Staff and carers collaborate in Talking Practice


Released 20/06/2018

The second Talking Practice forum was held today to build collaboration, share experience and foster continuous improvement and best practice in the child and youth protection sector.

The ACT Government’s out of home care strategy, A Step Up for Our Kids, is transforming the way our community, government and carers provide support to children and young people in out of home care.

At the mid-point of the five-year strategy, more than 250 participants took part in today’s forum, including foster and kinship carers and staff from Child and Youth Protection Services, ACT Together and Uniting.

The keynote speaker Professor Daryl Higgins, Director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies at the Australian Catholic University presented on child-centred, child-safe organisational practice, which was a key theme of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Hearing the voices of children and young people is vital if we are to ensure that the best interests of children and young people are at the centre of the decision-making, which is why the forum will close with three young people sharing their perspectives in a plenary session, supported by the CREATE Foundation.

Talking Practice 2018 is a joint event co-hosted by the ACT Government, ACT Together and Uniting. The forum was held at the Australian Catholic University, which is a key partner in training child and youth protection practitioners and developing a stronger evidence base for improved practice.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Disability, Children and Youth:

“It’s great to see evidence of positive change is starting to emerge from the implementation of A Step Up for Our Kids, but we know this is a journey to deliver transformational change in the child and youth protection system.

“Sharing experiences across the system and enabling practitioners, carers and other partners to learn from one another and identify opportunities for collaboration is critical if we are to deliver the best outcomes for our most vulnerable children and young people in a system that prioritises their best interests.”

“The ACT Government is committed to delivering a child and youth protection system that is therapeutic and trauma-informed, and this important forum is one part of ensuring that our frontline practitioners and the people they work alongside every day have an opportunity to reflect, learn and grow their expertise together.”

- Statement ends -

Rachel Stephen-Smith, MLA | Media Releases


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