Presented by Leigh Hillman It Takes A Village To Raise A Child… But How Do We Keep The Village Strong? Presented by Leigh Hillman www.fcav.org.au

In a ‘good practice’ foster care system, then, there will be both good practice at the family or foster carer level, and there will be good practice in the supporting structures put in place to assist the foster family. Foster care is thus a joint activity between foster families, government(s) and community structures. ‘Supporting Strong Parenting In The Australian Foster Care Sector 2001’ Australian Foster Care Association

Positive learning experiences for children cannot come about through an inspectorial system, the completion of checklists, the writing of reports, formal notifications, the removal of children and placement in new homes. Traumatised children cannot be expected to understand bureaucratic processes, particularly when their parents and families are fearful, mistrustful and mystified by them. (Braithwaite, Harris and Ivec, 2009)

Positive learning experiences for children cannot come about through an inspectorial system, the completion of checklists, the writing of reports, formal notifications, the removal of children and placement in new homes. Traumatised children cannot be expected to understand bureaucratic processes, particularly when their carers and families are fearful, mistrustful and mystified by them. (Braithwaite, Harris and Ivec, 2009)

Carer Story: A carer household received several emergency placements where children have required medical attention either upon arrival or during their short stay yet no advice provided by DHS staff of the children's health status or needs. Carers were not provided with Medicare details or with any Healthcare cards. Carers were not in a position to pay full medical costs for GP visit and were not advised of financial support if children required medical treatment. Carers were presented with incomplete / out of date medication for some children. When carers and their agency requested assistance with these matters, the DHS response was extremely slow and required extensive follow up. Carer Story: New carers whose first placement was an adolescent experiencing mental health issues. Carer's agency worker kept arranging appointments without consulting carer re the suitability of proposed dates. Carer received no reimbursement for travel when the young person was hospitalised and was not aware that this could be requested due to distances travelled. Despite the agency's undertaking, no referrals had been made to specialist counselling so that carers could be supported to manage the placement successfully. No regular communication arranged by agency and no Care Team Meetings held.

What do the States and Territories say about carers? Carers and the people they care for are the basis of the care relationship. A strong relationship has benefits for the carer and the person being cared for - The Victorian Charter Supporting People In Care Relationships We work best together when we have good communication and a common understanding of the support Carers should receive in their day-to-day dealings with the Department Of Family And Community Services - Partnership Agreement Between Community Services and Carers, NSW Our foster and kinship carers are our State’s champions – providing a safe and secure caring environment for children and young people and building their self confidence to help them fulfil their potential - Statement Of Commitment Between The Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services and the Foster And Kinship Carers of Queensland Relative, kinship and foster carers approved to provide care for a child in South Australia are our valued partners and have the right to be treated accordingly - Foster Carers Charter, South Australia

Carers must be treated with respect and dignity Carers must be treated with respect and dignity. Carers must be acknowledged as individuals with their own needs within and beyond the role of carer.- Northern Territory Carers Charter The Carers’ Charter is about recognising the vital role that carers have in the lives of people they care for raising awareness about the contribution that carers make in strengthening our community supporting the ACT Government’s commitment to better acknowledge and respond to carers’ needs – ACT Carers Charter Carers providing a service to children…have the right to be treated with: Respect Fairness, and Integrity (Carers) have the right to know what is happening and to participate in the development of plans that affect them, their family or the child for whom they are providing care - Rights Of Carers: Information Sheet, Tasmania

What Does a Successful Care Team Look Like?   An effective care team is characterised by: everyone on the care team – Department staff and foster carer - being informed about trauma and its impact on children; a shared understanding of the child’s experiences; a commitment to partnership; and working collaboratively to interpret the child’s communication and needs. (Foster Care Partnership, Department for Child Protection, WA)

Respectful Working Relationships Respect for foster carers and their family’s skills, their experience and their willingness to fulfil the foster parent and sibling role, is universally identified as the essential ingredient to successful foster care partnerships. The Importance Of Team Work And Of The Care Team The foster carer is the most critical component of the care team and is supported by a range of Department staff to understand the child’s behaviours, the child’s underlying emotional and physical needs, and how best to respond to promote the child’s healing and development.  Valuing Foster Carers Foster carers have a knowledge of the child and their needs that derives from living with the child. This unique and invaluable perspective is crucial to planning and responding in the child’s best interests. It is not secondary to a professional perspective. Open Communication Respect for foster carers and their families require willingness to establish open communication and honest relationships, and a freedom to share information that protects and nurtures both the foster family and child.  Support To Foster Carers Foster carers must be supported to participate formally as a team member in assessment, planning and review of the child, and to participate in other child centred decision making that occurs outside of the Department’s formal planning and review processes.  https://www.dcp.wa.gov.au/Organisation/Documents/FosterCarePartnershipPracticeFramework.pdf

Quotable Quotes “My worker is too bureaucratic”.   “My worker is too bureaucratic”. “The carer is biased against the parents”. “I haven’t enough time to respond to everything the carer wants”. “I’m old enough to be this worker’s mother”. “The carer doesn’t follow the case plan”. “The worker always takes the parents’ side of things”. “The carer expects me to do everything”. “I never see my worker. She doesn’t return my calls”. “The carer is too attached to this child”. “The worker expects me to do everything”.

Protracted conflict sometimes results from a clash between differing world-views. One group's most fundamental and cherished assumptions about the best way to live may differ radically from the values held by another group. Parties may have different standards of rightness and goodness and give fundamentally different answers to serious moral questions. When groups have different ideas about the good life, they often stress the importance of different things, and may develop radically different or incompatible goals. This can lead to conflict. Moral or Value Conflicts, Maiese, 2003

The Four Rs Respect Consider where each party is coming from. Acknowledge one another’s strengths and positives. Be honest – in speaking and in listening. Reflection What are the respective pressures we are each under? What obstacles can be overcome and what are non negotiable? Responsibility What can I do to improve the situation? How can I work well within the confines of laws and regulations? What is my responsibility to the child in this situation? Reconciliation Share one another’s narratives – know one another’s challenges better. Reach agreement about how to contend with differences in a constructive way.  Find common ground.

The trouble with me is that for a long time I have just been an I person. All people belong to a We except me. Not to belong to a We makes you too lonesome.   ― Carson McCullers, The Member of the Wedding