Discussing the current issues kinship/relative carer’s face such as insufficient training, lack of support, financial hardship, lack of access to mental health, trauma support and resources, inadequate financial assistance on top of the bureaucratic complexities and inconsistent policies across regions and organisations exacerbate the already difficult challenges that kinship/relative carer’s face leading to feeling isolated and overwhelmed. These factors are a contributing cause to “placement breakdown” and “lack of carers”.

There is a need to change the current model of care to include better support systems, family finding methods and engagement of family/ community in family led decision making in placements and relational support systems. 

The role of kinship/ relative carer’s in out-of-home care is pivotal in providing stability and support to children who have experienced trauma and displacement. Despite their critical function, there remains a significant gap in the support services available to these carers.

The recommendations in the recent paper “The Future of Foster Care In NSW” co- authored by the Association of Children’s Welfare Agency addresses, current model, service delivery and funding issues and provides some focus points to provide critical intervention to the OOHC sector.

ACF's OurSpace services and how we work to support the trauma needs of the child/young person. We work in NSW face to face, moving with the child regardless of their placement locations. We have a team of Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Therapeutic Specialists who work with children to help support their culturally strong and trauma-informed needs.

ACF Sydney has also employed the first Intern position held by the organisation. The intern initiative is a formal pathway for Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islanders where there is a gap in formal education but lived experience is ever present intern’s will receive support and funding to complete the Graduate Certificate in Developmental Trauma (GCDT).

In 2024, carers, young people, the Australian Childhood Foundation (The Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care) and OzChild developed an online training resource for carers about consent. Funded by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing in Victoria this course is aimed at building community-wide dialogues about consent, providing clarity that consent is more about ongoing agreement, than a simple yes, or no. The laws have been reformed to ensure greater protections to keep people safe.  

Having meaningful conversations with children and young people about sexual consent, while critically important, can be tricky. Young people are navigating how consent works in relation to social and online environments and carers play a critical role in consent conversations and supporting young people to safely explore concepts. 

Young people in Care have had early relationships marked by trauma including abuse, neglect, and loss. Interrupted access to schooling can result in missed opportunities to learn about healthy relationships, boundaries and consent.   

Consent conversations with young people in Care must be considered, trauma-informed, sensitive, and build safety and understanding. There is an opportunity to lay foundations, correct myths and build their skills in the practice of seeking and giving consent. 

Launched on 1 July 2024, the course was piloted for 4 months. The six modules were designed to enhance carer’s understanding and confidence to talk with young people about consent. The modules include creating a safe environment, relationships, boundaries, consent, grooming and online safety. The course has activities just for carers, as well as activities for carers to do with young people aged developmentally 12 to 14 years to explore topics and the issue of consent.  

Our presentation will share how the training resource was developed, an overview of the modules, lived experience carer videos, findings from the pilot and next steps.

Safe and Connected: Supporting online safety for children and young people in care