As a mother who has navigated the child protection system, the experience felt akin to Alice in Wonderland tumbling down the rabbit hole.

This journey was merely the beginning, revealing a profound passion for children's rights and trauma-informed approaches while working with children and families. 

Emma observed the necessity for interdisciplinary, objective, evidence-based, child-centered assessments. The existing system relied heavily on children verbally expressing their experiences, which often leads to their failure. Instead, children consistently communicate their experiences through their arousal states, behaviors, play, social interactions, health/medical histories, and learning abilities.

Emma created a child-centered framework that aligns with the Convention on The Rights of the Child. This framework was developed from her observations of the gaps in the system that hinder children's voices and expressions from being acknowledged and valued. It encompasses a holistic approach, integrating feedback from children, parents, teachers, experts, and her experience as a trauma-informed pediatric occupational therapist.

Child protection must adopt a rights-based approach to ensure children's safety. The primary framework should be the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). A comprehensive interdisciplinary approach is essential for effective child protection, as the current outdated system is failing the children.

Emma intends to propose the implementation of mandatory trauma training and the use of the Trauma Expression and Connection Assessment (TECA) in educational settings across Australia