From a deeper look at the innovative MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ program, to sporting opportunities and support for young people post-care, we’ve got plenty of news to share in this edition of Caring Together
Through our recent survey about the newsletter, you told us you valued information on resources helping you in your caring role, and details about projects supporting those you care for.
So we’ve packed this edition with these, including new guidance on transporting young people, info about how to contribute to upcoming consultations and tips on supporting autistic children.
We know caring for children and young people is one of the most rewarding roles an adult can have – though it’s not always all smiles and laughter.
We hope this edition provides inspiration, useful information to support you and more details on how to make your voices heard as we continuously work to improve our state’s child protection and family support system.
Jackie Bray Chief Executive, Department for Child Protection
Carers Voice: listening to carers
We know listening to carers helps us make our services better. So DCP is creating new ways to hear from you – through surveys, yarning circles, and online chats.
We are putting information about these consultations on a new webpage called Carers Voice. You can find it on our website at childprotection.sa.gov.au/carers/carers-voice
Check it out for:
• information about new consultations – what we want to know, and how you can tell us
• reports on completed consultations – what we heard and what we did about it, and
• topics we plan to consult on in the future.
On Carers Voice we have been asking what you’d like to see in Caring Together. Top responses include:
• information about supports for carers
• advice on caring for children, especially if they have complex needs
• stories about other carers and children, and
• articles that recognise the reality of how hard caring can be, as well as stories that celebrate the triumphs.
Thank you very much to everyone who has given their time to respond already.
Got 5 minutes?
Tell us what you think of our newsletter for carers, Caring Together. Visit Carers Voice to complete our quick survey.
Trust supports a mum’s future
Mother of three young boys, Shannel Bartley, was in foster care from the age of seven, until she transitioned out of the system at 18. Now, 10 years on, Shannel is focused on being a great mum, alongside studying a Certificate III in Early Education and Care through TAFE.
When she found out about the Dame Roma Mitchell Trust, which supports young people with a care experience through grants to achieve personal goals or provide developmental opportunities, Shannel saw an opportunity and went for it.
The Trust helps successful applicants with items like a fridge to set up a new home, or funding for sporting or career opportunities. For Shannel, it was $900 for a computer and printer for her studies.
“I was having trouble studying,” she said. “So, I thought ‘Why not?’ and applied. Now I can study at home with my kids.”
“I went through some pretty traumatic experiences in care,” she said. “Now I have three kids of my own and have broken the cycle. I want the best for them.”
Shannel is half-way through her year-long course, and the studies are already starting to pay off. “I’ve already had some job opportunities,” she said.
Young people under the age of 30 with a care experience can apply for a Dame Roma Mitchell Trust grant from the DCP website below. The next round opens on Monday 19 August.
For more information visit: bit.ly/drmtgrants
Innovative program boosts outcomes for children and carers
New research has found an innovative program for foster families is helping build stronger relationships between siblings, improving support for foster carers and reducing social isolation.
Life Without Barriers delivers the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ program in South Australia, with funding from the Department for Child Protection.
There are six Mockingbird “constellations” in Adelaide and the Hills, which bring together local kinship and foster carers to share ideas and advice, meet for social activities and create connections among carers and children and young people in care.
Hanne Brunes, Family Liaison Officer with Life Without Barriers said the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ model works on the idea that it takes a village to raise a family.
“This village is made up of different families involved in caring for children and young people in foster care to create an extended family network that lean on, learn from and support one another like any family network would,” Hanne said.
A series of research papers has been completed on MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ in partnership with Flinders University, with the latest finding examples of siblings who did not live together forging stronger connections through the program’s activities.
“Results underscore the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ as a dynamic extended family network that meaningfully connects siblings, cousins, or close family friends within its constellations,” the study report finds.
“Sibling co-placement and contact provide crucial benefits such as emotional support, stability, shared experiences, and a sense of belonging, contributing to children’s and young people’s development, healing from trauma, and overall wellbeing.”
The study also referred to benefits for carers, including improving how capable they feel to provide care. For example, two respite carers committed to taking on the long-term care of a brother and sister after the siblings’ previous full-time placement ended.
Breaking down isolation barriers
Carer Jo Van Rooyen (pictured with husband Stefan) says foster care can at times be a lonely place to navigate, but a program in Adelaide’s west is helping turn that on its head.
“You go in bright-eyed and excited and you have all this love to give, but once you’re in it, it can become a lonely place,” Jo says, referring to the fact that friends and relatives don’t always understand the intricacies of foster care.
Life Without Barriers recently established a MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ group in Adelaide’s western suburbs.
Helen McLaren, Flinders University’s Associate Professor in the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work said the program was found to reduce carers’ risk of “compassion fatigue”, which can lead to burnout and secondary traumatic stress.
“It gives us hope that it improves stability for carers and stability in placements for children and young people,” she said.
“When this opportunity came up, I was so excited about it just for the pure fact that we can connect with people in similar situations and support each other,” Jo says.
Jo is “home hub provider” for the western suburbs “constellation” of carers, which means she supports other adults in the group and helps build the social network.
The group also allows children to find common ground with their peers.
“It normalises the fact that their family might look a bit different to all these other families,” Jo says. “(And) it’s like you’re part of a big family and can learn from each other.”
Jo and Stefan started caring for a little boy on a respite basis when their son Ethan was eight years old. About eight months later, they took on the full-time care of a girl, now aged seven.
Cover story
Studios create room to move
Young people transitioning out of care are among the beneficiaries of an innovative project helping tackle Adelaide’s housing shortfall.
The Kids Under Cover program supplies relocatable one-and-two-bedroom studios under a contract with the South Australian Housing Authority.
Under the SAHA contract, 42 studios have been funded, including some taken up by young people in care who are moving towards independence.
The studios have been assembled in the backyards of carers. Applications were made through an expressionof-interest process targeting young people aged 12-25 supported by a community service organisation and at risk of homelessness.
Among the program’s participants is the Keller family.
Peter and Laura, pictured on this edition’s cover, who have guardianship of a 17-year-old, foster two younger siblings and provide occasional and respite care for two other children. One of their adult daughters also lives in the family home.
“It just means we can breathe and have more space,” Peter said. “It’s certainly made a difference to the stress levels in the house.”
Decision-making guidance update
Updated versions of the ‘Who can say OK?’ documents have been released, incorporating feedback from family-based carers.
The updated ‘Who can say OK?’ stresses the importance of decisions being made in partnership with carers to achieve best outcomes for children and young people. Key changes include:
• highlighting the importance of the Statement of Commitment principles when DCP is making decisions in partnership with carers, and
• reference to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle as a key consideration when making decisions involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
There’s also new content about:
• NDIS planning and the need to actively involve carers throughout the NDIS process
• the involvement carers may have in Youth Court proceedings
• medical decision-making for children and young people, including decisions about administering medications, sharing medical reports and making medical appointments
• decision-making when supporting a young person to transition from care
• the roles and responsibilities of carers and DCP when navigating a child or young person’s suspension or exclusion from school, and
• decision-making for children and young people who are missing or absent from their placement.
DCP is incredibly grateful to carers who generously provided feedback and shared their experiences.
The new ‘Who can say OK?’ booklet and quick guide are available at childprotection.sa.gov.au/carers/who-cansay-ok.
Shooting for the stars
A new partnership with Netball SA has highlighted a move by DCP to better support children and young people in care to lead healthy, active lives.
In April, 18 young people in care joined 350 other children for the Hospital Research Foundation Group Adelaide Thunderbirds School Holiday Clinic at Netball SA Stadium in Mile End.
It’s hoped more will take part in future clinics as the partnership grows.
It comes after DCP and the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing (ORSR) jointly committed to pursuing activities to support the participation of children and young people in care in sports and recreation.
These were identified in consultation with staff, carers, representatives of sporting associations and clubs, and community organisations. Check the DCP Facebook page regularly for future opportunities for the children and young people in your care.
Care connections
Carers on the Eyre Peninsula recently took the opportunity to meet with Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard and share their stories at an afternoon tea in Port Lincoln.
The Minister was in town for Country Cabinet and caught up with foster and kinship carers to discuss the issues affecting them. She also met staff from KWY Aboriginal Corporation and the Department for Child Protection.
In May, the Minister celebrated the work of DCP volunteers at a special National Volunteer Week luncheon at Sunnybrae Estate in Regency Park.
Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard and DCP Chief Executive Jackie Bray with carers in Port Lincoln.
Minister Hildyard, DCP volunteer Lyn Kennedy and DCP Chief Executive Jackie Bray.
Thunderbirds Lucy Austin and Tayla Williams
Connecting carers
Carer Connect forums bring together carers with common experiences, along with key DCP staff, to share advice and support strategies.
A special Carer Connect event took place in June, jointly hosted by Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard and DCP’s Disability and Development Program. The focus of the event was supporting autistic children and young people in care.
Supporting autistic children
Many of you are caring for autistic children right now. Some of you could find yourselves with an autistic child in your care in the future. You may be questioning whether a child you are caring for is autistic.
Great care needs to be taken when making a diagnosis of autism for children in care as the responses and behaviours of a child who has experienced trauma can look very similar to autism. Case workers are supported by DCP Psychological Services regarding whether an assessment for autism should take place, the timing of assessment and the referral pathway to receive an assessment.
For carers of autistic children and young people in care, learning the child’s specific strengths and support needs usually takes a lot of trial and error, and will likely evolve over time.
DCP’s Disability and Development Program works closely with case workers to ensure autistic children and young people are connected to the NDIS where appropriate and receive adequate funding in their NDIS Plan to support their needs.
Some strategies that may assist autistic children and young people:
Build a sense of safety
• Above all else, prioritise building a sense of safety for the child or young person. A sense of safety comes through the development of trust and connection from predictable and emotionally available relationships over time.
• Part of the feeling of safety for autistic children and young people is about feeling they can be their real selves. For example, that they can move about, jiggle, flick or talk intently about their interests.
Work on managing your own stress
• One of the most challenging tasks for carers of autistic children and young people is learning how to keep calm when supporting them through big emotions and behaviours.
• Being able to pause, take a breath and respond to a challenging situation intentionally rather than reactively takes practice.
• Go easy on yourself as you work on being a safe and steady emotional ‘harbour’ when your child’s emotions are at sea.
• It’s OK if you don’t always respond in the best way, just be sure to repair with the child as soon as possible afterwards, and think about what you could do differently next time.
Make accommodations
• Whenever possible, reduce or avoid things that you know trigger the child.
• Plan ahead for events and outings.
• Overstimulation of the senses can cause overwhelm. Create calm, quiet spaces in your home that the child or young person can retreat to.
• Try to keep consistent, predictable routines.
• Visual schedules can be helpful for many autistic people.
• Adapt your communication style. Use short, clear sentences and allow time for the child to process information.
• Break down instructions into smaller steps.
Love them for who they are
• Autism is lifelong and the autistic child should not be expected to behave in typical ways.
• Encourage the child or young person to be proud of who they are.
• Stimming (making repetitive body movements or noises) is one way that some autistic people self-regulate. If it is not harming anyone, it is not something to be concerned about.
• Lean into the child’s special interests. Embrace them as catalysts for connection and learning.
Supporting individual needs
• Many autistic children have needs related to environments they spend time in. They may need headphones for noisy spaces, fidget toys to help them concentrate or visual reminders about changes or transitions.
• All autistic children and young people are unique and will have different strengths and needs.
• Depending on the child or young person’s needs, they might benefit from the some of the following professional supports:
– psychologist
– occupational therapist
– speech pathologist
– developmental educator
– paediatrician
• Your child’s case worker will work with you around choosing providers to meet the individual support needs of the child or young person in your care.
For more information, support and activities, visit the websites for:
• The Office for Autism
• Autism SA
• Yellow Ladybugs
• ‘Caring for Aboriginal children and young people with disability’ on DCP’s website
• PDA society
• We Rock the Spectrum
• Spectrum Connect
More Carer Connect forums covering a range of topics are planned for the coming months
– keep an eye on the DCP Facebook page for updates.
/ChildProtectionSA
Healing through care: a new resource
Healing through care: A yarning resource is now available for kinship carers of Aboriginal children and young people. It explores how trauma affects a child’s behaviour and development, and how we can all assist them to heal from their early life experiences within the safety of culture.
This resource has been provided to agency support workers to deliver either one-on-one with you in your home or in small yarning circles.
Healing through care is the third in a series of packages for carers developed through a collaboration between DCP and the Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF) Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care to help you to provide trauma-responsive care. Tailored online trainings for foster carers and kinship carers on Caring for Children and Young People with Trauma are available to all South Australian carers free of charge.
Are you interested in learning more about how to support a child or young person with trauma?
Online self-paced courses for foster carers and kinship carers: bit.ly/traumacaretraining
Healing through care for kinship carers of Aboriginal children: Contact your support agency for more information about how to access this new learning opportunity.
DCP thanks Aboriginal Family Support Services (AFSS), KWY Aboriginal Corporation, Martinthi (InComPro & Uniting Care Wesley Bowden) and the NPY Women’s Council for their contributions to the development of Healing through Care.
Young people join the table
Seven young people in care with an interest in politics have taken part in a round table meeting at Parliament House with Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard and DCP Chief Executive Jackie Bray.
Top of the agenda for the young people was independent living, and the smooth transition from care. Michelle*, 17, who grew up in a regional centre but now goes to school in Adelaide, said she would like to see her case worker more.
Aaron*, 15, agreed, noting that young people in regional areas may not receive the same sort of support as those in metropolitan areas.
The Minister listened to the young people’s feedback and ideas, and they were then taken on a tour of Parliament House.
*Names changed for privacy reasons
Therapeutic play in focus for kinship carers
The Department for Child Protection is helping kinship carers learn one of the most important tools for the healthy development of children in their care –therapeutic play.
Therapeutic play sessions are offered as part of DCP’s Kinship Care Learning and Development Program. They include teaching emotional regulation through breathing and mindfulness techniques using bubbles, and sensory and fine motor activities using play dough. Then there is exploring picture books, which supports speech and language development.
Vicki Whitmore attended a recent therapeutic play session with her husband Robert. The couple care for three children.
“I loved it,” she said. “Basically, any game can be turned into a therapeutic one, you just adapt the game to their ability and knowledge – even something as simple as play dough”. “I thought that’s wild; it’s something I hadn’t thought of.”
The program currently offers nine different topics across the state. Kinships carers are encouraged to ask their DCP kinship care worker about upcoming sessions that might be relevant to them.
More information is available at bit.ly/kinshiplearningprogram
From left: Jaye Moseley (Senior Project Officer), Kate Hollitt (Lead Clinician - Therapeutic Carer Support Team), Karen Daly (Kinship Care Worker), Entholine Matthews (Kinship Carer), Maria Szabó-Smith (Kinship Carer), Julianne Pellicci (Kinship Care Worker) and Kim Cocks (Kinship Carer) attended a Therapeutic Play session in May.
Carers contribute to reform work
DCP is continuing work to reform how it manages care concerns.
Feedback from more than 100 stakeholders, including family-based carers, is helping inform the design of a new care concern management process.
A proposed draft process has been developed for review and feedback from internal stakeholders. Once reviewed, the proposed process will be released for public consultation and we encourage all carers to participate.
Keep an eye out for future updates in Caring Together and on Carers Voice, on DCP’s website.
Dental health in the spotlight
The Australian Dental Foundation will host a clinic at DCP’s Gawler office during the October school holidays. If you’d like to register a child you care for, speak with your child’s case worker about the next steps.
Dental Health Week (5-11 August) also provides a reminder to check with your local SA Dental clinic or private dental provider to ensure your child is up-to-date with their oral health check-ups.
Transporting children and young people
We know that transport is an essential part of supporting children and young people in care. Carers play an important role in transporting the children and young people in their care.
DCP has developed a new fact sheet outlining guidance on transport and the support available to carers from DCP and their support providers in relation to transport.
Read previous editions of Caring Together at childprotection.sa.gov.au/carers/caring-together
The fact sheet and a video version of the information can be accessed at bit.ly/transporting-cyp. Your foster care support worker or kinship care worker can also support you with understanding what to do.
