Speak Out August 2017

Eight things to consider when working with children in out-of-home care

Northern Territory

6. Always stay in contact with a child’s case manager. There is a charter of rights for children and young people in care in the Northern Territory www.nt.gov.au/__data/ assets/pdf_file/0017/263105/information- for-staff.pdf). Communicate any concerns if you suspect a child’s rights are not being upheld. 7. Copies of assessments, treatment plans, and reports can be emailed to the case manager directly, so that this paperwork can be part of the child’s permanent record. In the NT, children in OOHC experience more placements and less placement stability than in other parts of Australia. For adults looking back on their childhood in OOHC, you can help make sure these snapshots of their development are not “lost.” 8. If the child presents with significant speech and language concerns that warrant speech therapy, yet the child is without a funding package, with the carer’s permission you may wish to advocate for these services directly with the case manager. Bea Staley Charles Darwin University

THERE ARE 43,000 children in Australia’s Out of Home Care (OOHC) system (commonly known as foster care). In the Northern Territory (NT), there are almost 1000 children in care; they are predominantly Aboriginal, and have often been removed from their home community as well as their families. In 2016 I went through the NT Department of Child and Family Services Carer process, which gave me an opportunity to consider what I did and did not know about OOHC, as both a future carer and speech pathologist. Here I share some learnings that I apply to my clinical work: 1. Be considerate to the sensitive nature of children’s histories. If possible, gather clinical information when the child is not present. We must respect that these stories often include revisiting traumatic experiences for the child. 2. Many Aboriginal families are still reeling from the long-term impact of the Stolen Generations. Sometimes carers will share Children are watching and listening to these interactions and need a team of adults all working together for their well-being. 3. Children in OOHC can be shy and reticent with unfamiliar adults. Slow down your rate of speech and activity. Give the carer and child the time and space to feel comfortable in the therapy room. I have seen children in OOHC make significant “gains” between sessions as they warm up to the environment and me (their clinician). I have also seen those children revert to silence when a student has joined the session. 4. If the child is in a new placement you might expect to see notable changes around language, toileting and feeding as the child becomes comfortable with their new home and carers. If your service offers limited sessions per family it may be optimal to wait some time before providing your services. 5. In the NT, many carers speak English at home. The same is not true for Aboriginal children. We must always remember that young children in OOHC may be in an English-speaking language environment for the first time. harrowing events from the child’s life embedded with their own commentary.

NT 52 members as at July 2017

39

August 2017 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out