Australia still imprisons children as young as 10. It’s time to raise the age and reform youth detention. Learn more and sign the NATSILS pledge.

In this blog, Noel unpacks a recent study that sheds light on the personal costs and quiet rewards of foster care — and why better support for carers is essential to a stronger, more sustainable system.

As National Reconciliation Week (May 27 – June 3) comes to a close, I find myself reflecting deeply on this year’s theme, “Now More Than Ever.” It feels like a heartfelt call—one that asks us all to pause and listen, especially when we think about the First Nations children who are caught in the out-of-home care system.

Young people’s participation in decisions that affect them is a right, not a privilege. Yet for young people in out-of-home care and detention, this right is often seen as aspirational.

This blog shares key insights from the 2025 MASOC/MATSA conference, highlighting international perspectives on preventing harmful sexual behaviour through trauma-informed practice, cultural responsiveness, youth engagement, and emerging online safety concerns.

The words we use shape how children and young people feel—especially those with lived experiences of trauma. This blog explores how small shifts in language can foster trust, safety, and connection in care settings like out-of-home care and youth detention.

Kelly Royds explores how AI offers promising support for professionals in child-facing sectors by easing admin burdens, but its use in client documentation poses serious ethical and privacy risks.

Affirmative consent is key to supporting young people. CETC is excited to launch our new "When Yes Means YES" course to help carers and professionals navigate trauma-informed consent conversations.

Young people in out-of-home care face unique challenges online. The Online Safety Practice Guide equips carers and professionals with practical, relationship-based strategies to foster trust, support digital resilience, and empower young people to navigate the online world with confidence.

Noel takes an honest look at the challenges and rewards of being a kinship carer, exploring the everyday realities of raising children who have experienced trauma. Through the complexities and exhaustion of daily care, the kinship care role can be deeply rewarding, fulfilling, and bring unexpected joys to life.

Supporting foster carer well-being is key to a stable and nurturing care system. In this blog, PhD student Amy Miko reflects on the journey that led her to research kinship carer role satisfaction and retention.

Are you managing top-down behaviours, that are strategic and planned? Or bottom-up behaviours that are instinctual and driven by the brain's lower regions? This blog explores top-down and bottom-up behaviours, and how to match your approach to children's needs.