No images? Click here Centre NewsHow 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! If we are feeling this way, imagine how young people may be feeling. I know you are all working very hard to put plans in place that ensure the safety and well-being of all young people and staff. If your organisation is like ours, this process is consuming a lot of time and energy, including emotional energy. There is so much uncertainly surrounding what we knew our lives to be about and it’s changing in ways we could never have predicted. It’s impossible not to see the parallels of our current realities with the world of traumatised young person. Humor is a great way of relieving tension but remember that for many staff and young people it also masks underlying anxiety and fear that we need to support them with about COVID-19. At these times, the perceived and felt sense of safety of young people with trauma is easily undermined by the uncertainty brought about with COVID-19. As we know, when young people are feeling unsafe in their world they can have a range of responses that can include escalations in behavior. We need to remember the drivers of the behaviour are a lack of safety and thus our focus needs to be on building safety in a time of uncertainty. Supporting staff and young people during COVID-19 Here are a few things to think about in fostering the experience of safety for young people in your care: 1. Be honest and open about the situation, acknowledging that the situation is changing and we are all having to adapt in the face of it. 2. Keep clear lines of communication open with staff and young people so that any changes can be communicated ahead of time, and where possible allow for the preparation of the young people for change. 3. Acknowledge with young people that it is normal to feel worried or concerned in the face of the uncertainty and that you are feeling it too – even if their bravado suggests they are not worried at all. 4. Encourage young people to share their thoughts and feelings about what is happening so that you can offer reassurance, clarify any misinformation and ensure them that support is available. 5. Where you can, whilst things are still unfolding, keep as much normality as possible in the daily routines and operation of the houses. 6. Set up processes that support young people to be involved as much as possible in decision making about what is going to happen next. 7. Reassure young people that for the vast majority of people the virus is not serious and much like a cold or the flu. 8. Think about who the important relationship anchors are for young people and make sure they have access to them where possible, even if they can’t physically be present. 9. Remind them about the things they can do to keep themselves healthy, reinforcing messages about hygiene, social distancing and telling someone asap if they start to feel unwell or have been in contact with someone who is unwell. There are no easy answers for the young people we care for as we steer further into efforts to ‘flatten the curve’. We can only hold tight to the importance of relationship as an anchor for young people through the uncertainty. Workshop and Forum Update As the coronavirus crisis continues to evolve, we are following advice from the Government and limiting face-to-face training and meetings. As such, please note that the Leadership Forum scheduled for April 6 is postponed. We will reschedule this forum when the landscape re meeting is clearer in a few weeks. Our upcoming Client Mix and Match Workshop on March 30 will now be conducted via videoconferencing. We will run two half-day videoconferences on 30 March in lieu of the face to face workshop to enable smaller groups to participate meaningfully with the conversation. We are currently in the process of setting up the videoconferencing arrangements and will be back in touch with people registered to participate about how these will occur. Janise Mitchell, Director “Lots of creativity and brilliant ideas flying about” - Workshop Participant Thanks to everyone who survived Sydney transport in the rain to make our first 2-day Therapeutic Specialist Forum a meaningful and engaging event. There were 35 Therapeutic Specialists representing all agencies across NSW in attendance. It is always great to be with a group of people who are engaged, enthused and committed about the work they do. It creates an energy all of its own and this was evident in all aspects of the two days. The other aspect of the process was the how clear it was that all members of the group felt so strongly about the rights, needs and outcomes for the young people in the therapeutic residential care system. The system of Intensive Therapeutic Care is in a state of change. The move from the previous models of care to a therapeutic process is challenging. Change can feel risky and lead to uncertainty and resistance in practice. The role of the TS as the clinical lead helps to both anchor practice and drive excellence. The reflective and critical approach to practice displayed by the group demonstrated a refusal to accept the context at face value or take any aspect for granted. There was a clear desire to engage in the complexity of the work as opposed to the need for simple, predictable answers. There was an openness to new or different ideas that was refreshing. Some of the outcomes of the forum were: • Developing cross-functional collaboration trust-building and communication • A shared understanding of the therapeutic journey in Intensive Therapeutic Care • Review of the methods and type of support required by Therapeutic Specialist from CETC • Sharing differing perspectives around the concept of safety and residential care • Exploration of different approaches to group reflective practice • Redesign of the Communities of Practice structure We talked about the therapeutic care journey, and the importance of connecting with why we do this work in the first place. As Noel McNamara writes in this weeks' blog, you need to connect to your why to feel like you belong, to connect to your professional communities, and circles of relationships. For those keen to get in early, you can register now for our next TS forum on the 9th and 10th of September. The experience of being with the TS’s brought to mind that line from Winnie the Pooh: “You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think” - A. A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh Leadership ForumPOSTPONED Thank you to all that registered for this event. Due to the latest Government advice related to COVID-19 and feedback from you, we have made the decision to postpone this event for later in the year. Therapeutic Specialist ForumWED 9 and THUR 10 September, 9:30 to 4:30 PM Rydges Sydney Central, 28 Albion St, Surry Hills NSW 201 Save the date and register now for our second, and final, Therapeutic Specialist Forum for 2020. Staying on Your Game as a Therapeutic SpecialistNoel MacNamara, Senior Advisor - CETC A mixture of tips, reminders, encouragement and hopefully a little bit of inspiration. What does stability in residential care mean? Part 2Jenna Bollinger, Psychologist (B. Psych Hons, M. Psych For) and PhD researcher at Monash University In my last blog on stability in residential care, I asked what stability really means for young people in residential care? In this blog, I explore how stability can be achieved in residential care? And whether it can healing and reparative for young people? LGBTIQA+ young people in OOHC Do you have any recent care leavers in your networks who identify as LGBTIQA+ and might be interested to talk about their experiences in care? Can you share our call-out on Facebook on your social media? We want to better understand how to make ITC, and beyond, better for young people with diverse identities. The Needs of LGBTIQ Young People in Out of Home CareDr. Nadine Cameron, Dr. Lynne McPherson, Dr. Kathomi Gatwiri, Ms. Natalie Parmenter, This research brief provides an overview of what is known about the experience of young LGBTIQ young people in therapeutic care need and how those working with young people currently residing in and who have experience of care can be best supported. Our purpose is to support the evolution of the newly reformed Intensive Therapeutic Care system being rolled out in NSW. As a partnership between the Australian Childhood Foundation and Southern Cross University, the Centre integrates up to date research evidence with cultural knowledge, practice wisdom and the voices of young people in care to produce reports, practice resources and training to support the provision of high quality, evidence-informed therapeutic care. Core Activities
Want to know more?If you would like to find out more about the Centre or discuss how the Centre could support your work contact Kelly Royds on 0407 516 858 or on kroyds@childhood.org.au If you would like to discuss how the Centre can build your staff capacity through training and accredited courses contact Marina Dickson on 1300 381 581 or on mdickson@childhood.org.au We want to hear from you!We would love to hear any feedback how we are going and ideas on how we can better work together. |