Flinders helps children in foster care

Two Flinders University experts, in partnership with Life Without Barriers and the Department for Child Protection (DCP), recently took part in an international conference in Darwin to help navigate a path forward through interventions and initiatives that support children and young people in foster care.

Drs Helen McLaren and Michelle Jones, both from the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, partnered with Life Without Barriers and DCP to present at the International and National Foster Care Conference 2022.

The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Finding Ways Forward: Celebrating Identity, Culture, Families and Community’, and provided an important opportunity for children, foster families, social workers and academics to network and learn about the range of interventions currently supporting children and young people in care.

The partnership presentation offered different perspectives of the workings of the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ program, highlighting the success of the program in helping increase support for carers and in keeping siblings connected in South Australia.

Dr McLaren says her team has been researching the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ program throughout its roll-out in South Australia. “It was a great experience to be at the conference, especially as a partnership sharing our experiences and understandings of how the Mockingbird model supports carers, children and young people in South Australia,” she says.

“The children were not forgotten. The best part of the team presentation was audio footage of children and young people in the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ being vocally active and having fun. This located the children and young people at the centre of our partnership, irrespective of our diverse roles in caring, supporting and researching.”

Dr Jones says “this has been one of the most meaningful projects I have had the privilege to work on”.

Life Without Barriers SA Director, Simone Mather, says the conference and the opportunity to network with international colleagues will help improve care.

“It was great to spend time with international colleagues from the UK, USA and the Netherlands who also deliver the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™,” she says.

DCP Executive Director, Out of Home Care, Sue Barr praised the strong partnership between the Department for Child Protection, Life without Barriers and Flinders University, which is instrumental in building shared understanding.

“Working closely together and learning from research evidence is providing us with the opportunity to see the early signs of success and to learn from other jurisdictions who have started the journey before South Australia,” says Ms Barr.

Drs McLaren and Jones, with Dr Emi Patmisari, will continue to work with Life Without Barriers and DCP, alongside international partners from the UK, USA and the Netherlands, as the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ continues to roll out in South Australia.

 

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College of Education Psychology and Social Work