Berry Street Web Docs Annual Report 2016 | Page 22

Knowledge Development & Advocacy

FOSTER CARE
It is pleasing that Minister Jenny
Mikakos is keen to better support
foster and kinship carers and grow
the number of people willing to take
on this critical work. The $20 a
week increase in January 2016 was
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support of the sector’s foster carer
recruitment campaign – Fostering
Connections - is most welcome.
But there is so much more to do...
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has lost more foster carers (696)
than it has gained and the decline
is growing. The loss of 620 in
2014/15 was the highest number
yet and the 392 commencing
is lower than the three
previous years
Foster care now makes up only
17% of placements in Out of
Home Care in Victoria, compared
with 59% in Queensland

This is why we continue to advocate
for a Professionalised Model of
Foster Care, where carers are
properly supported and receive
some remuneration for their
invaluable work.
In addition to sponsoring the
National Foster and Kinship Care
Conference, we:
Based on Anita Pell’s Churchill
Fellowship, published ‘Solving the
Foster Care Conundrum:
A Call to Action’
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and Mary Beek (University of
East Anglia in the UK) to start
implementing their Secure Base
model of care
Provided training for 523 foster
carers across Victoria on ‘Life
After Loss’, in partnership with
the Foster Care Association
of Victoria
Developed a new program with
UK consultant, Richard Rose, on
‘Caring for Carers’

SOME OF THE OTHER
BERRY STREET
CHILDHOOD INSTITUTE
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
With philanthropic support
from the Late John Brunner,
commencing a community
strengthening project
‘Morwell4Kids’, to engage all the
community in improving outcomes
for children
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Life Story Work professional
diploma in Melbourne and Sydney,
in partnership with UK consultant,
Richard Rose
Commencing the pilot of a
successful American program,
Family Finding, with our own
resources, which will provide
children and young people in
Out of Home Care with lifelong
connections to family
Having four case studies included
in the Department of Health
and Human Services’ Good
Practice Guide in 2016
Redeveloping our Aboriginal
Yarning Up on Trauma
program in partnership with
the Bouverie Centre
Providing consultancy advice to
the WA and NSW Governments
and seconding Dr Sarah Wise (our
Good Childhood Fellow) to DHHS
for six months to provide advice
on the reform agenda

Training provided
for 523 foster
carer's across
Victoria

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523
BERRY STREET