grappling with ways to authentically engage with young children and to bring their voices to the fore in guiding practice, policy and advocacy on the children’s behalf. This paper outlines aspirations and goals in becoming an organisation that systematically listens to children and represents them in action. The presentation will outline the process and approach taken and present the findings from this national consultation with children as an innovative Child Aware Approach. Daniel Leach-McGill works for Good Beginnings Australia as Manager, Policy and Practice Integration and as Site Coordinator in Doveton. Daniel has a background in early childhood and community services with a particular interest in community development and integrated service delivery and is currently undertaking PhD research in Early Childhood Education.

Developing and implementing EvidenceInformed Practice (EIP): promoting resilience in vulnerable children (20 minute presentation) Greg Antcliff1, Cherie Nay1 The Benevolent Society

The Benevolent Society is implementing a Resilience Practice Framework that focuses on maximising the likelihood of better outcomes for children by building a protective framework around them. This paper describes the application of three theoretical models and will present preliminary descriptive data findings for early implementation efforts, and future directions.

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Greg Antcliff is a registered psychologist and Director Professional Practice with the Benevolent Society. Greg’s work focuses on developing and implementing evidence-informed practices (EIP’s) across diverse programs in child and family; community ageing and disability; and mental health services.

Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety (20 minute presentation) Lesley Taylor1 1

NAPCAN

The All Children Being Safe (ACBS) Protective Behaviours program for Preschool and Early Primary school aged children, was developed in partnership with Green Hill Community (New South Wales). ACBS draws on best practice in Protective Behaviours and Violence Prevention education, and complements both the Early Years Learning Framework, and Early Primary school curricula. ACBS is a Protective Behaviours program with a twist. Each of the six lessons for children are based around stories about bush animals; and include interactive modes of learning from movement, to craft, small group discussion and role play. This presentation will highlight community engagement processes that have supported the active adaptation of the ACBS stories and program to be delivered in local languages, and to match the local environment in Central Australia. Lesley Taylor founded NAPCAN in the Northern Territory in March 2000 and is currently the NT Manager. Over the past 10 years, Lesley has delivered a range of workshops promoting the safety and wellbeing of children to thousands of people across the Territory in urban, rural and towns and communities. Lesley and a colleague were awarded the inaugural National Child Abuse Prevention (Rural and Remote) Award, 2012.

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Using touch-screen kiosks to raise awareness and inspire the community to take action to keep children safe and nurture their wellbeing (30 minute workshop) Ollie Heathwood1 YWCA NSW Lismore Communities for Children Project 1

The YWCA NSW Lismore Communities for Children project is implementing an innovative approach to raising awareness in the community around how to recognize when children are at risk, and how to take action to support children and families when parenting capacity is affected by mental health issues, substance abuse, and family violence. The project is called ‘Lismore in Touch’. A touch screen information kiosk is being piloted in the waiting room at the Lismore Community Mental Health Unit. The touch-screen will be a portal to a public website which will be available to community service sector workers and the general public in a format that uses easily understood language and is extremely simple to navigate. Workshop participants will learn how focussing on the creation of a shared dynamic service information portal can work as a catalyst for increased cooperation and collaboration in regional communities. There will be an opportunity to see a Touchscreen in action and group discussion on the challenges and possibilities of replicating such a tool in other areas. Ollie Heathwood works in Lismore for YWCA NSW as coordinator of the Communities for Children project which strengthens vulnerable children and families. She also sits on the Lismore Mental Health Advisory Board. Ollie is a passionate and dynamic speaker who delights in facilitating action based workshops that inform and inspire.

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Embedding child aware approaches: implementing change that lasts (30 minute workshop)

Fostering together: better support and participation for the children of foster carers (30 minute workshop)

Briannon Stevens1, Karyn Walsh1, Alison Thorburn1

Micah Projects Inc

This interactive workshop provides participants an opportunity to learn about and apply contemporary implementation frameworks to embedding child aware approaches in their own context, using a case study from a community organisation in Brisbane. At the heart of the initiative has been a desire for all children and families who access services at Micah Projects to achieve a home, health, safety and strong connections. Participants will: • learn about a collaborative project to embed child awareness in a community organisation • take away practical knowledge of best practices in change management to support implementation of child aware approaches in their organisation • learn strategies for implementing change with practitioners, moving beyond training • take away practical child awareness resources and tools that can be implemented in their own organisations. Karyn Walsh is the Coordinator of Micah Projects Inc in Brisbane, President of the Queensland Council of Social Services (QCOSS) and a Director on the Board of Common Ground Queensland. Briannon Stevens is the Team Leader of the Innovation, Research and Evaluation Team. Alison Thorburn is Team Leader of the Family Support and Advocacy Team.

Stephan Lund1, Wendy Prete1 Wanslea

There has been a significant research interest in the last 20 years in the biological children of foster carers and the support that they receive. Wanslea Family Services partnered with Edith Cowan University to develop electronic and printed resources to assist foster carers and support agencies to better support children of foster carers. The research team conducted focus groups with foster carers and children of foster carers to inform the resources to be developed. This workshop will present the innovative resources and give examples of how to use them. Included in this workshop will be the opportunity to view and discuss the DVD which features biological children of foster carers giving their view of the challenges and rewards of fostering. Stephan Lund is the Executive Manager Out of Home Care and Specialist Services at Wanslea Family Services. Stephan’s particular interests include innovation in fostering, evidence based practice, specialised fostering and research and evaluation. He has 15 years’ experience in the field and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Western Australia, researching the area of permanence and stability in foster care.

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Integrating service delivery to families and children, including place-based solutions

Meredith Oglethorpe is one of six Grandparent Advisers across Australia providing specialist services in the Families and Child Care portfolios. She brings to this role 20 years of experience in the Department of Human Services. Working across Victoria and Tasmania, Meredith has assisted and supported more than 500 grandparent carers’ families obtain access to programs.

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Working Outside the Silo – trialling a model for an inter-agency co-located team (20 minute presentation) Andrew Peschar1, Catherine Schofield1 Office for Children, Department of Health and Human Services Tasmania

The Tasmanian Government’s Office for Children is trialling a model for a collocated case assessment team to support the work of existing inter-agency programs. The presentation will discuss the origin of the team; the challenges in developing and operating the new service model; the experiences of practitioners who are able to step outside their normal duties and work in a very open and collaborative fashion and the potential benefits for families. Andrew Peschar is the Principal Project Officer for the Office for Children, Department of Health and Human Services Tasmania.

Steps to Prep: Integrating early education, health and family support for a better start to school (20 minute presentation) Dr Samantha Batchelor1, Sue Durance1, Carol Mortensen1 The Benevolent Society

Steps to Prep is an innovative transition to school program that uses a tripartite referral and assessment process, building links between families, childcare centres, primary schools and the health system, to facilitate a smooth start to school for children identified as at risk. This presentation will describe the development and implementation of the program and present preliminary evaluation results. Dr Samantha Batchelor has over 10 years’ experience in research and evaluation. Her PhD investigated links between parenting and educational outcomes in disadvantaged communities.

Catherine Schofield is the Nursing Director, Mental Health Services and Children and Youth Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Tasmania.

Sue Durance and Carol Mortensen are Senior Practitioners who developed the Steps to Prep program at The Benevolent Society’s North Gold Coast Early Years Centre.

Grandparent Advisers (20 minute presentation) Meredith Oglethorpe1 1

Department of Human Services

Centrelink Grandparent Advisers are available in selected states to support grandparents with fulltime caring responsibility for their grandchildren. Grandparent advisers work to understand family circumstances and provide information and access to payments and services. Appointments with specialist staff and referrals to other service providers are also given. This workshop will provide examples of the expanding role of Grandparent Advisors and seek discussion of future needs of grandparent carers.

A tale of two programs: integration and collaboration in one location (20 minute presentation) Jenny Terry1 1

Wanslea

This presentation describes the ways in which two child-centred, family-inclusive programs based in one WA agency operate to integrate service provision that specifically benefits the needs of vulnerable children. It discusses both the agency’s reunification program, where risk factors necessitating the removal of children

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are frequently associated with mental health issues, and the complementary child-centred COPMI Program.

a focus on children and families: forensic/family law; research/child protection; child sexual assault counselling/family support; early intervention/ Children’s services. Wendy is interested in translating research and current knowledge into best practice.

Jenny Terry has over twenty years of experience as a Social Work Practitioner and, more recently, as a researcher and Clinical Manager. Jenny has specific responsibility for Wanslea’s reunification and Children of Parents with Mental Illness programs. She has a passion for working with children and young people.

Dr Robert Urquhart, PhD is Senior Researcher, Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) and a trained social worker. He is also a highly experienced research manager, social science researcher and social policy analyst and has participated in research covering a broad range of areas related to children’s wellbeing and within a variety of leading University-based and government research institutions and nongovernment organisations. Robert is interested in understanding the value of formal and informal support to vulnerable children and families.

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Developing a Reflective Practice Tool for Engaging with Socially Isolated New Parents (30 minute workshop) Dr Wendy Foote1, Dr Robert Urquhart1, Asra Gholami1 Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA)

This workshop explores the development of a resource that is designed to support workers in their work with engaging socially isolated clients. Participants will have the opportunity to hear the tool described, and trial the tool in small groups using case study examples. The workshop will suit participants who are looking for better ways to work with socially isolated clients and who are interested in learning about, and contributing ideas to, the further development of a reflective practice tool. We will share insights from the pilot project into how reflection can help overcome the challenges of working with the socially isolated. You will learn how to integrate reflective practice with your work and help clients to begin to build social connectedness and access to parenting support. Dr Wendy Foote, PhD is the D/CEO of the Association of Child Welfare Agencies NSW. She is also an adjunct lecturer in Social Work Practice at UNSW where she previously worked and has continued her involvement in research at ACWA. Wendy has worked across a number of intervention areas and sectors while maintaining

Safe from the Start Indigenous project: resources to assist working with young children who have witnessed family violence (30 minute workshop) Nell Kuilenburg1 The Salvation Army

Safe from the Start is an early intervention, evidence based project (1 day training program and resource kit) that aims to train workers to engage with children aged 0-6 using ‘activity based play’ who have witnessed family violence, abuse or trauma. The Salvation Army developed the project in partnership with universities (UTAS & Swinburne) and has won numerous Awards including the top Australian Crime & Violence Prevention Award in 2012 and NAPCAN Award in 2013. This is an experiential workshop, where delegates will listen to a video clip and during small group discussion describe how it felt to ‘listen’ to violence happening and gain greater understanding of the misconception that children not seeing the violence are unaffected by it. Delegates are able to hold in-depth discussion with the facilitator during and after the workshop. The kit’s resources will be described and distributed. Please be aware that the video may be distressing, as personal stories are emotional and can be confronting.

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Nell Kuilenburg has 12 years experience in family violence services and initiated the Safe from the Start project. The project has won a number of national awards and has been implemented in New Zealand and UK. She facilitated a national Safe from the Start (Child Aware) training program in 2012.

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Future foundations: engaging children and families in early intervention to promote social and emotional wellbeing (30 minute workshop)

Moving to prevention: exploring outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children through intensive/ targeted family support services (20 minute presentation)

Kylie Williams1, Katherine Ritchie1, Jodie Ritchie1, Jodi McMurtrie1

The Benevolent Society

The Benevolent Society’s Early Years Centres provide an early intervention and prevention approach to early childhood education, family support and health services with integration and partnerships as the central theme in planning and service delivery. By attending this workshop participants will understand how the service proactively approaches engagement across disciplines and provides intervention and support in practice with a particular focus on young parents. The presenters will discuss their journey with young parents, engaging and empowering them to balance their own and their children’s needs. Practice perspectives will be shared alongside opportunities for workshop participants to experience strategies used in a practical and interactive way through small group discussion and working with resources. Katherine Ritchie is a Social Worker whose current role is Family Mental Health Support Worker with The Benevolent Society. Katherine has extensive experience working both directly with children and whole of family interventions across domestic violence, mental health and homelessness services in both clinical and community settings. Jodi McMurtrie is an Early Childhood Educator with the Benevolent Society. Jodi has extensive experience working with children and their families across a variety of early education and care settings and has trained in numerous therapeutic group work interventions. Jodi’s passionate about providing holistic and multidisciplinary support to families.

Garry Matthews1, Prof Clare Tilbury2 Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC), 2Griffith University

Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families remain significantly impacted by the intergenerational trauma that has resulted from past policies of forced child removal, and processes of colonisation and assimilation. This presentation reports on continuing research that is evaluating practice in five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations providing intensive support for families at risk of, or subject to, child protection intervention. The research is revealing important aspects of good practice that are delivering strong outcomes for vulnerable families. Garry Matthews, from the Eora nation of NSW, has been CEO of Coffs Harbour Aboriginal Family Community Care Centre since 1994, and has served on the SNAICC National Executive since 1999. Prof Clare Tilbury of Griffith University has over thirty years’ experience as a social work practitioner, researcher and educator. Her research interests include child protection outcomes, accountability and performance management.

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Child aware means being trauma aware (20 minute presentation)

The Monash University Filicide Research Team of Professor Thea Brown, Dr Danielle Tyson and Paula Fernandez Arias, has been conducting research on filicide since 2009. They have published articles on filicide in Children Australia and Child Abuse Review (UK) and presented papers at conferences in Australia and overseas. They are the organisers of the international conference series on Filicide in Prato Italy. Addressing Filicide: The International CrossCountry Comparison and Dialogue.

Dr Cathy Kezelman1,2 1 Adults Surviving Child Abuse, 2Mental Health Coordinating Council

This presentation will present the current progress and future objectives towards integrated systems and services which are informed about, and responsive to, trauma and its impacts. Being child aware means being trauma aware, with trauma informed workers and organisations, and skilled practitioners working with traumatised children, adolescents, adults and families. This presentation will present the progress already made towards policy reform, research, research into practice, workforce education and training and organisational change processes. Dr Cathy Kezelman is President of Adults Surviving Child Abuse, the leading national organisation for adults abused or traumatised as children. She is a medical practitioner with her own lived experience of childhood trauma. She is the co-author of ASCA’s Practice Guidelines for Treatment of Complex trauma and Trauma Informed Care and Service Delivery.

Addressing filicide in Australia: developing professional knowledge and service provision (20 minute presentation) Prof Thea Brown , Dr Danielle Tyson , Paula Fernandez Arias1 1

Monash University, Caulfield VIC

This paper presents the findings of the first Australian study to examine filicide deaths in broad outline and in detail. Using Coroner’s files, the study investigated ten years of filicide deaths in Victoria to learn of incidence, the nature of the events, the perpetrators, the factors associated with the events, and the families’ contact with community services. Key findings from the study and recommendations as to how professionals and services can improve their approach in order to overcome these serious events will be presented.

Supporting practitioners’ engagement with parents with multiple and complex needs to improve child wellbeing: eLearning (20 minute presentation) Helen Francis1, Christine Gibson1 1

Australian Centre for Child Protection

The Child Aware Supervision e-learning resource uses the knowledge gained from conducting the three-year initiative; Protecting and Nurturing Children: Building Capacity, Building Bridges. This practical e-learning resource can assist practitioners whose clients face multiple and complex issues by informing practice change. This workshop will demonstrate the practical features of this e-learning tool and show how it can develop knowledge, skills and confidence to assist practitioners to improve child wellbeing. Helen Francis is the Project Manager of the Protecting and Nurturing Children Building Capacity Building Bridges Initiative. Christine Gibson has extensive experience as a social worker, and has contributed to a wide range of activities including a series of projects aimed at helping to improve services for homeless children and families.

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Responding to risk factors: family violence, mental health and substance misuse

Caroline Carroll OAM is Chair, Alliance for Forgotten Australians and Records and Reunions Coordinator at OPEN PLACE, the Victorian service for Forgotten Australians. Caroline is a survivor of abuse in many institutional and foster care placements during her childhood in NSW. She was separated as an infant from her entire family (including her seven siblings). Caroline aims to promote greater awareness and understanding of the needs of people who have been harmed in institutional and other forms of out-of-home-care with the aim of reducing, over time, the risks of inter-generational abuse and trauma.

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Where’s the child? Child-aware lessons from past policy and practice (20 minute presentation) Dr Daryl Higgins1 1

Australian Institute of Family Studies

It is a mistake to assume that we benefit from hindsight and avoid repeating mistakes of the past. Can we in fact translate those lessons to comparable or related areas of contemporary policy and service delivery? In this presentation, I draw on empirical research from those affected by a range of policy and practices including: closed adoptions (which peaked in the early 1970s); the Stolen Generations and the legacy for Indigenous families and communities; care leavers; and victims of institutional child sexual abuse. Dr Daryl Higgins is a psychologist with 20 years’ research experience. He is Deputy Director (Research), Australian Institute of Family Studies, where he oversees projects on family wellbeing, protecting children, out-of-home care, sexual assault, family law, child development, past adoptions, migrant settlement services, and closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage.

Learning from the past, influencing the future (20 minute presentation) Caroline Carroll OAM1 1

Alliance for Forgotten Australians

During the 20th Century, around half a million children found themselves in orphanages, Homes, detention centres, training schools or foster care in Australia. Vast numbers of these children suffered abuse and neglect along with the loss of family, community connections and identity. Drawing on personal experience, Ms Carroll compares outcomes for children in modern child protection with her experiences and others of her generation, to promote support for families as the bedrock of a civil society.

What recent research tells us about overcoming the adversity of early stress and trauma (20 minute presentation) Dr Howard Bath1 1

Children’s Commissioner, NT

We have recently heard a lot about the longlasting impacts of trauma and chronic stress during childhood and there has been a lot of research that identifies how these adverse experiences affect brain development, behaviour and overall adaptation through the lifespan. A more recent emerging stream of research focuses on how the effects of early adversity can be changed for the better and how young people can bounce back to lead productive, contented and well-adjusted lives and develop rewarding relationships. This presentation will focus on the very hopeful research findings that are emerging from neuroscience and developmental psychology. Dr Howard Bath is the Children’s Commissioner for the NT. In this role he has responsibility for ensuring that government operated or funded services in the child protection, youth justice, mental health and disability arenas are meeting the needs of children and young people. Howard has a long-standing interest in improving services for vulnerable children.

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Lessons from the past: implications for today (20 minute presentation) Simon Gardiner1 1 Open Place, Support Service For Forgotten Australians

This presentation will provide a brief overview of the Forgotten Australian ‘care’ experience and subsequent ‘life’ experience. Comparisons will be drawn between past care leaver attributes with current desired outcomes. It asks what have we learnt from these past experiences and how are these learnings being applied. Are we doing better? Simon Gardiner has worked in health, community health, child protection and family services for 35 years as both a practitioner and a manager. He is currently the manager of Open Place, the Victorian support service for Forgotten Australians.

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Circles of Change Revisited: using generative dialogue with professionals working with children and families to shape and improve practice (90 minute workshop) Dr Jennifer Cartmel1, Kym Macfarlane1, Marilyn Casley1, Kerry Smith1 School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University

The Child and Family Studies team at Griffith University has a focus on developing the skills of critical reflection for those who undertake professional work with children and families. Their work stems from a teaching and learning grant (awarded in 2003) that developed the highly effective Circles of Change Revisited model (Cartmel, Macfarlane & Casley, 2012; Macfarlane & Cartmel, 2012). The model is part of a current research study investigating the outcomes of using the COC model over a 2 year period with Inclusion

Support Agencies and with kindergarten and prep teachers, pedagogical leaders and child care centre managers. It has also developed into a tool (commissioned by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations) to be used nationally by the children’s services sector for preservice training and professional development. The tool supports the implementation of critical reflection as part of every educator’s core practice, thus supporting the facilitation of quality practices in early childhood settings. This session is designed to use the COC model to engage in a professional conversation about the COC methodology and possibilities for engaging with professionals, families and children. By attending this workshop participants will: • Be engaged in experiential learning • Explore the COC model of critical reflection • Critically reflect on the use of this model in shaping and improving practice Marilyn Casley BEd BTeach(ECE) PhD(candidature) is an Associate Lecturer in Child and Family Studies Field Education, 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. Dr Jennifer Cartmel, Senior Lecturer - School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University has worked in a range of children’s services. Her research interests include workforce development in children’s services and the many facets of school age care services. She has been presented with national university awards for outstanding contribution to student learning.

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Resource Display Abstracts Totally Kids Conference: the consultation process

Scott Jacobs, BA(Hons), MA(DevSt), is the Child Protection Policy and Certification Officer at Child Wise. In conjunction with Child Wise’s National Child Abuse Prevention Team, he developed the ‘12 Standards for a Child Safe Organisation’ and the ‘Child Safe Organisation Certification’ System.

Sharon Eggins1 1

Anglicare Victoria - Communities for Children

In anticipation of the 25th Anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 2014, Anglicare Communities for Children Frankston created a Kids conference, organised by Kids! The objectives for this event were to improve social inclusion and leadership opportunities for primary aged children, to value children’s voices and strengthen opportunities for participation and to inform and influence service sector policy and practice through capturing and valuing children’s voices. Sharon Eggins is the Children’s Participation Officer for Communities for Children Anglicare Frankston. Sharon has 10 years teaching experience with Primary School children and youth. She is currently studying her Masters in Child and Adolescent Welfare and is very passionate about Children’s rights and the value in hearing children’s voices.

Child Aware Approaches: extending our focus on flourishing Brian Martin, Liz Sampson1 1

Uniting Care Wesley Country SA commenced our CAA journey in 2012, as it fitted with our visionseeking a compassionate, respectful and just communities where all people flourish. Where has this journey taken us in 2013?

Child Safe Organisations: situational crime prevention and the public health approach to preventing child abuse Scott Jacobs1 1

Child Wise

Child Wise established the ‘12 Standards for a Child Safe Organisation’ to create a framework for building open, transparent, and accountable organisations. They act to combat the barriers to a child safe organisation. Recognising that there is no way to prevent all forms of abuse, the Standards incorporate elements of public health interventions to prevent the abuse of children, minimise the risk of abuse by heightening the likelihood that abuse will be detected, and to reduce the long term impacts of abuse.

Uniting Care Wesley Country SA

In 2012 our Child Aware Approach program developed a training package for all staff aimed at embedding foundation skills and knowledge around child development, including the effects of trauma/ domestic and family violence on children. This program is about cultural change across the organisation and into the broader community. Join us on this journey as together we progress for our ultimate goal - encouraging our children to escape the intergenerational cycle of disadvantage and poverty, and instead move towards our ultimate goal where all children flourish.

Building efficacy in developmental vulnerability: the effect of a psychoeducation and supervision intervention for pre-school field officers Dr Erin Pearson1, Dr Coral Brown1, Robyn Gordon1 The Cairnmillar Institute

An interventional program was developed to improve capacity in family engagement of Victorian Pre School Field officers (PSFOs) who have high levels of contact with families of vulnerable pre-school aged children. The six-session psycho-education and supervision intervention program focused on enhancing understanding of the psychodynamic and

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psychological issues involved in developmental vulnerability as well as increasing insight, self-reflection, and empathy in contexts of developmental vulnerability. The results of this trial shows improvement in the outcomes of vulnerable “hard-to-reach” families and children. Dr Erin Pearson began her career as an organisational psychologist but moved into academia to teach and complete her PhD in the area of health promotion for young women. She has recently been engaged to direct a research program at The Cairnmillar Institute which seeks to evaluate the ways in which psychotherapeutic supervision and training for early childhood intervention professionals can enhance outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

Supporting carers to care for our children: The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Joanne Borg

Senior Resource Officer, Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care

SNAICC has recently released this significant new resource, a website designed to support and empower out-of home carers in their day-to-day caring role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. We hope that the website (www. supportingcarers.snaicc.org.au) will assist carers to become more active players in realising better outcomes for our children in out-of-home care by considering the information provided, engaging with activities outlined, and choosing to take the rewarding journey of becoming a culturally competent carer. Joanne Borg was born and has lived on Wurundjeri land in Melbourne all of her life. Her mother’s family are originally from the Biripi nation (Taree NSW), and her father is of Maltese origin. Jo has worked within legal, child and family welfare, and the health sector of the Victorian Aboriginal community since 1987. Jo has also worked in government for DHS and the Victorian Child Safety Commissioner.

Safe from the Start Indigenous project: resources to assist working with young children who have witnessed family violence Nell Kuilenburg1 The Salvation Army

Safe from the Start is an early intervention, evidence based project (1 day training program and resource kit) that aims to train workers to engage with children aged 0-6 using ‘activity based play’ who have witnessed family violence, abuse or trauma. The Salvation Army developed the project in partnership with universities (UTAS & Swinburne) and has won numerous Awards including the top Australian Crime & Violence Prevention Award in 2012 and NAPCAN Award in 2013. Over 800 Resource Kits have been distributed. Website: www.salvationarmy.org/safefromthestart Nell Kuilenburg has 12 years’ experience in family violence services and initiated the Safe from the Start project. The project has won a number of national awards and has been implemented in New Zealand and UK. She facilitated a national Safe from the Start (Child Aware) training program in 2012.

P.E.C.O.C.S (Pregnancy, Early Childhood Opiate Clinic and Services) Gail Johnson1, Rita Farrugia2 1 Chemical Use in Pregnancy Clinical Nurse Consultant, 2Case manager, Registered Nurse

This presentation describes the clinic and service available to all pregnant women who are opioid dependent and receive maintenance pharmacotherapy treatment at the Kogarah Clinic in the Central Network Area (Sydney NSW). An ongoing service is provided until their youngest child reaches school age (0 -5yrs). The clinic is able to closely monitor stability of pregnant women and their antenatal care and to maintain and enhance links with various child health agencies. This improved structure of care provision includes regular reviews to determine risk to children, mental health assessment and preparation of parenthood.

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Gail Johnson is a Clinical Nurse Consultant Grade 2 at the St George and Sutherland Hospital Drug and Alcohol Service, Kogarah NSW. She is a member of the PECOCS team (Pregnancy Early Childhood Opiate Clinic Services) and participates in regular review of parents in opiate treatment, assessing child protection risk and parent’s stability, housing and mental health.

NCETA Resource Table Michael White1 The National Centre for Education and Training

NCETA’s resource table will provide a range of practical materials on child and family sensitive practice that support the development of intersectoral practice between the AOD and the child and family welfare and family violence sectors. The resources identify how the AOD sector can better support clients by addressing child and family welfare and family violence issues, with a focus on minimising the harm to children. All resources are free.” The National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA) is an internationally recognised research centre that works as a catalyst for change in the AOD field.

Our mission is to advance the capacity of organisations and workers to respond to alcoholand drug-related problems. Our core business is the promotion of workforce development (WFD) principles, research and evaluation of effective practices; investigating the prevalence and effect AOD use in society; and the development and evaluation of prevention and intervention programs, policy and resources for workplaces and organisations. NCETA is based at Flinders University and receives funding from the Australian Government Department of Health Michael White is the Senior Project Manager Workforce Development at NCETA. Michael has more than 20 years of experience in the community sector with a focus on workforce development and learning. Michael’s current work includes a focus on the intersection between alcohol and other drugs and the wider welfare system with an emphasis on engaging with child welfare, domestic violence and family support services. Michael’s previous roles include: Workforce Development Leader, Australian Centre for Child Protection; Executive Director of Victoria’s Community Services and Health Industry Training Board; and, Learning and Development Director at the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare in Victoria.

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Poster Abstracts The benefits and challenges of integration: an evaluation of two early years centres Dr Angela Carr1 The Benevolent Society

This poster describes the results of an evaluation of two Early Years Centres (EYC) in Queensland. EYCs provide a one-stop-shop service supporting the health, wellbeing and safety of families who have young children. They were designed to build on the existing network of child and family support services and move to a more integrated service delivery system. As such, EYCs offer both universal and targeted services delivered in partnership with other community and government agencies. Dr Angela Carr is a Senior Manager, Research and Evaluation at The Benevolent Society. She holds a PhD in Criminology, a Masters Degree in Psychology, and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society. Angela possesses 20 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience working as an applied research and evaluation professional in both Australia and New Zealand. That work has included evaluation of a wide range of government, academic and community based early intervention, prevention and community development projects. Angela is committed to evaluation as a process of social and organisational change and a strong proponent of evaluations that involve participatory action research methods.

P.E.C.O.C.S (Pregnancy, Early Childhood Opiate Clinic and Services) Gail Johnson1, Rita Farrugia1, Lucy Harvey Dodds1, Chester Omana1 St George and Sutherland Hospital Drug and Alcohol Service

This poster describes the clinic and service available to all pregnant women who are opioid dependent and receive maintenance pharmacotherapy treatment at the Kogarah Clinic in the Central Network Area ( Sydney NSW ). An ongoing service is provided until their youngest child reaches school age (0 -5yrs). The clinic is able to closely monitor stability of pregnant women and their antenatal care and to maintain and enhance links with various child health agencies. This improved structure of care provision includes regular reviews to determine risk to children, mental health assessment and preparation of parenthood. Gail Johnson is a Clinical Nurse Consultant Grade 2 at the St George and Sutherland Hospital Drug and Alcohol Service, Kogarah NSW. She is a member of the PECOCS team (Pregnancy Early Childhood Opiate Clinic Services) and participates in regular review of parents in opiate treatment, assessing child protection risk and parentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stability, housing and mental health.

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Sponsors and Exhibitors M A J OR SPONSOR

D e p a r tm e n t o f S o c i a l S e r vi c e s The Department of Social Services (DSS) is the Australian Government’s lead agency in the development and delivery of social policy and is working to improve the lifetime wellbeing of people and families in Australia. DSS’ policies and services respond to need across people’s lives – looking after families, children and older people; providing a safety net for people

who cannot fully support themselves; enhancing the wellbeing of people with high needs, assisting people who need help with care; and supporting a diverse and harmonious society. DSS aims to support people and families to participate economically and socially in Australian society, while encouraging independence and participation.

O r ati o n Su pp o rte R

A u s t r a li a n C e n t r e f o r C h ild P r o t e c ti o n The Australian Centre for Child Protection is a national Centre that bridges the gap between what is known and what is done to transform the lives of children who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing child abuse and neglect. Our research is rapidly expanding the knowledge base about the impact of risk factors on children and families, and our practice knowledge regarding what can be done to address this. We provide policy advice, advocacy and professional education

that is informed by our research, and applied through strategic partnerships with government and community agencies across Australia. Our expertise has transformed the child protection landscape in Australia and we continue to champion the rights of children and families to timely, evidencebased services and supports. Our work has also helped create practical, relevant tools and techniques that frontline staff in services can use to truly help children and families.

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CONFERENCE SUPPORTERS

A s s o c i a ti o n o f C h ild r e n ’ s W e l f a r e Ag e n c i e s ( AC W A ) ACWA is the NSW nongovernment peak body representing the voice of community organisations working with vulnerable children, young people and their families. We work with our members, partners, government and non-government agencies and other peak bodies to bring about positive systemic reform that will deliver better outcomes to the lives of children and young people, including those living in out-of-home care. ACWA established the Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) as its learning and development arm in 1987. CCWT provides cost effective and accessible training opportunities for people working across the community welfare sector in NSW and with vulnerable children, young people and families in particular.

G o o d B e gi n n i n g s

1800 Respect

Not all Australian children grow up safe, happy and healthy. Good Beginnings is a national children’s charity building better outcomes for children in vulnerable communities through effective early intervention and practical parenting programs, so that every Australian child has the opportunity for a good beginning in life. Good Beginnings programs are free to children and families in need, with support ranging from supported playgroups and literacy programs to fathering initiatives, at‑home volunteer visiting for new parents, and intensive family support.

The 1800RESPECT National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service commenced on 1 October 2010 in the form of a phone counselling service. In June 2011, the website www.1800RESPECT.org.au was launched which enabled consumers to access online counselling; information and resources about sexual assault and family or domestic violence (SA/FDV). The 1800RESPECT website provides 24-hour free professional support accessible for all workers and professionals nation-wide including: • How to support at risk clients • Training & further professional development • Free online resource tools • Support for work-induced trauma • Free informative webinars covering key issues • Staying informed with our Connect newsletter • Safety Planning Checklist.

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A u s t r a li a n I n s tit u t e o f F a mily St u di e s

P u bli c H e a lt h A s s o c i a ti o n A u s t r a li a

The Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) is the Australian Government’s key research body in the area of family wellbeing.

The Public Health Association of Australia Incorporated (PHAA) is recognised as the principal non-government organisation for public health in Australia and works to promote the health and wellbeing of all Australians. The Association seeks better population health outcomes based on prevention, the social determinants of health and equity principles.

Its role is to increase understanding of factors affecting how Australian families function by: • conducting research; and • disseminating findings. The Institute’s work provides an evidence base for developing policy and practice related to the wellbeing of families in Australia.

R e l a ti o n s h i p s A u s t r a li a Relationships Australia is a leading provider of relationship support services for individuals, families and communities. We aim to support all people in Australia to achieve positive and respectful relationships. We are a community-based, not-for-profit Australian organisation with no religious affiliations. Our services are for all members of the community, regardless of religious belief, age, gender, sexual orientation, lifestyle choice, cultural background or economic circumstances. We offer services around the country that include counselling, family dispute resolution (mediation) and a range of family and community support and education programs. We are a federation of service providers in each Australian state and territory and have a national office based in Canberra.

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Exh ibito rs

Ad u lt s S u r vivi n g C h ild Ab u s e ASCA is the leading Australian national organisation which advocates, builds and delivers supports to facilitate recovery with and for people, families and communities, affected by childhood trauma. ASCA provides professional support, education and training programs, as well as a traumainformed approach to care to improve the lives of adults abused as children. It also advocates nationally for the often complex needs of trauma survivors to be better met.

Alli a n c e f o r F o r g o tt e n A u s t r a li a n s The Alliance for Forgotten Australians (AFA) is a national group of people who grew up in institutions or out-ofhome care in the 20th century, advocating for and promoting national policies to meet the needs and interests of the estimated 500,000 Forgotten Australians. AFA’s mission is to assist Forgotten Australians to secure the services they richly deserve and to better the lives of all Forgotten Australians, their families and those following.

A u s t r a li a n I n s tit u t e o f F a mily St u di e s AIFS is a statutory agency of the Australian Government that conducts research and communicates findings about issues affecting families in Australia. The Institute’s work increases understanding of how families work. It helps • government policy makers, throughout Australia, to base policy-making decisions on impartial, robust information • people providing support services to families and children to keep in touch with up-to-date research findings • researchers in Australia and in other parts of the world to share and develop the body of knowledge about factors affecting family wellbeing.

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The Benevolent S o c i e ty We are The Benevolent Society. We help people change their lives through support and education, and we speak out for a just society where everyone thrives. We’re Australia’s first charity. We’re a not-for-profit and non-religious organisation and we’ve helped people, families and communities achieve positive change for 200 years.

C h ild r e n of Parents wit h a M e n t a l I ll n e s s The Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI) national initiative develops free high quality, evidence-based online training courses and resources for professionals who support families. COPMI also develops innovative information and resources for parents, their partners, carers, family and friends in support of children of parents with a mental illness. www.copmi.net.au The Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI) national initiative is funded by the Australian Government.

C r e at e CREATE Foundation works with children and young people in the care system to improve the experience for nearly 40,000 children and young people in foster, residential and kinship care across Australia. CREATE supports children and young people from the time they are placed in care, through to their transition into independence.

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Exh ibito rs

HubWorks! The HubWorks! is a world class web based software platform whose vision is to connect individuals, services and government in the care of a child. We’re providing to the childcare sector, an inter-disciplinary knowledge sharing service that focuses on the ongoing advancement of that child’s development and long-term welfare. A total system to benefit child and family.

r o y a l c o mmi s s i o n i n t o I n s tit u ti o n a l Responses to C h ild S e x u a l Ab u s e The Royal Commission is inquiring into how institutions with a responsibility for children have managed and responded to allegations and instances of child sexual abuse. The Royal Commission is hosting public and private hearings, as well as thousands of private sessions across every State and Territory of Australia to hear people tell their stories. Find out more about the work of the Royal Commission at www.childabuseroyalcommission. gov.au

SNA I CC The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) is the national non-government peak body representing the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. Established in 1981, with over 3,000 supporters across Australia, SNAICC provides research, policy and sector development (resources, publications and training) to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations delivering early childhood, child protection and child care services. With its administrative office in Melbourne, SNAICC is governed by a national executive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people drawn from Indigenous communitycontrolled children and family services across the nation.

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Sharing, Building and Recognising Child Aware Innovation

C h ild Aw a r e A p p r o a c h e s C o n f e r e n c e 3 1 M a r c h - 1 A p r il 2 0 1 4

Evaluation Form 1

Please return completed form to staff at the registration desk. We appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback.

The conference met my expectations in relation to the themes: Promoting child and family wellbeing and safety S t rongly agr e e

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Responding to risk factors: family violence, mental health and substance misuse S t rongly agr e e

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Integrating service delivery to families and children, including place-based solutions S t rongly agr e e

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Building community engagement with Child Aware initiatives S t rongly agr e e

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Implementing innovative child aware approaches S t rongly agr e e

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I will be able to use the conference information and resources in my work S t rongly agr e e

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3 The conference provided information and ideas that would benefit my organisation S t rongly agr e e

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4 What is the take home message for you? (the one thing that will influence your practice/ organisation)

5 The keynote speakers were engaging and covered interesting and thought provoking topics S t rongly agr e e

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Further comments can be provided at Question 12 over the page

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a p p r oac h e s conference

6 The conference helped me to connect with people to share experiences and lessons learnt S t rongly agr e e

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Did we get the balance right between papers/ workshops/symposia/resources? Yes

Further comments can be provided at Question 12

8 The conference was well organised S t rongly agr e e

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9 The venue was of a high quality S t rongly agr e e

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10 I would be interested to participate in future conferences of this nature S t rongly agr e e

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11 The conference has helped me to contribute to the national campaign to make the wellbeing and safety of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business S t rongly agr e e

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12 Please provide any other comments or suggestions you have in relation to future conferences of this nature (for example, topics or speakers, most or least useful aspects)

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Sharing, Building and Recognising Child Aware Innovation

Venue Floorplan M e lbo u rn e Exh ibiti o n Ce ntre L e ve l 2

CONCOURSE BELOW

FOYER BELOW AUDITORIUM FOYER

ALE

FEM

CLARENDON ROOM F

ILET

E MAL ET TOIL

TRUST ROOM

CLARENDON ROOM E CLARENDON FOYER LEVEL 2

CLARENDON AUDITORIUM

CLARENDON ROOM D

LIFT

PLANT ROOM

CLARENDON ROOM C

N ote: Cl are n d o n A an d Cl are n d o n B are o n L eve l 5