Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas Sanctuary and Fostering Sharing a Future

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas Pathways Churches of Christ Care Services: Foster and Kinship Care, Residential Care, Semi-Independent Living Services Assessment & Intervention Services Locations: Mount Isa, Townsville, Mackay, Bundaberg, Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Caboolture, Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich & Gold Coast.

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas Pathways Churches of Christ Care FOSTER AND KINSHIP CARE SERVICES * Funded By Dept Communities, Child Safety & Disability Services * Recruit, assess, train, support and monitor foster and kinship carers. * Receive referrals of children and young people from the Dept and match within our carer pool.

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas What is the Sanctuary Model Sanctuary is a care provision and organisational change model that integrates trauma theory with the creation of therapeutic communities which provide safety for both clients, carers and the staff.

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas Trauma-Informed Care Fosters a shared language Organises how we talk about treatment/care provision Keeps a focus on impact of recurrent stress Keeps a focus on growth and change Consistent contact with team members, clients and families The Sanctuary Model

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas A perspective that asks: “What’s happened to you?” rather than “What’s wrong with you?” when organising goals and assessing strengths and challenges A belief that adversity is an inherent part of human life, and that many of the behaviours that lead clients to care are directly related to those experiences – and that people and groups of people can heal from those experiences

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas Overview of Sanctuary Theory Trauma Theory Social Learning Theory Non Violent Practice Complexity Theory Concepts: - vicarious trauma, - reenactment, - learned helplessness, - collective disturbance, - parallel process. Norms 7 Commitments SELF Model Safety Emotion Management Loss Future Tools Self Care Plans Care Planning Red Flag meetings/reviews Community Meetings Safety Plans Psycho Educational Groupwork

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas How the theories apply to Foster Care Vicarious Trauma: * assists carers and staff to remain conscious of the impact of being a carer. Traumatic Re-enactment & Learned Helplessness: * focuses on how our past can drive current behaviours or thinking * utilises Re-enactment Triangle

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas How the Norms apply to Foster Care SELF: * Carers are trained to understand the Safety, Emotion Management, Loss and Future as concepts that assist in working through or understanding complex issues. * Workers and Carers use all or some elements of SELF when faced with issues e.g. complex behaviours of a child, strong feelings about an event etc. 7 Commitments: * Guiding principles for personal conduct and interaction * Used as a reflective point when faced with an issue

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas 7 Commitments ADD CIRCLE

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas How the Tools apply to Foster Care Red Flag Meetings: * trained as a problem solving meeting * use at times where safety is an issue * encourage use within the family setting Self Care Plans: * all carers have a plan, * this is revisited in support visits, * prompted during times of stress or trauma.

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas My Self Care Plan relax My Self Care Plan Spend time with family, See friends Baking, Spend time with my husband Cleaning Do something creative Take time out for myself Eat healthy Exercise Rest Laugh

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas How the Tools apply to Foster Care Psycho Educational Group Work * offered on school holidays * specific activities offered to the family based on need Safety Plans: * all carer families have a safety plan (family or Individual) Community Meetings: * used in all formal meetings * used at all support visits * encouraged for use within the family setting

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas Community Meeting How are you feeling ? What are your goals ? Can anyone help you ? For carers this can look like How are you today ? What is our focus for today ? How can I help you ?

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas How the Tools apply to Foster Care Safety Plan: Some individual carers wear theirs at home Some family use a FAMILY SAFETY PLAN Some carers have promoted the use of the plan for the child within the school setting.

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas Safety Plans

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas Survey Results: Foster and Kinship Carers from Carers perceive Pathways staff to be productive, supportive and positive, rose from 79% in 2010 to 91 % in 2012 Carers able to identify trauma linked to their fostering experience remained consistent at 97% across all survey period Carers able to disagree or challenge their Pathways worker increased from 80% in 2010, 93% in 2011 and 92% in 2012 Pathways assists Carers to learn from mistakes increased from 90% in 2010, 97% in 2011 to 98% in 2012.

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas Social Safety Artwork by a YP

Bringing the light of Christ into communities A division of Churches of Christ in Queensland and working with Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas Any Questions?