Therapeutic Care Blog
The CETC blog tells the stories behind 'what works' in Intensive Therapeutic Care
The Therapeutic Power of Laughter
“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.” Mark Twain We all like to laugh. It makes us feel good. Among humans, laughter begins as early as four months of age (Lovorn, 2008). A child with a well-developed sense of humour has been described as “becoming a joy tracker …
Read MoreSupporting children in out-of-home care to cope with ambiguous loss
When you think of grief and loss, what comes to your mind? You may think of the immense sorrow one may experience. For some of us, we can seek solace and take comfort in mourning rituals. Our loved ones may help us come to terms with the loss and find strength to live with …
Read MoreChildren, young people and sleep
Many of those of you who know me, know that I have a big interest in sleep hygiene and the children and young people in out of home care (OOHC). To this end I have put together a small package of material that I hope you will take the time to look at and discuss …
Read MoreTrauma Informed Relationship-Based Recovery Reflection Tool
“Childhood trauma has the potential to interrupt the normal physical, physiological, emotional, mental and intellectual development, of children and can have wide-ranging, and often life-long implications for their health and wellbeing.” (Van der Kolk, 2007) Children and young people can recover from adverse childhood experiences. However, this requires that the adults they live with and/or …
Read MoreHow to thrive in lock down, lean into what works in therapeutic care
Lockdown means we lose touch with many things: friends, family, freedom. For young people, therapeutic youth workers and other staff in Intensive Therapeutic Care, however, it also offers an opportunity to lean into what we know works in therapeutic care. As we know, you care for an incredibly vulnerable group of young people who experience …
Read MoreChanging your practice to being trauma informed in therapeutic residential care
Whilst the following Arabian proverb takes a bit to get your head around it leads rather nicely into this blog and our brief introduction on the relevance of the conscious competence model – or changing your practice to becoming a trauma informed therapeutic residential care worker. “He who knows not, and knows not that he …
Read MoreMore Than Just a Kid in Care – Identity and Culture
This NAIDOC week, I have spent some time listening to the new, 4-part podcast series called “More Than Just a Kid in Care”. Written, produced and edited by young people who have grown up in care in NSW, the first episode explores “identity” and the importance of connection to culture. “I was missing the essence …
Read MoreHow can you support safe social media use in out of home care organisations?
Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, TikTok, WeChat, Instagram – as common as these social media platforms and many others are, most of us are still learning the best ways to use (or not use) them. As tools designed to remove many of the boundaries between people, social media use has enormous potential. But it also invites a …
Read MoreReflections on the Therapeutic Specialist Forum
Last month, 40 Therapeutic Specialists from a range of organisation’s gathered in Sydney for the annual Intensive Therapeutic Care (ITC) Therapeutic Specialist Forum. Across two days participants engaged in workshops, listened to speakers on key issues facing young people in care and collaborated with peers. A focus on networking and collaboration: Relationship and connection …
Read More‘It happens to boys too’: Child Sexual Exploitation
Over the last few years, there has been an increase in the profile and awareness of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE). Undoubtedly there is a benefit of increased awareness and understanding of the exploitation of children and young people, however, the narrative has remained overwhelmingly focused on female victims and male perpetrators. Much discussion focuses on …
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