September has been a busy month for all those involved in child protection, with events and celebrations nearly every day as part of National Child Protection Week and Foster and Kinship Carers Week.

Thank you to everyone who helped us coordinate these events and activities - these celebrations would not have been possible without your help.

• Carer lunches and dinners

  We hosted 21 lunches and dinners across South Australia to thank carers and celebrate their work, in partnership with a range of non-government agencies. More than 500 carers attended the events and feedback from has been overwhelmingly positive. Thank you to all carers for their attendance - we hope you had a fantastic time.

  We would also like to say a big thank you GOGO events (a social enterprise) who partnered with us to produce many of these events.

  

• Royal Adelaide Show stall: 30 Aug to 8 Sept

  More than 500 people visited our booth at the Royal Adelaide Show, where volunteers and staff provided information on how to become a carer. 80 existing carers also stopped by and we were able to personally thank them and give them a small gift. One agency member reported that three people she had spoken to contacted her the next day to register interest for a foster care information seminar.

  The adults and children who attended the booth also left messages for carers, thanking them for their tremendous efforts towards child protection.

  

  We would like to thank Connecting Foster and Kinship Carers SA for their dedication to making the stall a success. We would also like to thank carers and the following foster and kinship care agencies for taking the time to staff the Royal Show stand:

  • ac.care
  • Aboriginal Family Support Services (AFSS)
  • AnglicareSA
  • Centacare
  • Key Assets
  • Lutheran Community Care
  • Uniting Country SA

• A new website for carers

  To support carers in their important role, we launched a new online carer platform with information and resources in an easy–to-use format. This includes an updated version of Who Can Say OK?, with ‘at a glance’ guides to help carers understand who needs to be involved in day-to-day decisions about their child.

  

  Carer thank you cards

  Carers received a card from the Minister for Child Protection, Hon Rachel Sanderson MP, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Department for Child Protection, Cathy Taylor, thanking them for their dedication to the vulnerable children and young people in their care.

  You can also view videos featuring both Hon Rachel Sanderson MP and Cathy Taylor thanking carers for their efforts.

• Promotional media for Foster and Kinship Carer Week

  Nine regional newspapers took interest in this year’s Foster and Kinship Carers Week. Positive, carer-focused stories were published in the Port Lincoln Times, York Peninsula Country Times, Whyalla News, Border Watch , The Transcontinental (Port Augusta) and Port Pirie Recorder. Articles will also feature in the West Coast Sentinel and Murray Pioneer.

  Connecting Foster and Kinship Carers SA CEO Fiona Endacott, kinship carer Kathy Tapley and our very own Sue MacDonald were given the opportunity to discuss foster and kinship care on 5AA. This broadcast is available online. Fiona Endacott and carer Narelle Thomas were also interviewed by ABC Radio Adelaide to discuss foster and kinship care.

• The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) National Conference: 2-5 Sept

  This year the SNAICC national conference was held in Adelaide. This conference was centered on promoting a safer future for Aboriginal children, young people and families. The conference provided the opportunity for many Aboriginal organisations, policy makers, researchers, government representatives, other non-government organisations and industry representatives to gather and make renewed commitments to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

• Putting children first: changing the way we frame parenting to improve child wellbeing in Australia: 6 Sept

  280 people attended this NAPCAN Q&A forum, featuring a keynote presentation from Dr Nat Kendall-Taylor. The Q&A panel was chaired by Chief Executive Cathy Taylor and featured Dr Prue McEvoy, Lead Psychiatric Director.

  

• Karen Fitzgerald oration at the Australian Association for Infant Mental Health (AAIMHI) National Conference: 4-7 Sept

  Professor Mary Dozier from the University of Delaware spearheaded the Karen Fitzgerald Oration at the AAIMHI conference this year. Over 230 people gathered to listen to Professor Dozier present on how early adversity impacts brain and behavioural development of infants and young children. Among this crowd of 230 people were 25 DCP staff, looking to boost their professional knowledge.