Berry Street Web Docs Annual Report 2014 | Page 14

KNOWLEDGE,
ADVOCACY
& LEADERSHIP
Through our knowledge and advocacy, Berry Street
contributes to a fairer and more inclusive community
Courage is one of our five organisational
Values and is epitomised through our
motto WE NEVER GIVE UP.

With 92% of our funding from government, we
are very conscious of our responsibility to be
accountable for the way this funding is used and
outcomes achieved.
Advocacy – whether on an individual, group or
policy level – is part of the life blood of Berry Street.
This can be uncomfortable – for funders and us
– but is essential if we want to achieve the best
possible outcomes.

Some of the highlights include:

^^Our first Good Childhood Conference
^^In partnership with the Foster Care Association of
Victoria, leading the ‘Save Foster Care’ campaign

^^Presenting our work at many Australian and

some international forums (Canada, Scotland,
Japan, Portugal and New Zealand) and
sponsoring the CREATE National Conference

^^Providing four formal submissions to the Royal

Commission into Institutional Responses to Child
Sexual Abuse and participating in two roundtables

of Parliament for the State Election

^^Commissioning work on: the Income Management

trial in Shepparton; barriers to implementing
professional foster care and downstream costs
of not investing; our pilot leaving care program;
Connect for Kids and our Early Learning is Fun
programs; and exploring opportunities through the
National Disability Insurance Scheme

^^Publishing papers on: the trauma impact on children

and young people who have experienced natural
disasters (for the Variety Club); recruitment of GLBTI
foster carers (in partnership with the Benevolent
Society); the impact of our Berry Big Adventure,
Foster Care Camps and Wilderness experience on
young people; assisting foster carers to improve
educational outcomes for the children and young
people in their care; the impact of play groups
for children in kinship care; a trauma-informed
approach for Aboriginal young people leaving care;
analysis of child death reviews; and a literature
review of young people at risk of sexual exploitation,
absconding and other significant harms. We are
also involved in Australian Research Council projects
with Deakin University, the University of NSW and
University of Melbourne

^^Delivering training on: Yarning Up On Trauma;
Quality of Care; Therapeutic Residential Care;
and Calmer Classrooms

^^Developing program logics for 59 out of 127
(44%) Berry Street programs.

^^Hosting visits from the Victorian Attorney-

General’sOffice and contributing a submission
to the review of Residential Care

^^Playing a leadership role with the development
of the Government’s Five Year Out of Home
Care Plan and Aboriginal Plan and partnership
framework between Aboriginal agencies and
community service organisations

Advocacy – whether on an
individual, group or policy
level – is part of the life blood
of Berry Street.

KNOWLEDGE, ADVOCACY & LEADERSHIP

Providing services is necessary, but it’s not
sufficient. We are committed to using our
knowledge and experience of what works to
improve policies and practices which will help the
people with whom we work.

^^Providing briefings to all Victorian Members