Cyra Fernandes

Cyra is our Senior Specialist, Therapeutic Residential Care. Her work with the CETC is focused on evolving understanding and education around harmful sexual behaviours and sexual exploitation. More recently she is also interested in understanding the needs of children and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in out-of-home care and exploring how to best meet their needs Cyra Fernandes is a social worker and family therapist with extensive experience in working with children, young people and their families. For the past eighteen years, she has been working for the Australian Childhood Foundation in clinical, management and project roles. She has a wealth of experience in managing therapeutic out-of-home care programs and is a national leader in therapeutic work with children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours. She co-authored an article with Dr Russell Pratt exploring the role of pornography in young people’s sexually abusive behaviour. Cyra lives on Wurundjeri country and likes to spend her time walking and running in the beautiful bush and forest area surrounding her home.