Exploring Expertise: Keeping children in care connected to their cultures- Key messages from international and national research informed practices
A positive sense of cultural identity is critical to wellbeing, yet children in out-of-home care often lose their cultural identities and connections. There is little evidence to guide out-of-home care agencies to support culturally meaningful foster care. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, includes the right of children to maintain connections with family, community, and culture. For many international countries including Australia the focus has been on responding to supporting First Nations children reconnect to their family, country and culture. For other children, cultural connections are often given less priority despite its importance. Language and data impacts how culture is understood and measured. International and national research highlighted key messages including the unintended messages of devaluing culture when it is not attended to and the outcomes for many children coming into care being culturally disconnected.
In this session we will share key messages and highlight practice tips for practitioners, managers and organisational leaders. It will provide an overview of the SELF cultural framework. And it will provide an A-to-Z practice prompt to encourage practices that can be more intentional, more curious and more respectful.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
· Understand the core elements of the S.E.L.F cultural framework which guides practice considerations to explore how settlement journeys, ethnicity, language and faith may impact children’s and families’ cultures.
· Reflect and consider individual practices, team conversations and approaches to how organisations identify and safeguard children’s cultures.
· The value of being intentional, being curious and being respectful in exploring and attending to children’s cultural care.
PRESENTER
Kathy Karatasas, CEO/Founder, Cultural Works
Kathy is a second-generation Greek Australian, social worker with four decades of experience and a commitment to children’s wellbeing, family and community partnerships through operational activities, training and learning opportunities and the roles of leaders in creating and maintaining safeguards for children and staff. Kathy led the design and implementation of a specialist multicultural child and family program in NSW, which informed the development of the S.E.L.F cultural framework. Kathy is part of a multi- layered team, led by the University of Western Sydney in Australia conducting national research on improving non-Indigenous children’s cultural connections in care.
In 2025, Kathy was awarded the first social science-focused Australian National PhD scholarship at the University and is progressing research into organisational levers facilitating cultural care practices. Kathy is the Founder of Cultural Works, an organisation committed to partnerships which enhance organisations' approaches to culturally responsive practices.
WHO'S IT FOR
This session is aimed at social workers, and health professionals that work with children in adoption, fostering and kinship care. It will also be of interest to foster carers.
FEES
FREE - Members Only. This event is exclusively for CoramBAAF members.
Places on this event are limited, so early booking is recommended.
CONTACT
Telephone: 0207 520 7520 / 0310
Email: events@corambaaf.org.uk
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