Specialist program

Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care

The CETC mobilises knowledge about “what works” in out-of-home care to better resource carers and organisations supporting children and young people living in all forms of care, including foster and kinship care, residential care and secure care.

Blogs

spotlight

Secure care for children at risk – let’s start the conversation

Not many people know what secure care is and are surprised to hear that it exists in many states and territories in Australia. It’s anonymity in a way protects children and young people. It protects...

When children or young people pose a serious risk of harm to themselves, how do we respond with care, not control? This article opens a conversation about secure care, safety, and compassion.
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spotlight

Why spit hoods don’t create safety in youth detention

The Northern Territory Government’s decision to reintroduce spit hoods in youth detention is a step backwards. These devices don’t create safety—they escalate harm, undermine trust, and make it harder for both young people and youth...

The Northern Territory Government’s decision to reintroduce spit hoods in youth detention is a step backwards. These devices don’t create safety—they escalate harm, undermine trust, and make it harder for both young people and youth justice officers to feel safe.
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spotlight

Caring for carers: Why foster carer well-being and role satisfaction matter

The experiences that inspired a PhD thesis My career has been full of twists and turns. I studied social work straight out of high school. After securing a placement in child protection during my studies,...

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.
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spotlight

Fight, flight, freeze, and fibbing: Lying as a trauma-based behaviour

In almost every session I have run for foster and kinship carers, someone tells a story about a child or young person in their care who regularly lies. I can feel their frustration at the frequency...

In regular foster and kinship carers sessions I run, someone tells a story about a child or young person in their care who regularly lies.  In this blog we run through reasons why children lie and tips on how to address lying.
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    Training

    Webinar

    Inside organised exploitation: A conversation with Michael Salter

    Speakers: Professor Michael Salter, criminologist and internationally recognised expert on child sexual exploitation Facilitated Q&A with Cyra Fernandes, practice leader in harmful sexual behaviour and out-of-home care Chair: Kelly Royds, Executive Director – Knowledge Mobilisation & Practice  Organised child sexual abuse is present in Australia—but remains largely unacknowledged in statutory responses, child protection systems, and therapeutic care. This webinar brings...

    Date Cost
    September 17, 2025
    $0.00
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    Webinar

    Secure Care in Australia: Exploring Transparency, Practice, and Purpose

    Australia’s role and adoption of secure care is inconsistent and somewhat opaque. Many in our sector are surprised to learn that it exists across several states and territories. Its relative obscurity plays a protective role for the children and young people it supports—helping them avoid stigma and, in some cases, protecting them from harm. However, this obscurity can also impact...

    Date Cost
    October 30, 2025
    $0.00
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    On-demand

    Foundational training in intensive therapeutic care

    Foundational training in intensive therapeutic care is an on-demand course for residential care workers, house managers and therapeutic specialists designed to support the implementation of the Intensive Therapeutic Care (ITC) reform in New South Wales. This course aims to equip you with a shared language and understanding to effectively support young people with complex needs in residential care. This program...

    Cost
    $99.00
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    On-demand

    Foster carer on-demand training: ordinary people, extraordinary hearts

    "Ordinary People, Extraordinary Hearts" is an on-demand training program designed to support foster carers in creating safe, nurturing, and healing environments for children and young people in their care. This course is built around the idea that ordinary people with extraordinary hearts can make an incredible difference in the lives of children who have experienced trauma and adversity.   Throughout...

    Cost
    $99.00
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    On-demand

    When yes means YES: Foster carers’ consent conversations (VIC)

    The When yes means YES course is an on-demand course designed to build carer’s skills and confidence to talk with young people aged developmentally 12 – 14 years in their care, about non-sexual consent and affirmative sexual consent.   This course was developed by carers, young people, the Australian Childhood Foundation, the Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care and OzChild, supported by...

    Cost
    $0.00
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    Resources

    Coaching and mentoring – The art of giving feedback – Practice guide

    This guide supports Therapeutic Specialists and Supervisors to provide reflective feedback.  A companion to the Practice Guide – A model for the coaching staff in Intensive Therapeutic Care.

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    A model for coaching staff in Intensive Therapeutic Care: A guide for therapeutic specialists and supervisors – Practice guide

    A guide for Therapeutic Specialists and Supervisors who have a role in supporting and developing the practice of staff

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    Reflective practice: enhancing practice in therapeutic care – Practice guide

    A guide to Enhancing Practice in Therapeutic Care

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    Tips for supporting young people in therapeutic care through COVID-19 – Practice tool

    Practice tool to support young people in therapeutic care during COVID-19

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    WATCH NOW

    Videos

    Safeguarding children services: online training

    Recorded webinar: Grandparents surviving the care system

    Recorded webinar: What young people say about changing therapeutic residential care

    Recorded webinar: Trauma-informed care in youth detention

    What is a residential care worker?

    What do you think is the role of “reflective practice”?

    What do you enjoy about working with young people?

    What does cultural safety mean to you?

    Supporting Aboriginal children and young people in custodial and residential care settings – Rhett’s story

    How do you support young people in connecting to culture?

    How do you plan for a young person’s transition into and leaving your service?

    How do you help young people feel safe in the residential home?

    Can you share an example of changes you have witnessed in young people after time being supported in residential care?

    A “day in your life” as a residential care worker

    Recorded webinar: Criminalisation of children in care

    Recorded webinar: FASD in out-of-home care

    About us

    Why is reflection important for trauma-informed work?

    Why did you become a therapeutic specialist?

    What would you tell others thinking about becoming a therapeutic specialist?

    What changes have you seen in the young people you work with?

    What are the best parts of being a therapeutic specialist?

    What are the challenges of being a therapeutic specialist?

    How does the exposure to trauma impact on staff?

    What is the role of relationship in therapeutic care?

    What is an average day for a therapeutic specialist?

    What is a therapeutic specialist?

    Welcome to responding to child sexual exploitation

    Safe Connections: How to use the resource kit

    Contribute

    Do you have an idea you would like to share with us and our readers? Please contact us via email support@childhood.org.au
    Preferred format for any blog collaboration is a very brief outline and a link to further information.

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