Prosody Blog
Prosody is the pitch and tone of the human voice. It is the very essence of connection. Our blog hosts articles and stories dedicated to innovation, research and practice with children and young people.
Parenting After Family Violence Program
Women and their children are traumatised by the experience of family violence. It terrifies them. It destabilises the foundations of their world. It undermines the strengths of their relationships. It can overwhelm them. Family violence is experienced deep in the minds and bodies of those who experience it. They see it. They often hear it. …
Read MoreChristmas Isn’t Always Fun for Kids in Care
This article was written by Noel MacNamara, Executive Manager, Research & Policy at the Australian Childhood Foundation and Deputy Director, Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care It’s all too easy to get wrapped up in the fun and happiness of Christmas and forget that, for others, the season isn’t necessarily a joyful one. For some …
Read MoreEmpowering Carers with SPACE
This blog article was written by Colin Hayes, Therapeutic Specialist and Shaun Chandran, Manager, Therapeutic Services, Western Australia. In October 2020, the Australian Childhood Foundation launched OurSPACE WA: a new state-wide therapeutic consultation and support service in Western Australia for Department of Communities foster and family carers, where the placement may be under stress and/or …
Read MoreCreating safety through small acts of reconciliation
This blog article was written by Sue Buratti, Program Manager, Therapeutic Services, NSW. “At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians”. (Reconciliation.org.au) OurSPACE is a new program in the NSW landscape. It was funded in October 2019 and started receiving …
Read MoreChildren’s mental health starts with adults
This article was written by Dr Joe Tucci, psychologist and social worker and the CEO of the Australian Childhood Foundation. When children see painted wooden spoons appearing in a garden bed in their neighbourhood, they stop and point to them. For them, they are not just wooden spoons. They see them as little people. Spoonville …
Read MoreMindful Parenting
The practise of mindfulness has many benefits. Amongst these, in our work with parents and families, we have observed that it can support parents in their efforts to develop contingent and thoughtful rather than reactive ways of responding to their children. This transformational change in parents comes as the result of the regular mindfulness practice …
Read MoreSibling Relationships in Therapeutic Planning
This article was written by Sue Buratti, Senior Manager of Therapeutic Services in NSW at the Australian Childhood Foundation. Sibling relationships can be the most rewarding and challenging of all relationships across our lifespan. They can provide an unbreakable connection or can be a source of deep pain. For children who cannot live with their …
Read MoreFree Play and Wellbeing
This article was written by Chris Hutchinson, Senior Consultant in the Parenting and Early Years Program at the Australian Childhood Foundation. Play is universal, children all around the world do their own version of play. Even if play is not intentionally encouraged in a country or community somehow children still find ways to play. Through …
Read MoreGoing Viral – 8 free resources for work with children, young people and families.
During the Coronavirus Pandemic, children remain at the heart of everything we do. We know that children, like their parents and carers, are currently experiencing a lot of fear, worry, and anxiety as a result of the Coronavirus crisis (see our research here). Understanding the concerns shared with us, we have produced a number of …
Read MorePutting children first in legislation
This article was written by Lauren Thomas, Program Manager – Service Development and Projects at the Australian Childhood Foundation. In December it will be 30 years since Australia ratified the United Nations Charter for the Rights of Children (UNCRC). For thirty years we have agreed – along with almost every other nation in the world now – …
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