Berry Street Web Docs Annual Report 2007 | Page 17

Working Together for Ann
‘Ann’s’ story typifies the importance of one of Berry Street’s Values Working Together. Ann was removed from her mother’s care
when she was three, because of neglect, physical abuse, family
violence and her mother’s mental illness. Ten years later, with
multiple placements and further emotional abuse, Ann was
showing many signs of serious emotional distress.
Our Take Two clinician became involved when Ann was placed
in Secure Welfare because of her serious self-harming and
challenging behaviours. After a comprehensive psycho-social
assessment, the clinician worked intensively with Ann to help
her to make sense of her life. He also worked with the residential
care staff to help them understand the reasons for Ann’s
behaviour and developed with them a plan on how to respond.
Although Ann’s mental health issues, stemming from her early
trauma, are ongoing, she has not returned to Secure Welfare
and the residential care staff feel more positive about their
ability to help her.

Helping Ruby understand her roots
‘Ruby’ was eight days old when her father met her for the first,
short time. Her mother re-partnered whilst pregnant with Ruby
and her partner was Ruby’s ‘Dad’. She did not meet ‘Peter’, her
biological father, again until she was five years old. To ensure
Ruby felt comfortable about meeting Peter, they came to our
Contact Centre for supervised access. Through five months of
supervised contact, Ruby and Peter established their relationship
to the point where the whole family is now able to communicate
and arrange changeovers between themselves.
Ruby’s mother wrote to the staff a couple of months after
they stopped using the service: “Thank you for your caring
assistance in guiding our family through challenging changes
and helping to facilitated safe, supportive, positive first
meetings… Your personal care and patience have helped
so much to give us all confidence to accept change.”

Thomas
‘Thomas’s’ entry to the world was difficult. He was born six
weeks premature and needed medical treatment to withdraw
from the heroin his young mother was using.
After six weeks in hospital and six weeks in foster care, he returned
home to his mother.
Two months later, Thomas ended up in the Children’s Hospital with
serious seizures. Subsequent investigation revealed a number
of fractures. Child Protection and the Police became involved.
Given his medical needs, his traumatic history and the
complex relationships with his mother and her extended
family, Thomas was placed through our Therapeutic Foster
Care program in Shepparton.
Therapeutic Foster Care involves all the key professionals and
foster carers in a care team, focussing on Thomas’ needs. The
foster carers receive more intensive support and advice about
how best to manage Thomas’ birth family.
Thomas is coming up for his first birthday. He is meeting most
of his milestones. Importantly, his mother is learning from the
foster carers how she can play a positive role in Thomas’ life.

Helping Laura say no to Family Violence
We first met ‘Laura’ when our after hours domestic violence
outreach worker Faye, was asked to go to the Emergency
Department at Austin Health.
Laura, who was pregnant with her second child, told Faye that
her partner ‘Dave’s’ abusive behaviour had worsened since she
became pregnant. He wouldn’t let her see her friends, gave her
only $10 a day to buy dinner and meet all her needs and would
ring her frequently during the day to check on her whereabouts.
Laura was also worried about the impact of Dave’s behaviour on
‘Brett’, her 11 year old son from a previous relationship.
Faye reaffirmed that physical assaults were a crime and that Laura
did not deserve to be treated this way. Before she was discharged
from hospital, Faye made sure Laura had a comprehensive risk
assessment and safety plan.
Dave was charged with assault and removed from the home.
When he went to Court he agreed to attend a Men’s Behaviour
Change Program.
Laura was relieved that Brett agreed to talk to one of our counsellors,
and has joined a support group for survivors of family violence.

We never give up