COLLECTIONS

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Our collections pull essential resources on important subjects together in one place. For example: Are you looking for help with behaviours that challenge? Please select it from the drop-down and go.

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Agenda for Change: Ensuring a safe and supportive out-of-home care system for children and young people in New South Wales

A system in crisis: A call for transformation The out-of-home care system in New South Wales (NSW) should be a safe haven for children, young people and families. It is a system in crisis. Children,...

This policy document calls on the new New South Wales Government to support and implement six fundamental changes to the out-of-home care system.
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The therapeutic power of imaginary storytelling

World Care Day is a global event held on the third Friday of February every year to celebrate the voices of children and young people with a care experience. The theme this year is “don’t judge...

Written by: Skye Bekaert
Stories are a powerful therapeutic tool that can create real change and give children and young people the skills and confidence to make their voices heard in future.
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New years’ resolutions and other goals for teens in care

When I was a teen in care, I found the (well-intentioned) focus on my progress from case workers and other adults exhausting. If I tried hard, I made “progress”, but then those goal behaviours became...

Written by: Billy Black
If you’ve ever found a resolution hard to stick to and depressing to fail, remember that young people in out-of-home care have similar experiences with care goals. If you’re working with someone who’s struggling with a care goal, maybe this can help you find something outside the box that would fit their abilities better. A goal that is a trivially easy behavioural direction change rather than a behavioural destination puts less pressure on kids to be “better” and offers an avenue for slower and more permanent progress, with more opportunities to enjoy success.
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Christmas in residential care: It doesn’t need to be the most wonderful time of the year

Christmas is a time of joy and celebration for many Australians, but it can also bring pressure and unrealistic expectations. The shops are decorated, Christmas songs are everywhere, and cheesy ads show happy families celebrating....

Written by: Alex Novak
Christmas is a time of joy and celebration for many Australians, but it can also bring pressure and unrealistic expectations. The shops are decorated, Christmas songs are everywhere, and cheesy ads show happy families celebrating. However, for young people in residential care, these seemingly innocuous things can be a blunt reminder of their own challenging situations and experiences, triggering big emotions and behaviours.
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“Powerful children who can control their worlds are happier, secure children,” Q&A with Billy Black

This month, we are thrilled to welcome Billy Black to our team at the CETC as a Care Experience Resource and Training Specialist. Billy has advocated for children in care since she was 15 years...

This month, we are thrilled to welcome Billy Black to our team at the CETC as a Care Experience Resource and Training Specialist. Billy has advocated for children and care since she was 15 years old. It was around this time that Billy realised she was a powerful advocate for change – not only in her own life and care experience but at a systems level.
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Trauma, loss and parenting – care leavers’ experiences of having their own children during transitions from care

This post is written by Jade Purtell, a multidisciplinary researcher and practitioner focused on out-of-home care and transitions from care experiences and policy.  This research is funded by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship....

Written by: Jade Purtell
What are care leaver’s experiences of having their own children during transitions from care? In this guest blog, multidisciplinary researcher and practitioner Jade Purtell highlights three core issues that impact how care leavers with children access and receive support.
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Sibling placement in out-of-home care – Research brief

The significance of sibling relationships for children and young people in out-of-home care is well documented by national and international scholars (Luu, Conley, Wright & Cashmore, 2020). These relationships offer an opportunity for children to...

This research brief examines what we know about sibling placement in Australia and explores findings about ways to support siblings in out-of-home care.
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Understanding the needs of kinship carers in Australia – Research brief

Kinship care placements in Australia are now more prevalent than foster care. They are the fastest growing form of out-of-home care in this country (AIHW, 2021). On 30 June 2019, 93% of Australian children in...

This research brief examines what is known about children in kinship care and identify kinship carers needs and key messages from the research.
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Responding to behaviours that challenge – practice guide

Much has been written about understanding and managing the challenging pain-based behaviours of children and young people who have experienced trauma and live in therapeutic or out of home care. Anglin (2002) coined the phrase...

This practice guide explores what is meant by the term ‘behaviours that challenge’, why children and young people display behaviours that challenge, the
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Responding to children and young people living in out-of-home care who engage in harmful sexual behaviour – Practice guide

This practice guide aims to support carers and professionals working in and around the out of home care system to know how to best understand their role when responding to children and young people who...

A practice guide to support carers and professionals working in and around the out-of-home care system to respond to children and young people
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How to develop your own self-care protocol

When someone says ‘self-care’, what image comes to mind? What are the positive and negative aspects of this image? Do you have clear intentions for self-care and your self-care protocol? Last month, we explored self-care...

Last month, we explored self-care in our regular Community of Practice for therapeutic specialists and others with a therapeutic leadership role in out-of-home care. We know self-care isn’t a one-off action and requires intentionality, planning and consistency to enhance wellbeing.
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Pulse check survey

The ITC Pulse Check Survey and Outcome Report provides a point-in-time reflection on the experiences of the reform process by ITC agency staff. To this end, the survey results clearly show that the process of...

In late 2020, CETC surveyed 217 Intensive Therapeutic Care staff to evaluate the success and challenges of the ITC system in NSW after its first two years. This is the report on the outcomes of that survey.
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Strengthening connections & relationships project

What is this research about? Young people in residential care face major challenges that can prevent them from forming healthy relationships and a strong personal identity, which are critical building blocks for their wellbeing and...

Written by: Lynne McPherson
This research aims to understand the practices that help young people living in therapeutic residential care to have a positive self-identity and to form strong, healthy relationships.
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The therapeutic power of laughter

“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.” Mark Twain We all like to laugh. It makes us feel good. Among humans, laughter begins as early as four months of...

Written by: Noel Macnamara
“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.” Mark Twain   We all like to laugh. It makes us feel good. Among humans, laughter begins as early as four months of age (Lovorn, 2008). A child with a well-developed sense of humour has been described as “becoming a joy tracker …
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Supporting children in out-of-home care to cope with ambiguous loss

When you think of grief and loss, what comes to your mind? You may think of the immense sorrow one may experience. For some of us, we can seek solace and take comfort in mourning...

Written by: Kenny Kor Jodie Park
When you think of grief and loss, what comes to your mind?   You may think of the immense sorrow one may experience. For some of us, we can seek solace and take comfort in mourning rituals. Our loved ones may help us come to terms with the loss and find strength to live with …
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Children, young people and sleep

Many of those of you who know me, know that I have a big interest in sleep hygiene and the children and young people in out of home care (OOHC). To this end I have...

Written by: Noel Macnamara
Many of those of you who know me, know that I have a big interest in sleep hygiene and the children and young people in out of home care (OOHC). To this end I have put together a small package of material that I hope you will take the time to look at and discuss …
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Minimum age of criminal responsibility in the ACT

  This submission addresses the question of whether the age of criminal responsibility (MACR) should be increased and submits that the age should be raised from 10 years old to a minimum of 14 years...

This submission addresses the question of whether the age of criminal responsibility (MACR) should be increased and submits that the age should be raised from 10 years old to a minimum of 14 years old in the Australian Capital Territory.
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Safe Connections – A resource kit to support young people in care at risk of child sexual exploitation – Practice guide

The Safe Connections resource kit has been designed for use with young people at risk of or experiencing child sexual exploitation in care. Child sexual exploitation is a form of sexual abuse that can have...

A resource kit to support young people in care at risk of child sexual exploitation.
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Enabling young people’s participation in residential care decision-making – Research brief

The literature on how young people participate in decision-making in residential care identifies three main aspects of participation: being able to access information to take part in decisions that matter; having opportunities and capabilities to...

This research brief explores the importance and strategies for supporting young people’s participation in residential care decision making.
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The needs of LGBTIQ young people in out-of-home care – Research brief

Young people who are same sex attracted, trans or gender diverse – a population who will be referred to in this document as LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer/ questioning) except in particular...

This research brief provides an overview of what is known about the experience of young LGBTIQ young people in therapeutic care need and how those working with young people currently residing in and who have experience of care can be best supported.
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What is effective therapeutic care? Research brief

This research briefing is an introduction to therapeutic care as a preferred response for children and young people who have experienced complex trauma and are unable to live at home. Whilst therapeutic care programs have...

An introduction to therapeutic care as a preferred response for children and young people who have experienced complex trauma and are unable to live at home.
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A model for coaching staff in Intensive Therapeutic Care: A guide for therapeutic specialists and supervisors – Practice guide

This guide has been developed for use by Therapeutic Specialists and Supervisors who have a role in supporting and developing the practice of staff. It covers the critical elements of effective approaches to coaching in...

Written by: Noel Macnamara
A guide for Therapeutic Specialists and Supervisors who have a role in supporting and developing the practice of staff
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Creating positive social climates and home-like environments in therapeutic care – Practice guide

This guide has been developed to support the implementation of Essential Element: Physical Environments from the Ten Essential Elements of Therapeutic Care. It explores how to create therapeutic care contexts based on considerations about the...

Written by: Janise Mitchell
This guide explores how to create therapeutic care contexts based on considerations about the notion of ‘home’, key features of the physical environment and the core aspects of the social climate which are critical to establishing a home-like environment and a sense of normality for young people in care.

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    What are the 10 essential elements of the Intensive Therapeutic Care System in NSW?

    Written by: Janise Mitchell

    Concepts of ‘complexity’ and ‘evidence’ are often heard in discussions that seek to find ways to better meet the needs of traumatised young people requiring more intensive forms of care. Debates about ‘evidence-based’ versus ‘evidence-informed’ practice have emerged in policy and practice debates as everyone struggles to find ‘what works’. Similarly, debates about locally developed …

    An emerging paradigm – Welcome to our new therapeutic care blog

    Written by: Janise Mitchell

    Over the past two decades, the term therapeutic care has emerged as a new paradigm used to integrate constructs that had traditionally been considered separate – therapeutic processes and the care of young people, many of whom have experienced significant trauma and present with a range of complex needs and challenging behaviours. National and international …

    Putting theory into practice

    Written by: Noel Macnamara

    Sometimes you might wonder why you need to learn about theory. I have heard people say: “caring for kids in residential care is common sense” “theory is OK for academic’s but not for the everyday work of residential care” Residential work with young people is often conducted amidst high anxiety, uncertainty and emotion. Within …

    The role of emotions in therapeutic care

    Written by: Noel Macnamara

    The role of emotions within human service work may at first glance appear to be intuitively obvious and incontestable. Indeed, Howe (2008) described the day of a human service worker as ‘suffused with emotional content’. The role of emotions is at the core of literature regarding relationship-based practice and the separation of feelings from professionalism …

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    About us

    Why is reflection important for trauma-informed work?

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    What changes have you seen in the young people you work with?

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    How does the exposure to trauma impact on staff?

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    Welcome to responding to child sexual exploitation

    Safe Connections: How to use the resource kit

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