2022 Winter Newsletter

NEWSLETTER WINTER EDITION

Acknowledgement of Country 2

FCAWA FCAWA Staff Board Director Chairperson Fay Alford Larrissa Whiskin Team Leader | Senior Social Worker Vice Chair Advocacy & Support Officer Ann Hawke Rebecca Mann Board Member Senior Social Worker Advocacy Dion Gliddon & Support Officer Rachel Jones Board Member Janene Heron Senior Social Worker Advocacy & Support Officer Board Member Cassie Walton John Leone Carer & Family Support Worker Board Member Kim Lee Kate McAuslane Carer & Family Support Worker Board Member Anna Neri Natasha Rainbow Carer & Family Support Worker Board Member Natalee Payne Sue House Office Manager Helen Dale Marketing & Communications Consultant Freddie Povey 3

Business As Usual I begrudge having to go to work on sunny to recruit and retain foster care families. The winter mornings when my garden is beckoning expectation around parenting skills required for company and attention. I am losing the to manage the behavioural complexities that battle with the winter rain-fed grasses and come through a carer’s door continues to far dandelions on my native verge. Ho hum ... exceed the parenting capacity of most of us in another first-world problem to ponder. the general community. The systems trauma and long-term psychological consequences Unfortunately, often there are bigger this can create for children, workers and heartbreaks and devastations to jolt us back especially carers managing the 24/7, can be to reality. Whether these events be local, significant. Carers Week, 16-22 August, is the regional, individual, or universal, global time we stop, reflect, and thank our family & communications and social media (whilst foster carer community for going above and giving us the benefit of staying informed) beyond, for opening their homes and their means our day-to-day sense of wellbeing can hearts to care for the most vulnerable children be negatively affected, particularly if we have in our community. FCAWA is hosting a Carers family and friends who are being impacted by Week Brunch celebration for our members such events. Recent world events including with a river view and fabulous guest speakers. war-torn Ukraine, the USA overturning the 1973 Roe v Wade constitutional rights to Now to the core Advocacy Team business liberty (Abortion), the latest wave of COVID19, actioned during autumn with tasks pending along with racial, gender and sexual inequality to round off the flu season. The list on the and discrimination and climate change, all following pages features updates in practise continue to impact the lives of many. and current events affecting the child protection and fostering community in WA. Closer to home, having just visited the carer Look out for the progression of these ideas, regions of Albany, Port Hedland and Karratha, collaborations, and upcoming events on our the Advocacy Team noted ongoing historical FCAWA Facebook page Foster Care Association placement issues around cultural significance of Western Australia Inc and Website www. and a lack of timely and or local access to fcawa.com.au. therapeutic support services for children in care. Some of these issues are more indicative Stay in touch with your carer community to fostering in regional communities and and remember FCAWA remains open and logistically and financially, harder to resource accessible, in person, by phone on 9242 4222 and resolve. Other issues, like carer respite and by Teams Meetings where needed. options for day, school vacations or to cover specific placement needs are becoming more Kindness is free. Together we Care. difficult to source. Rachel Jones A lack of general, family, and high-needs Senior Social Worker Advocacy placements is a problem for the fostering & Support Officer system across both metro and the regions. When large departments experience 4 major change and there is local and global uncertainty, it is a harder context in which

FCAWA Inter-Agency Meetings • In May, FCAWA’s Director, Fay Alford, Team Leader and Senior Social Worker Advocacy & Support Officer, Rebecca Mann and Marketing & Communications Consultant, Freddie Povey attended Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC) to meet with a group of Year 9 students regarding a community service project they were embarking on that focussed on foster care. The plan is for the students to create and build an app for foster carers that would provided carers with user-friendly, useful, and up-to-date information regarding all aspects of foster care. The information and discussion were a starting point for the student’s research and FCAWA looks forward to working together with them in the development of the app. • FCAWA’s Director Fay, and Senior Social Worker Advocacy & Support Officers, Rebecca and Rachel, met with Renee Gioffre, Regional Manager, Specialist Child Protection Unit, Kimberley Region. Renee is undertaking an ‘Unendorsed Placement Project’ and consulted with FCAWA seeking feedback of our experience in this area. The purpose of the project is to identify ways in which the Department of Communities can support and work with unendorsed placements, recommending outcomes to be implemented across all districts. The Northern Territory have been successful in managing this cohort of children in care. • Fay, Rebecca and Rachel met with Karen Webb from the Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF) regarding the development of OHCS - Spell This Out for their agency. Further discussion were had around the need for additional therapeutic / specialised placements in the fostering sector aligning with ACF’s therapeutic skill set. • Fay and Rebecca met with Rainie Zhang, Project Officer from Midland District who was seeking to gain a better understanding of FCAWA and the supports and services that are offered to carers throughout the State. Further discussion included local recruitment ideas and retention of current carers. FCAWA suggested that Rainie link in with local community groups, churches and schools to develop links to local organisations. 5

FCAWA Regional Carer & District Meets & Greets May 2022 The first half of each year is when FCAWA tries to visit as many regional districts, and meet with carer groups both government and non-government, as weather and funding allows. FCAWA hosted a lunch for Albany carers at the lovely Handasyde Strawberry Farm in May. FCAWA Director, Fay Alford and Senior Social Worker Advocacy & Support Officer, Rachel Jones, had the pleasure of meeting 25 of the district’s family and general foster carers and learning about their unique fostering journeys. Fay and Rachel were able to provide the carers with some beautiful, donated children’s quilts, Covid care packs, children’s pillow and book sets, and resource information. It is always a highlight of our advocacy and support work to meet with regional carer groups, to hear their voices, have an opportunity to identify systems gaps and issues, explore resolutions, then provide feedback to districts with the view to promoting stronger relationships. We also met with the local District Office, including newly appointed District Director, Mel Curran, Assistant District Director, Kellie Jaworski and their welcoming staff, all committed to making a positive mark in their carer community. In FCAWA’s experience, better outcomes for children in care are possible when carers, and workers both have a good understanding of, and respect for, each other’s role and responsibilities. 6

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FCAWA Regional Carer & District Meets & Greets June 2022 FCAWA Senior Social Worker Advocacy & Support Officers, Rebecca Mann and Rachel Jones visited the Karratha and Port Hedland District Offices on the 20th and 21st of June. The purpose of our visits was to engage with as many carers from the Pilbara region as possible. Rebecca and Rachel met with carers at the Karratha district office over afternoon tea, also having the opportunity to meet with some district staff. The following morning Rebecca and Rachel drove up to Port Hedland and met with carers over morning tea at the Youth Involvement Council. This provided carers with the opportunity to debrief and share their experiences in a neutral environment. Carers spoke positively about being able to get together with other carers to simply catch up and debrief. FCAWA provided carers with handmade quilts and clothing for children in care as well as resources and books for carers to refer to. We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Pilbara and working alongside carers to ensure that they feel supported and heard, as well as providing better outcomes for the children they care for. 8

Carer Family Support Update The Carer Family Support team have been busy FCAWA also recently hosted an Information this winter, connecting with carers, hosting Session at the Hamersley Community events, and planning a whole lot more! Recreation Centre, with Services Austraila’s Grandparent Foster Kinship Carer Adviser, Connecting with Carers and Financial Information Service Officer as guest speakers. Their insight and ability As Carer Family Support Workers, we are to assist carers in navigating the Centrelink passionate about providing relevant and system, identifying relevant services, and inclusive opportunities for carers to access accessing payments tailored to individual services that meet their needs, on both a family circumstances, was invaluable. A big community and individual level. We have thanks to Michelle and Darsh from Services continued to enjoy meeting new carers, and Australia, and all carers who made it on the re-connecting with others who have previously day. accessed our ongoing phone and home-visit support service. Meeting you, our fabulous Foster Carers Week 15th – 21st August 2022: carers, building real relationships, and sharing in the roller coaster ride of your fostering The FCAWA team are in the process of journeys’ highs and lows, sits at the core of planning to celebrate Foster Carers’ Week, our service delivery. Please remember, that which is an annual event held in recognition you don’t need to be a specific issue to speak of foster carers state-wide, the significant role with a Carer Family Support Workers and you you all perform within the community, and don’t have to wait for the next FCAWA event your commitment to meeting the needs of to do so. To access this service, have a chat WA’s most vulnerable children. The theme for on the phone, meet for a coffee somewhere, Carer’s Week 2022 has a focus on nurture for or arrange a home visit, just give us a call on our carers, because you are the people who 08 9242 4222, or email us at carersupport@ have put your hands up and volunteered your fcawa.com.au. We are here for you! time, homes, lives, and love for WA’s children in need. Hosting Events Together with Australian Childhood FCAWA’s Legal Seminar, brought to you at Foundation, FCAWA will be hosting a brunch the beginning of June, was a great success. on Friday, 19th August in the Optus Stadium Toni McAllen’s wealth of knowledge and River View Room, with sweeping views of the information, which has accumulated across a Swan River and Perth City. The Carer Family 30-year span in family law, including eight years Support team are also hosting a Carers Week with the Department for Communities’ Child morning tea on Tuesday, 16th August at the Protection Legal Unit, provided carers with Blue Lotus Café, located inside Waldecks a greater understanding of Child Protection Stirling. We hope to see you there! legislation and court processes. It was great to see carers engaging with Toni during the Kim, Anna & Natalee seminar and with each other at break times. Carer Family Support Workers A And let’s not forget the delicious lunch put on by Cupid Catering! Altogether it was a fantastic 9 day. Thanks to all carers who attended this special event.

Member Discounts The Carer Family Support team have been busy sourcing Member Partners to add to our ever- growing list of businesses who offer discounts and perks for FCAWA Members. Member Partners are promoted through FCAWA’s website, social media, and newsletters. Carers can produce their FCAWA membership card and photo ID at venues to take advantage of offers. Our newest Member Partner is Spud Shed, who is offer a 5% discount on all purchases for FCAWA’s Members. Please see our website for all Member Partners’ details and offers, which can be found in the Membership tab under Member Discounts: https://www.fcawa.com.au/membership/member_ discounts. 10

2022 Achiever Awards August – September, Conception Season The annual Achiever Awards provide financial assistance to young people aged 15 to 25 years who have been in the care of the Department of Communities and are undertaking further education and training. More than 500 young people have been recognised through this program since its inception in 1990. On Tuesday the 2nd August the 2022 annual Achiever Awards were held at Hackett Hall, WA Museum Boola Bardip Perth Cultural Centre. FCA staff – Fay Alford, Rebecca Mann and Rachel Jones had the pleasure of attending the awards, witnessing 25 successful young people being acknowledged for their hard work and ongoing commitment to furthering their education and training. The awards were presented by the Hon. Simone McGurk Minister for Child Protection; Women’s Interests; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Community Services and the West Australian Premier, Hon. Mark McGowan. It was wonderful to see so many young people, their carers and their workers from the Department come together and show their support. Award categories were: • University Achiever Award • Registered Training Achiever Award • Apprenticeship or Traineeship Achiever Award • Community Spirit Award 11

Aboriginal Seasons Djilba First Spring August – September, Conception Season Djilba season is a time to look for the yellow and cream flowers starting en mass. Djilba is a transitional time of the year, with some very cold and clear days combining with warmer, rainy, and windy days mixing with the occasional sunny day or two. This is the start of the massive flowering explosion that happens in the Southwest. This starts with the yellow flowering plants such as the Acacias. Also colours that are around at this time of year are creams, combined with some vivid and striking blues. Traditionally, the main food sources included many of the land based grazing animals as in the season before. These included the Yongar (kangaroo), the Waitj (emu) and the Koomal (possum). As the days start to warm up, we start to see and hear the first of the new borns with their proud parent out and about providing them food, guiding them through foraging tasks and protecting their family units from much bigger animals, including people. The woodland birds will still be nest bound, hence the swooping protective behaviour of the Koolbardi (Magpie) starts to ramp up and if watched closely, so to do the Djidi-Djidi (Willy Wag Tails) and the Chuck-a-luck (Wattle Birds) to name a couple of others. As the season progresses and the temperatures continue to rise, we’ll start to see the flower stalks of the Balgas (Grass Trees) emerging in preparation for the coming Kambarang season. 12

Grandparent Foster & Kinship Carer Advisers Support for grandparents, foster carers, kinship carers and other non-parent carers of children Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers provide extra support for formal and informal carers who provide ongoing care for children. They can help you with all of the following: You may be eligible for other payments and services. Contact us to discuss your circumstances. • getting tailored information about payments and support services based on your family circumstances We have specialist staff available to provide additional support to your family, including: • arranging appointments with specialist staff, • social workers including social workers • Financial Information Service Officers • Indigenous Service Officers • getting referrals to federal, state and community • Multicultural Service Officers service providers • Community Engagement Officers. • accessing Medicare, Child Support and Centrelink Next steps information and payments. For more information about Payments and services assistance available for grandparent, foster and kinship carers, go to If you’re a non-parent carer of children and live in the servicesaustralia.gov.au/grandparentcarers or same house as a parent, you may not be eligible for servicesaustralia.gov.au/nonparentcarers payments. If you’re in this situation, you can contact us to discuss your circumstances. To speak to a Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Adviser, call Freecall™ 1800 245 965. If you’re a grandparent, foster carer or kinship carer, you may be eligible for: • Family Tax Benefit – to help with the cost of raising children • Child Care Subsidy and Additional Child Care Subsidy – to help with the cost of child care • Medicare payments – to help with health care costs • Double Orphan Pension – to help with the costs of caring for children who are orphans or who can’t be cared for by their parents in certain circumstances • concession and health care cards, including Foster Child Health Care Card – to help with accessing cheaper health care services and medicines, and • Child support – you may be able to receive child support from one or both parents. 10895.2204 servicesaustralia.gov.au13

Family Carer Learning & Support Needs The Foster and Family Care Learning Development Team at the Department of Communities is inviting family carers to participate in an upcoming project to tell us about their learning and support needs. We know that family carers can be confronted with unique circumstances and challenges when they take on the care of a child or young person from their wider family circle. Sometimes this can be at very short notice and without the benefit of any prior support or learning around the impacts of trauma, how best to manage the demands of complex behaviours kids may have as well as the changes to family life, family relationships and other practical supports. We want to hear directly from family carers so we can create learning opportunities that meet your needs and the needs of the children in your care. We are planning to speak with family carers in Perth as well as regional areas. If you are interested and want to share your thoughts and experiences or know someone who might like to be involved please get in touch by emailing me at [email protected]. It would be wonderful to hear from you! Jane Ogilvie, Project Lead 14

Foster Care Learning & Development FOSTER CARE LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT NO DRAMA DISCIPLINE - A CLOSER LOOK This workshop will explore in detail all 12 parenting and discipline strategies developed by Dr Daniel Siegel and Dr Tina Payne Bryson from their books 'The Whole Brain Child' and 'No Drama Discipline. This will be a hands-on and experimental workshop, giving you time to practice the skills to help calm the chaos and nurture your child's developing mind. Monday, 5th September 2022 9:30am to 1:00pm Midland District Office Cale House, Level 1/52 The Crescent, Midland WA 6056 Lunch will be provided on the day. Child minding is available. Please advise when enrolling if you require this service. To enrol, please contact the Foster Carer Learning Team on 08 6277 4600 or email [email protected] 15

Foster Care Learning & Development FOSTER CARE LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT BRINGING UP GREAT KIDS - PARENTING ADOLESCENTS The Bringing Up Great Kids (BUGK) Program is an integrated suite of activities and tools that are unique and offer all parents and carers a fresh way to understand and enact relationships with their children. It has been evaluated and found to be an effective program in supporting the development of mindful and positive relationships between parents, carers and children. The program aims to support parents to review and enhance their patterns of communication with their children, to promote more respectful interactions and encourage the development of children's positive self-identity. Tuesday, 11th, 18th, and 25th October 2022 9:30am to 2:30pm Armadale District Office 151 Jull St, Armadale WA 6112 Lunch will be provided on the day. Child minding is available. Please advise when enrolling if you require this service. To enrol, please contact the Foster Carer Learning Team on 08 6277 4600 or email [email protected] 16

Foster Care Learning & Development FOSTER CARE LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT CONCERNING SEXUALISED BEHAVIOURS This workshop aims to equip carers and staff with knowledge and skills to respond to and manage concerning sexual behaviours in children and young people. The workshop covers prevention and safety issues, interventions that can be used to address concerning sexual behaviours and suggestions for ongoing learning and support. Friday, 14th October 2022 10:00am to 1:00pm Peel District Office Corner Sutton St & Tuckey St, Mandurah WA 6210 Lunch will be provided on the day. Child minding is available. Please advise when enrolling if you require this service. To enrol, please contact the Foster Carer Learning Team on 08 6277 4600 or email [email protected] 17

Foster Care Learning & Development FOSTER CARE LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT ATTACHMENT DISRUPTION & DEVELOPMENTAL TRAUMA, THE IMPACT OF Disruptions to a child's attachment and experiences of trauma have detrimental and global effects on the developing child. It changes the way the child views themselves, adults and the world around them. This series of workshops scaffolds your learning and understanding of how disrupted attachment and trauma affects the child and their developing brain and the consequent challenges with behaviour and relationships. We will also explore and practice strategies to support your child, including the development of a personalised plan to help you help your child. Attendees must attend all sessions to complete this course. Friday, 4th, 11th, and 18th November 2022 9:30am to 2:00pm Armadale District Office 151 Jull St, Armadale WA 6112 Lunch will be provided on the day. Child minding is available. Please advise when enrolling if you require this service. To enrol, please contact the Foster Carer Learning Team on 08 6277 4600 or email [email protected] 18

Foster Care Learning & Development FOSTER CARE LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT ONLINE WEBINAR ATTACHMENT DISRUPTION & DEVELOPMENTAL TRAUMA, THE IMPACT OF Disruptions to a child's attachment and experiences of trauma have detrimental and global effects on the developing child. It changes the way the child views themselves, adults and the world around them. This distance learning package will scaffold your learning and understanding of how disrupted attachment and trauma affects the child and their developing brain and the consequent challenges with behaviour and relationships. We will also explore and practice strategies to support your child, including the development of a personalised plan to help you help your child. Attendees must attend all sessions to complete this course. Self Paced 1st September - 31st October 2022 To enrol, please contact the Foster Carer Learning Team on 08 6277 4600 or email [email protected] 19

Foster Care Learning & Development FOSTER CARE LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT ONLINE WEBINAR PACE - DANIEL HUGHES APPROACH PACE is a way of thinking, feeling, communicating and behaving that aims to make the child feel safe. It is based upon how parents connect with their very young infants. As with young toddlers, with safety the child can begin to explore. For adults, using PACE most of the time, they can reduce the level of conflict, defensiveness and withdrawal that tends to be ever present in the lives of troubled children. Using PACE enables the adult to see the strengths and positive features that lie underneath more negative and challenging behaviour. Online Tuesday, 13th September 2022 10:00am to 11:30am To enrol, please contact the Foster Carer Learning Team on 08 6277 4600 or email [email protected] 20

Foster Care Learning & Development FOSTER CARE LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT ONLINE WEBINAR CARING FOR ABORIGINAL CHILDREN PARENTING & RELATIONSHIPS Come and join this webinar on parenting and relationships. The parenting and relationships webinar will support you in your foster care journey. Online Thursday, 10th November 2022 10:00am to 11:30am To enrol, please contact the Foster Carer Learning Team on 08 6277 4600 or email [email protected] 21

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OurSPACE WA Foster & Family Carer Counselling & Support OurSPACE WA has been extended until June 2023! The Australian Childhood Foundation has been delivering a state-wide counselling, therapeutic consultation and support service for Department of Communities foster and family carers since OurSPACE WA was initially funded as a pilot program in late 2020. The program provides culturally responsive, trauma-informed support to empower carers to understand and meet the needs of the children in their care. OurSPACE WA also provides confidential counselling to carers around their own personal issues and stress. As a result of the service, many foster and family carers across Western Australia say they are less stressed and have an increased confidence in their ability to support the complex needs of the children in their care. Pictured, OurSPACE WA team (left to right): Colin Hayes, Wilma Brokaar, Glenda Kickett, Anè Bryden and Shaun Chandran How to make a referral? OurSPACE WA accepts self-referrals from Department of Communities carers or from professionals on behalf of carers. OurSPACE WA encourages carers to call or email to find out more about the service. Phone: 1300 381 581 Email: [email protected] 26

OurSpace WA OurSPACE WA Foster and Family Care Support Service What is OurSPACE WA? OurSPACE WA is a free state-wide counselling, therapeutic consultation and support service for Department of Communities foster and family carers who are feeling under stress or requiring some extra support. The program provides culturally responsive, trauma-informed support to empower you to understand and meet the needs of the children in your care. OurSPACE WA also provides confidential counselling to carers around their own personal issues and stress. We know that children and young people living in foster and family care have often experienced significant trauma in their young lives. As a result, they can sometimes behave in ways that are challenging or difficult to understand and this can be stressful for you, as their carer. These behaviours can often feel overwhelming for both you and your children. It is not easy for children to change these behaviours. We can offer specialist support to help you understand how trauma has affected your children’s thinking, feelings and behaviour and provide you with strategies that will help. We can also provide you with reassurance and support to know you’re on the right track. Difficulties dealing with other people involved in your child’s life can add extra stress. OurSPACE WA can help you and your children by communicating with others involved in their lives, to support a shared understanding and consistency across services and settings. COVID-19 has added a range of worries, uncertainty and pressures to our lives. We understand that this may be causing additional stress and challenges for your family. This is where OurSPACE WA can help. How do we help? OurSPACE WA can provide you with telephone or videocall counselling and support. This easy to access support can help you to understand more about your children’s needs as well as receive specific strategies that may help strengthen the relationship between you and your children over time. OurSPACE WA staff can attend case meetings as well as meetings with other professionals who are involved in supporting you and your child. OurSPACE WA also provides counselling for personal issues which can help you to process experiences of loss or change, reduce stress, gain confidence, and improve your quality of life and sense of wellbeing. This service is completely confidential. 27

NAIDOC 3rd to 10th July 2022 3-10 JULY 2022 facebook.com/NAIDOC Stronger, Ryhia Dank (Nardurna) NAIDOC Week 2022 proudly @naidocweek acknowledges and celebrates #NAIDOC2022 #GetUpStandUpShowUp @naidocweek I created this piece after reading this year's NAIDOC theme. I knew straight away I wanted to do a graphic piece centred around our flags with text highlighting what we the 50th Anniversary of the Aboriginal Flag designed by Mr Harold Thomas. Torres Strait Islander Flag reproduced by kind have been through and are still fighting for. I feel that this piece being black and white Aboriginal Tent Embassy (1972) permission of the Torres Strait Island Regional Council, designed by the late Mr Bernard Namok. allows us to focus on the detail and messages in the artwork. and 30th Anniversary of the In this artwork I have little bits of me and my family, I have included a crocodile for my 1992 Mabo decision [Mabo v late granny. She was one of the strongest women I know and was never afraid to speak Queensland (No.2) (1992)]. her mind and stand up for family and Country. I have also included my family's dancing stick, this is present as a reminder that we will always have our Country, Kin and Culture. naidoc.org.au There are also symbols to represent us as a community. People gathered around a camp, a spear and woomera to represent our strength, water, trees, animal tracks and non-human entities to show our connection to Country. 28

Uluru Statement From The Heart We, gathered at the 2017 National Constitutional We seek constitutional reforms to empower Convention, coming from all points of the southern our people and take a rightful place in our own sky, make this statement from the heart: country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes worlds and their culture will be a gift to their were the first sovereign Nations of the Australian country. continent and its adjacent islands, and possessed it under our own laws and customs. This our We call for the establishment of a First Nations ancestors did, according to the reckoning of Voice enshrined in the Constitution. our culture, from the Creation, according to the common law from ‘time immemorial’, and Makarrata is the culmination of our agenda: the according to science more than 60,000 years ago. coming together after a struggle. It captures our aspirations for a fair and truthful relationship with This sovereignty is a spiritual notion: the ancestral the people of Australia and a better future for our tie between the land, or ‘mother nature’, and the children based on justice and self-determination. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were born therefrom, remain attached thereto, We seek a Makarrata Commission to supervise and must one day return thither to be united a process of agreement-making between with our ancestors. This link is the basis of the governments and First Nations and truth-telling ownership of the soil, or better, of sovereignty. about our history. It has never been ceded or extinguished, and co- exists with the sovereignty of the Crown. In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard. We leave base camp and start our trek How could it be otherwise? That peoples across this vast country. We invite you to walk possessed a land for sixty millennia and this with us in a movement of the Australian people sacred link disappears from world history in for a better future. merely the last two hundred years? With substantive constitutional change and structural reform, we believe this ancient sovereignty can shine through as a fuller expression of Australia’s nationhood. Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future. These dimensions of our crisis tell plainly the structural nature of our problem. This is the torment of our powerlessness. 29

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Carers as Custodians of Safe and meaningful connections with f The custodian role includes: Understanding who the child’s family is and nurturing those relationships Speaking When children are in out-o warmly and relationships with children’s famil respectfully about family challenging but it’s important n members Children who are disconnecte Understanding feel grief, rejection, curiosity that these about them. Without efforts relationships distress of disconnection can are important Meaningful family re Finding out what the children heal from child thinks and feels and develop a about family time of who t and helping them to communicate their Carers are the custodians preferences of children’s connections to their family members when they are in out-of-home care. For more information contact: Research Centre for Childr e [email protected] w sydney.edu.au/arts/our-research/ce Developed as part of the ARC Linkage project Fostering Lifelo 32

f Children’s Connections family members children don’t live with The custodian role includes: Honouring and celebrating these relationships including displaying photos of-home care, maintaining Sharing special ly members can be complex and photos and not to give up and disconnect. stories about the ed from family members can child with family and a yearning to know more members that the s to mend relationships, the child would like n become intergenerational. to share elationships can help Committing to emotional trauma a routine for a strong sense keeping siblings hey are. in touch that matches their Carers need to hold these changing needs connections so they can be Keeping the lines of passed on to the child and they communication open can carry those relationships so that as the child with them over their lifespan. gets older, they have the option to pursue these relationships for themselves ren and Families, Sydney School of Education and Social Work B15687 entres-institutes-and-groups/research-centre-for-children-and-families.html ong Connections for Children in Permanent Care (LP180101332) 33

Understanding and respond to support F Understanding trau I feel connected I feel a threat I am safe I am becoming stressed • I can experience joy • I may feel fatigued and spontaneity • I may have a headache • I might be nauseous • I am able to seek comfort • I may withdraw from activities and connection that are usually a source of joy • I am open to being taught • I may feel more afraid of being and to learning separated from safe adults • I am able to negotiate • I may show uncharacteristic with others emotion or behaviours • I can demonstrate empathy • I may lose my creativity • I do not show obvious • I may seek more structure signs of stress and clarity from others For more information contact: Research Centre for Children and Families, Syd e [email protected] w sydney.edu.au/arts/our-research/centres-institutes-and- This resource was co-designed with expert-by-experien Developed as part of the ARC Linkage project Fostering Lifelong Connections for C 34

ding to trauma expressions Family Time uma expressions I feel alarmed I feel overwhelmed I am distressed I am going to explode • I may feel deep sadness • I may display anger, rage, terror • I may be very frustrated • I may want to collapse • I may have disrupted sleep • I may experience a loss • I may have changes in diet of empathy and the need for food • I may be reactive and take • I may find it hard to trust big risks people • I may hurt myself and others • I become more attentive • I may find it hard to use words • I find it hard to control my body to time and routines and • I enter Fight, Flight, Freeze am unable wait • I prefer more structure or Fawn states and clarity of information Scan this code B15804 dney School of Education and Social Work for more ideas -groups/research-centre-for-children-and-families.html and resources: 35 nce, Jacqui Kaelle Children in Permanent Care (LP180101332)

Words Matter: Trauma sens Trauma Stress respo is expressed through behaviours not language are known as ‘fight’, ‘flight’ can mask fear or shame can resemble anti-soc Preferable What might be happening language in the moment ✓ Distressed • Urge to push bad feelings away Disrespectful Negat ✓ Afraid • Testing strength of connection and rude char ✓ Frustrated • Seeking belonging with peers langu ✓ Testing • Sense of shame • Sense of danger relationship • May be using early survival patterns that previously kept them safe ✓ Seeking safety • Imitating early adult Manipulative ✓ Resourceful role models ✓ Self-soothing • Difficulty articulating feelings • Attempting to keep adults distanced • Seeking power when they feel endangered Aggressive and ✓ Distressed • Feeling unworthy of love oppositional ✓ Afraid and attachment ✓ Over- • Feeling stuck in rigidity or chaos stimulated • Divided loyalty and fear of betrayal • Attempting to create a distraction or to protect themselves For more information contact: Research Centre for Childr e [email protected] w sydney.edu.au/arts/our-research/ce Developed as part of the ARC Linkage project Fostering Lifelo 36

sitive language with children onses Negative language ’, ‘freeze’ and ‘fawn’ blames children for their trauma cial behaviours is internalised by children and leads to negative labels What might be happening Preferable in the moment language tively Defiant and • Fearing separation from caregiver ✓ Afraid rged ignorant • Fearing change or transitions ✓ Anxious uage • Attempting to establish ✓ Shutdown predictability ✓ Seeking control • Trying to predict adult ✓ Testing behaviours relationship • Feeling unworthy ✓ Distressed of connection ✓ Ashamed ✓ Lacking Disruptive • Avoiding a feeling of shame confidence • Feeling anxiety ✓ Afraid in the situation ✓ Anxious ✓ Unhappy • Attempting to regain mastery over a situation • Attempting to compensate for poor social or learning skills Risk taking • Feeling unworthy ✓ Seeking or unvalued belonging • Trying to reduce distress ✓ Afraid ✓ Fear of • May be self-regulating in the form of self-harm loneliness or risk to others ✓ Self-protection ✓ Limit testing • Seeking power, approval or affirmation of strength ren and Families, Sydney School of Education and Social Work B15389 entres-institutes-and-groups/research-centre-for-children-and-families.html ong Connections for Children in Permanent Care (LP180101332) 37

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