Joe Tucci

CEO of Australian Childhood Foundation

Joe is the CEO of the Australian Childhood Foundation and shapes the delivery and strategy of the CETC as a division of the Australian Childhood Foundation.

Joe is a registered psychologist and social worker with significant experience in child protection and working therapeutically with children. He has worked in the field of child abuse intervention and education for more than 30 years. Joe is well known for his training and writing about the neurobiology of trauma and the effects of violation on the development of children and young people.

He has been a consultant to various State Government Departments on child protection, family violence, youth justice and child welfare evaluative projects. He has experience developing and implementing child-focused therapeutic programs and child abuse prevention campaigns. He has also served on several advisory bodies, including the Australian Council for Children and Parenting.

Joe completed his Doctorate in emotional child abuse at Monash University in 2005. He has presented at national and international family therapy and child abuse conferences. His writing has been published in Australian and international academic journals and the broader media.

He lives on Wurundjeri Country.

Articles written by

Joe Tucci

Agenda for Change: Ensuring a safe and supportive out-of-home care system for children and young people in New South Wales
Agenda for Change: Ensuring a safe and supportive out-of-home care system for children and young people in New South Wales
A system in crisis: A call for transformation The out-of-home care system in New South Wales (NSW) should be a safe haven for children, young...
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Responding to children and young people living in out-of-home care who engage in harmful sexual behaviour – Practice guide
Responding to children and young people living in out-of-home care who engage in harmful sexual behaviour – Practice guide
This practice guide aims to support carers and professionals working in and around the out of home care system to know how to best understand...
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Applying polyvagal theory to relationship-based therapeutic care – Practice tool
Applying polyvagal theory to relationship-based therapeutic care – Practice tool
Relationship-based practice is at the core of effective therapeutic care. Key to understanding how to build effective relationships with young people who have experienced trauma...
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Minimum age of criminal responsibility in the ACT
Minimum age of criminal responsibility in the ACT
  This submission addresses the question of whether the age of criminal responsibility (MACR) should be increased and submits that the age should be raised...
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Safe Connections – A resource kit to support young people in care at risk of child sexual exploitation – Practice guide
Safe Connections – A resource kit to support young people in care at risk of child sexual exploitation – Practice guide
The Safe Connections resource kit has been designed for use with young people at risk of or experiencing child sexual exploitation in care. Child sexual...
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The essential elements of therapeutic foster care – Research brief
The essential elements of therapeutic foster care – Research brief
As far back as 2002 in the creation of the Catalyst Program, Mitchell developed what was Australia’s first therapeutic foster care program and one of...
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Care teams – Collaborative processes for creating healing and change – Practice guide
Care teams – Collaborative processes for creating healing and change – Practice guide
A care team approach is an essential element of therapeutic care. This guide has been developed to support the practice of collaboration and participation through...
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