Vicarious Trauma
Mar 2022
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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....
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...
This guide has been developed to support Therapeutic Specialists and Supervisors in Intensive Therapeutic Care in NSW in their development and support of staff. It is a companion to the...
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...
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...
Reflective Practice is one of the 10 Essential Elements of Intensive Therapeutic Care. This guide has been developed to support Therapeutic Specialists to engage staff in critical Reflective Practice -...
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....
The NSW Government has undertaken major reforms over the past two years aimed at improving outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care. Following a review by Verso Consulting...
The move to independent living is challenging for any young person, requiring the exercise of many new skills and navigation of a range of social institutions with which they may...
Sometimes you might wonder why you need to learn about theory. I have heard people say: Residential work with young people is often conducted amidst high anxiety, uncertainty and...
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...
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...
This research briefing provides an overview of the current literature reporting on young people who engage in harmful sexual behaviours. Workers at the front line of practice have known for...
Young people who are in, or have been in out-of-home care, particularly those with experience of living in residential care, are vulnerable to a number of negative outcomes, including having...
In 2016, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Australia noted that Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) was a significant issue of concern for children and young...
For recovery and healing to occur in therapeutic residential care, there must be synergy or “congruence” between residential workers, the organisational culture and all other stakeholders in meeting the needs...
After four years working in residential care, both on the floor and as a clinician, I wanted to better understand what stability really means for young people in residential care?...
What follows is a mixture of tips, reminders, encouragement and hopefully a little bit of inspiration. Start with your “why" - Knowing your why is a key essential to success...
Sarah is 14 and has been in placement for 18 months. She lives in a residential house with two boys and one girl. The boys display aggressive behaviours and are...
This resource was developed to provide a range of tips and insights on supporting young people during the COVID pandemic. It covers a range orf areas across Realstionships and staying...
How do we keep to the therapeutic care principles of safety, consistency, predictability, and routine in a world that feels like it has turned upside down overnight? It’s near impossible!...
There is a nexus between living in Out of Home Care (OOHC) and being involved with the criminal justice system. In NSW children and young people in OOHC have been...
What creates high quality therapeutic residential care? This is the question often asked of agencies, of staff, of policy makers and of the young people themselves. There is no simple...
The research is clear: young people do not fare well when they leave care. Study after study, both in Australia and internationally, tells us that our care leavers are more...
Curiosity is something that has excited me my whole life. I am sure a lot of you share my fascination and enthusiasm for curiosity. There seems to be wide support...
At the recent Therapeutic Specialist’s forum, there was lots of discussion about the concept of physical and relational safety in Intensive Therapeutic Care (ITC). We all agreed that it is...
This blog is to introduce my recent research with therapeutic residential workers. Further blogs and practice guides relating to finding, keeping, acknowledging and celebrating the best person for the job...
Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), Australian young people should be assured the right to express their views freely in all matters that affect...
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;...
In this blog, I’m keen to offer practitioners in therapeutic residential care some ideas about how to involve young people in decisions that affect their lives. Many young people in...
In this video, we talk to Vanessa Farrell Therapeutic Care Manager at Anglicare. I had the opportunity to hear Vanessa speak at a recent Therapeutic Specialist Community of Practice on...
When it comes to the sexual exploitation of children, most Australians tend to view it as a problem that exists somewhere else. However, those of us working in Intensive Therapeutic...
Isaac is 15 years old, about 6ft tall, and you know when he is in the room. Isaac lives in his house with one other young person. Isaac experiences the...
An inability to understand trauma-based behaviours often sees young people 'labelled' in ways that can create a 'spiral of negativity'. A trauma-informed approach orients us to be curious about what...
Tahlia is a 16-year-old young woman who likes to be in complete control of her world at all times. She is as strong, articulate and as sassy as they come....
A care team approach is an essential element of therapeutic care. This guide has been developed to support the practice of collaboration and participation through Care Team processes of which...
The intention of trauma-informed practice and care is an increased understanding of how present behaviours and difficulties can be understood in the context of past trauma. The approach offers a...
Therapeutic residential work can be conceptualised as a dance. It works best when therapeutic workers display therapeutic presence, are in sync with the young person, can making meaning of the...
Voice and choice can be an extremely difficult concept in Intensive Therapeutic Care to get right. We know participation is a right, not a privilege, and we also know young people...
Some of the young people we care for in the ITC programs deal with emotional distress and pain by hurting themselves physically. Young people hurting themselves is distressing to them...
Cultural Safety is used by organisations alongside Cultural Competency and Cultural Responsiveness to demonstrate their commitment to work and provide services which are welcoming and respectful of another person’s culture....
We can see each of our daily interactions with each of the young people we care for as bids for connection and opportunities for change. By choosing to turn toward,...
Indigenous children and young people face unique challenges in the child welfare system. The dimensions of this problem are complex and multifaceted. Providing culturally safe and traumainformed therapeutic care to...
Can the friendships and connections that can develop in Intensive Residential Care be nurtured and grown rather than feared? I would like you to take a moment to think back...
Recently I had the privilege of being invited to the 50th Birthday party for twins, Karen and Sharon Lovett who initially came into care at 4 months. I was fortunate...
Many young people in out-of-home care are at an elevated risk of self-harm and suicidality. The reasons range from early exposure to abuse, disconnection from family, instability of their living...
In 2019 and 2020, a group of young people with firsthand experience in out-of-home care joined PhD candidate Meaghan Vosz to research the practices associated with ‘giving due weight’ to...
It’s all too easy to get wrapped up in the fun and happiness of Christmas and forget that, for others, the season isn’t necessarily a joyful one. For some the...
My work as a Therapeutic Specialist is about finding ways to equip and support staff to provide high-quality therapeutic care for young people living in Intensive Therapeutic Care homes. It...
This guide has been developed to describe the 10 Essential Elements that form the basis for Intensive Therapeutic Care (ITC) service provision in NSW. The 10 Essential Elements have been...
As far back as 2002 in the creation of the Catalyst Program, Mitchell developed what was Australia’s first therapeutic foster care program and one of a handful of pioneering programs...
It is generally accepted that child welfare professionals are at high risk of experiencing vicarious trauma: the manifestation of traumatic symptoms resulting from working with individuals who, themselves, have encountered...
Young people living in residential care are highly vulnerable and have commonly experienced a significant level of trauma and abuse. They often present with complex needs and a range of...
Research shows how profoundly influenced we are by other people’s emotional states and how rapidly our interpersonal affective responses occur, and how dynamically our physiology responds to others’ emotional states....
This resource has been developed to support professionals to unpack and plan how to respond to identified behaviours that are concerning, challenging and disruptive for young people in their search...
Why do young people in out of home care self-harm? What are the best predictors of suicide and self-harm? What really works when supporting young people who self-harm in out-of-home...
Since 2018, Cate Keady has worked within the Department of Communities and Justice to establish and manage the Intensive Support Services Elver Program - in partnership with South Western Sydney...
Trained staff and consistent rostering are essential elements of therapeutic residential care. The purpose of this guide is to consider more broadly what makes an excellent therapeutic residential care worker...
In September 2020 Mohita Kapoor, the NSW State Coordinator for the CREATE Foundation was invited to speak at our Therapeutic Specialist forum for those working within the Intensive Therapeutic Care...
In late 2020, the Advocate for Children Young People (ACYP) shared their first report dedicated exclusively to the unique lived experiences of young people with disability. They asked 370 children...
In this blog, I explore the relationship between neuroscience and leadership. The latest research in neuroscience tells us that our neurobiology is what drives our behaviour and defines how we,...
In the previous blog, we discussed how easy it is for the supervisor/supervisee relationship to be consciously or sub-consciously ambushed by power/defensive game play. Kadushin (1968) described games as repetitive...
Peta had worked in residential care for 18 months. She took the position because she had had a difficult childhood and she felt that she had a lot to offer...
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...
Children and young people living in Therapeutic Residential Care in Australia often present with a range of behaviours that challenge us. The complexity and difficulty in working with these challenging...
In the first part of the Blog, we explored limit and expectation setting, maintaining a state of occupancy and the planning process for a successful transition. In part two of...
This is a two-part blog and will focus on the transition of young people into an Intensive Therapeutic Care house; however, most of the content is transferrable to other placement...
Last week, we launched our new Responding to Child Sexual Exploitation online training resource for caseworkers, residential workers, house supervisors and managers, therapeutic specialists and organisational leaders working in out...
Much of the available research regarding the sexual exploitation of children and young people is explored through the prism of victim as female and perpetrator as male. As a result,...
Over the last few years, there has been an increase in the profile and awareness of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE). Undoubtedly there is a benefit of increased awareness and understanding...
Last month, 40 Therapeutic Specialists from a range of organisation’s gathered in Sydney for the annual Intensive Therapeutic Care (ITC) Therapeutic Specialist Forum. Across two days participants engaged in workshops,...
Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, TikTok, WeChat, Instagram – as common as these social media platforms and many others are, most of us are still learning the best ways to use (or...
Social media can be a powerful and valuable tool for communication, engagement and promotion, offering convenience and communication opportunities in many instances. But social media can also raise questions around...
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...
This NAIDOC week, I have spent some time listening to the new, 4-part podcast series called “More Than Just a Kid in Care”. Written, produced and edited by young people...
Whilst the following Arabian proverb takes a bit to get your head around it leads rather nicely into this blog and our brief introduction on the relevance of the conscious...
Lockdown means we lose touch with many things: friends, family, freedom. For young people, therapeutic youth workers and other staff in Intensive Therapeutic Care, however, it also offers an opportunity...
Children and young people need adults who can co-regulate with them and teach them about feelings and their inner world. This Trauma Informed Relationship-Based Recovery Reflection tool can be used...
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)....
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...
"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...
Client mix and the process of client matching is one of the 10 Essential Elements underpinning the Intensive Therapeutic Care (ITC) system in New South Wales. This guide has been...
Relationship-based practice is at the core of effective therapeutic care. Key to understanding how to build effective relationships with young people who have experienced trauma is to understand how the...
This research briefing aims to define and clarify what trauma, complex trauma and trauma informed care are. Extensive literature has now surmised that exposure to adverse experiences such as child...
Consent education will be mandatory in Australian schools from 2023, a win for Chanel Contos’ #teachusconsent movement and all young people who have called out a lack of holistic consent and sexuality...
“Childhood trauma has the potential to interrupt the normal physical, physiological, emotional, mental and intellectual development, of children and can have wide-ranging, and often life-long implications for their health and...
Working with young people who engage in harmful sexual behaviour is complex and challenging. Cyra Fernandes and Dan Howell have spent over a 1000 hours in the past year helping carers and professionals...
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...
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...
Dr Perry and Oprah Winfrey recently released What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience and Recovery. The book tells the story of how adverse childhood experiences cause deep emotional...
Many of you will have experienced something like the following… A residential worker is observing two young people playing table tennis in the rear yard of the residential unit. One...
The wisdom of lived experience: Learning from adults who were once children in care Lisa Cherry is an author, researcher and leading international trainer and consultant, specialising in assisting schools,...
This blog is written by Lisa Cherry. Lisa is an author and a leading international trainer and consultant, specialising in assisting those in Education, Social Care and Adoption and Fostering...
Today is IDAHOBIT day! International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia & Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) celebrates LGBTQIA+ people globally and raises awareness for the work still needed to combat discrimination. LGBTQIA+ Australians...
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?...
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....
This guide has been developed to support Therapeutic Care carers and staff to navigate the critical balance between empowering children and young people and setting limits. One of the most...
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...
This guide has been developed to describe and support the enactment of the role of the Therapeutic Specialist. The guide provides an overview of the role of the Therapeutic Specialist...
This guide has been developed to support organisational congruence and in the provision of trauma informed therapeutic care and the critical need for a well-supported, capable, and stable staff group...
In Australia, there are about 18 thousand children and young people in foster care. Most foster carers will be the first to tell you how rewarding it is – but...
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,...
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...
Recent research was conducted by the Southern Cross University and the Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care (McPherson, Gatwiri, Day, Parmenter, Mitchell & Macnamara, 2022) into the experience of kinship...
Lyn was 16 and had grown up in foster and residential care. Lyn was interviewed about her experience and views about out of home care. She was extremely positive about...
You might have seen recent ads about the risks of consuming alcohol in pregnancy and might be wondering why this issue is suddenly a focus in the media. “Every moment...
First Nations children's rights activist and 2022 International Childhood Trauma Conference speaker Cindy Blackstock recently said that adults need to trust children with the truth. "They can handle it," Blackstock...
Kevin Creeden, Director of Assessment and Research at Whitney Academy Massachusetts and a speaker at the 2022 International Child Trauma Conference said in recent training, “If you don’t feed the...
Our Cultural Governance Panel is chaired by Emeritus Professor Judy Atkinson, a Jiman/Bundjalung Aboriginal woman, and comprises Aboriginal leaders from across NSW and other states in Australia including Cultural Advisor,...
Lena Ford is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker who has worked in the field of children, youth, and families for more than 20 years, in both government and community...
“No one knows what it is like to care for a child in trauma until they have cared for a child in trauma,” said Noel MacNamara in one of his...
About Applicants can be based anywhere within Australia The stipend and top up are tax free An Australian first of its kind, large-scale mixed-methods study The opportunity About you What...
Remember that time when you put the child you care for back to bed for the fourth time? Your thoughts suggested a level of desperation and wishful thinking, hoping that...
A new report released by the NSW Advocate for Children and Young People, Zoë Robinson, calls on the government to listen and respond to the voices of children and young...
What are Compassion and Self-Compassion?Compassion is the ability to feel and connect with the suffering of another human being, self-compassion is the ability to feel and connect with one’s own...
We did not and am still not receiving support requested or needed. Case managers or staff change without us being informed. Phone messages left at their offices and drop in...
For children and young people that have experienced trauma abuse and neglect, the presence of positive, safe, and attuned relationships can be significant in supporting their recovery. Actions that promote...
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...
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...
In this month’s Community of Practice workshop, we explored the additional challenges that LGBTQIA+ young people face in care, reflecting on how to provide a secure base in care and...
How old were you when you moved out of home for the first time? Did you continue to get support from home, perhaps for an emergency loan, help to file...
In almost every session I have run for foster and kinship carers, someone tells a story about a child or young person in their care who regularly lies. I can feel...
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...
Many 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...
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...
Working in out-of-home care means being busy. We often have more work than we can reasonably manage. It’s also difficult to help others when there’s so much emotion and chaos...
You have opened your homes and your hearts to children who are unable to live with their parents. You want to help them access a better life. To feel safe,...
Relationships with family come with good times and challenges for everyone, but for children and young people in care, this birthright of family connection can often be deprioritised for the...
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...
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...
The CETC is thrilled to announce our new online course “Caring for Children and Young People with Trauma” is now live and free for all South Australian kinship and foster...
Last week, we were privileged to have Dr Jacynta Krakouer lead a training session on building cultural connections for First Nations children and young people in out-of-home care to a...
"Let’s talk about the summer holiday, even though I’m in detention in was still fun aye. Because it was so hot, there was no time to use the indoor gym...
Can we provide trauma-informed care for children without changing our beliefs about their behaviour?
This blog article was written by Noel Macnamara, Executive Manager - Research and Policy and Deputy Director, Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care, CETC. There is a growing tendency to...
This blog article was written by Tayla Howard (she/her), Team Leader of Therapeutic Services and OurSPACE NSW at Australian Childhood Foundation. June is recognised as Pride Month, a time of...
Care Home Flickering’s SearchingFor unconditional love,Away from horrorsOf night time wanderings;Boys and girls lookingfor comfort inall the wrong places.Pushing,Fighting a slow death,One mosaic piece at aTime, wide eyed wonderingIf someone would...
This blog article was written by Glenys Bristow, Senior Specialist, Therapeutic Residential Care, CETC. Restrictive practice in therapeutic care The Royal Commision into Violence, Abuse and Exploitation of People with...
Foster carers are a crucial human resource in responding to children and young people who have experienced abuse, neglect, and trauma. The design and implementation of foster care programs varies...
Being in out-of-home care (OOHC) often means loss: loss of parents, siblings, extended family, pets, home, school, and friends. Grief is a normal and healthy response to loss. Children can...
Fear is a fundamental human emotion triggered by a perceived threat. It serves as a basic survival mechanism that signals our bodies to respond to danger with a fight, flight,...
Not everyone is suited to being a therapeutic residential worker. Working in therapeutic care requires special skills and qualities, some that can be taught or mentored, and others that are...
In honour of FASD Awareness Month this September, the CETC brought together esteemed thought leaders Dr Julia Shekleton, Prue Walker, and Noel Macnamara to delve into the complex intersection between...
The most difficult aspect of working in residential care is not managing the behavioural challenges of the children and young people, the demanding shifts, or the lack of resources. Rather,...
Foster Care Week, observed from September 10-16, is an annual celebration acknowledging the incredible contribution our volunteer foster carers make to the lives of children in out-of-home care. The theme...
Foster Care Week 2023, celebrated from September 10-16, is an annual celebration of foster carers and their supporters for the contributions they make to the lives of children, young people,...
The Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care (CETC) is engaged in ongoing research to understand how positive, trusting relationships and social connections can be fostered for young people in Therapeutic...
CareSouth was recently awarded the Outstanding Therapeutic Residential Care Team Award at Youth Action NSW's Youth Work Awards. The CETC proposed the new Outstanding Therapeutic Residential Care Team award category...
Christmas, for many, is an exciting time of year. However, for some children and young people, particularly those who have experienced attachment difficulties, trauma and/or adverse childhood events, Christmas can...
Alternative Care Arrangements are the symptom of a care system in crisis ACAs have no place in a modern trauma-informed and child-centred out-of-home care system. The retention of foster carers...
For children with complex trauma, the out-of-home care sector is more often reactive rather than proactive or preventative. Not many programs exist to provide significant early intervention support, as opposed...
Over the recent decades, we have seen leaps in research and practice promoting the importance of taking a holistic trauma-informed approach to caring for children and young people with trauma....
One of our most frequent requests at the CETC is for more training on how to respond to the behaviours of young people in out-of-home care that caregivers can find...
What comes to mind when you think about the child protection or youth justice system? Protection and safeguarding? Rehabilitation? Trauma-informed care? These two complex and often interacting systems are intended...
The 2nd of April is World Autism Awareness Day, celebrating and promoting understanding and inclusiveness of people on the autism spectrum. In out-of-home care, neurodiversity is a highly prevalent and...
The care of young people in detention has been a focus in the media both in Australia and overseas. Media reports have highlighted inadequate levels of care and abuse of...
The focus of this submission The Australian Childhood Foundation and Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care (CETC) are dedicated to upholding the rights of children and helping them to heal...
As a clinician supporting young people who engage in harmful sexual behaviour, I have the privilege of travelling across the northern region of Victoria and engaging with many residential workers....
Over the past year, the Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care has launched its first blended learning program, CHC40521 - Certificate IV in Youth Justice.Dan Howell, Senior Manager for Training,...
The Create Voices in Action conference was held in Adelaide in March 2024. Three compelling voices at the conference belonged to Professor Suzie Attiwill and Create Consultants Hayley and Ella. ...
Recently I listened to the Brené Brown podcast Unlocking Us episode from 20th March 2024, where she spoke with Esther Perel on the new “AI” – Artificial Intimacy. There were...
A few years ago, I met Rhett when he was collaborating with the Advocate for Children and Young People on a report about experiences of Aboriginal children and young people...
In July 2023 we asked for your help to better understand how ‘restrictive practices’ were understood and interpreted in therapeutic residential care (TRC) across Australia. Through a blog on our...
Over the past 18 months, we have been asking ourselves how online training can help meet the knowledge and support needs of foster and kinship carers. What are the benefits...
At the CETC, we know how important it is to listen and learn from residential care workers about what works for young people in care. Recently, we interviewed several residential...
We are excited to announce Professor Lynne McPherson's appointment as Chair of Out-of-Home Care Research. This Chair role, the first of its kind in Australia, is a joint position funded...
Having meaningful conversations with children and young people in out-of-home care about consent, while critically important, can be tricky. These consent conversations need to keep both young people and carers...
The Australian Institute of Family Studies recently released a report titled Improving the Safety and Wellbeing of Vulnerable Children: A Consolidation of Systemic Recommendations and Evidence. This report aims to...
Phase 1: Policy Analysis This document presents an overview of the findings from Phase 1 of the Strengthening Relationships and Connections in Therapeutic Residential Care project. This phase focused on analysing...
At this week’s National Kinship, Permanent and Foster Care conference held in Melbourne, the experiences of pleasure and pain faced by kinship carers were clearly evident. Amidst the stories of love and...
Working with trauma-impacted children and young people can be exhausting and overwhelming. This feeling is often compounded by not having the resources to help these children and young people in...
The Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care (CETC) is confounded, disappointed and seriously concerned about the Victorian Government’s backflip on raising the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility (MACR) in Victoria....
As I approach seven years in the out-of-home care (OOHC) sector, my journey has taken me from studying Early Childhood and Primary Teaching, to pursuing Criminal Justice, and eventually earning...
Last week, CETC facilitated an insightful panel about trauma-informed care and young people in youth detention. CETC welcomed Joanne O’Connor, Associate Professor Tim Moore and Murray Robinson to share their...
Today in Australia, the preference for and growth of kinship care has meant that the majority of children in out-of-home care are now placed in relative or kinship care arrangements...
In Australia, children and young people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in out-of-home care are at critically greater risk of getting involved with the youth justice system. The issues...
Online gambling is a significant risk for young people, particularly those in out-of-home care. The Australian Government is currently considering its response to the 31 recommendations from the parliamentary inquiry...
You’re probably familiar with the five basic senses: taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing. But did you know there are three additional 'hidden' senses that we use constantly to guide...
Harmful sexual behaviours displayed throughout childhood development is a serious and complex problem. This issue has sustained increased attention from policymakers following the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child...
The Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care (CETC) has submitted its response to the Senate Inquiry into Australia’s Youth Justice and Incarceration System. This submission highlights the urgent need for...
Control-seeking behaviours are one of the most common challenges in caring for children and young people impacted by abuse, neglect, and violence. Children and young people will communicate their need...
The past year has seen alarming regressions across Australia in youth justice policy, with some governments moving towards more punitive measures and stepping back from evidence-based reforms like raising the...
The 21st-27th of October is OT Week, honouring the vital role of occupational therapists in improving lives across Australia. This year’s theme, "Celebrating 80 Years of Connection," highlights how occupational...
In August 2024, the Australian Children’s Commissioner released the report ‘Help Way Earlier!' How Australia can transform child justice to improve the safety and wellbeing of children. The report investigates...
As we near the close of 2024, many of us look forward to a break from work or study, while others prepare for the extended school holidays. For children and...
In a world dominated by instant, swipeable, and disappearing photos—where Snapchat, TikTok, and digital galleries rule—the humble printed photo may feel a bit “retro.” But during a recent visit to...
How is therapeutic residential care constructed within key policy documents?by Lynne McPherson, Antonia Canosa, Kathomi Gatwiri, Donnah Anderson, Kylie Day, Robbie Gilligan, Anne Graham, Janise Mitchell, Tim Moore and Meaghan Vosz.Australian Journal of Social Issues, 00, 1–20. 21 October, 2024....
The iconic opening line of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities perfectly sums up the whirlwind that was this year at CETC: Through the ups and downs of 2024,...
November 30 is the International Day of Consent. We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge a fantastic year working collaboratively across ACF, CETC with OzChild on the When...
The concept of organisations as living systems is not new. Extensive work, particularly in the area of systems thinking, has brought this perspective into the limelight.Out-of-home care (OOHC) organisations are...