Association of Children's Residential & Community Services (ACRC)
‘It was such a pleasure to welcome Claire and the entire Allambi team to this year's ACRC conference!! Our Family Partner Pre-conference was jam-packed, and the expertise that Claire shared across the conference was so incredibly valuable. We can't wait to see the data and evidence about the impact your investment in Family Peer Advocates is having for young people and families!‘
This year’s ACRC conference in Boston brought together professionals, advocates, and leaders from across the globe to share insights and experiences in supporting children, young people, and families in the welfare sector. Among those contributing to the discussion was Claire, representing Allambi Care, who brought her passion and expertise to the event.
A message from Claire:
Having the privilege to represent Allambi Care at the 2025 ACRC conference in Boston was such an honour. I was exceptionally lucky to attend with two incredible women, Danielle Nicholls and Aunty Debra Swan.
I am eternally grateful to the ACRC team for welcoming us and making sure everything ran smoothly. The conference was bursting with excitement, motivation, and the sharing of knowledge from education, housing, mental health, and family interventions—especially from those with lived experience.
Over the past year, I have been meeting with Peer Partners, Specialists, and Advocates online every month from across different states in America. To finally meet them all in person was surreal and a moment in my life I will never forget. While the organisations and programs we work in differ, our shared vision and voice align in walking alongside parents, families, children, and young people impacted by the welfare sector.
The theme for this year’s conference was Remember your WHY. Over 600 attendees came to share their WHY in person, representing 10 different countries, along with 500 online participants. My time in Boston enabled me to connect, listen, and gain different perspectives from a variety of exceptional leaders in their fields. A truly profound moment for me was meeting the Youth Advocates, or as they are known, Change Agents. Their insights on how we can better support young people and children in care—and the impact of staff mental health on their daily and future lives—left a lasting impression.
I am excited to share all that I have learned and continue to learn from the relationships I have forged across the Pacific, knowing it was never goodbye, but see you soon.
