Hope everyone enjoyed some well-deserved down time over the Christmas break.
Congratulations to the following Carers for ONE year of caring
Allambi Care Online Learning - PTSD
Have you looked at the latest module to be uploaded to our online learning platform? The topic, PTSD, is presented by Trisha and Cassandra, Behaviour Specialists at Allambi Clinical. In this module Trisha and Cassandra explain what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is and provide strategies to help manage this disorder.
Not sure about the Online training and how to access the training platform? If you need help we are happy to walk you through it. Follow this link:
https://lms.allambicare.org.au/lms-signin
Active Kids Vouchers
Have you applied for your Active Kids vouchers yet? Not sure which activities you can use them for? Here’s how to apply for and redeem vouchers. There are four simple steps:
When your child commences their chosen sport or activity, your online account will show the status of the voucher change from ‘Active’ to ‘Redeemed’.
Staying Connected with children and young people
With the outbreak of the latest Omicron variant, now is the time to stay close and support children and young people. They need to feel you beside them, so they don’t feel worried or anxious. We need to be honest with them and let them know that good people from around the world are working hard to keep them safe and healthy. Here are some ways to share comfort and care with a child or young person in your care.
Be honest
“COVID 19 is a sickness like a cold. Some people will get it. Maybe someone in our family might get sick. We are all a little bit scared. Being scared is a sign that we are concentrating on being safe. There are really good people like doctors who know what to do. They are helping to figure it out.”
Validate their feelings
“I know I might look worried sometimes. Adults get worried too, just like children. I know it can make you feel scared. But I am ok.”
“It is ok to be feeling scared, or worried, or whatever you are feeling right now. You can share that with me whenever you need to.”
Acknowledge day to day disruptions
“Even if after school activities stop for a while, they will start up again. How about we think about some ways of doing versions of these things together at home if we need to?”
Look to history
“There have been sicknesses like this before. And they have stopped. Clever people from around the world have worked them out together. The scientists are doing this right now with this one."
Create some quiet time
Find a regular time where you can just be still with children. Stroke their hair. Watch a favourite show on TV. Listen to music together. Let them decide if they want to talk. Be present with them. Enjoy it.
Have fun
Share some time with your children that is just for them. Let them lead the play or activity. “Let’s do some things that you like to do.”
Remain available
“You can talk with me whenever you need to. I will answer any questions you have. If I don’t know the answers, I will find out and then I will tell you.”
Remind them
“I love and care for you, and that is one thing that will never change.”
You would have received information and login details for the new online App for Carers of OOHC, CaringLife. If you need some more help navigating this App, follow this link https://youtu.be/wc1LiiyCNiE for a 10 minute, informative session on how to use it.
Still not sure what the Caringlife App is? Read on…
What is Caringlife?
CaringLife is a new online platform and App, created by OzChild carers, that gives kids and teens in out-of-home care a way to see all the photos, videos and important memories from their time in care. At the moment, these memories are often given to the kids on a USB or in a scrapbook, which can be damaged or lost. CaringLife is not a social media network - it's designed to be a completely private way for young people in out-of-home care be able to see all their memories.
What can be uploaded?
Everything and anything that is important to the child or teen in care. It might be photos and videos from their birthday party, funny photos they take at home, a holiday they had with you, school photos, or a day at the park. It can also be scans of sporting awards, certificates of participation, birthday cards, artwork, school reports etc. If it's something a young person would like to remember, it can be uploaded.
Connecting Lives
It connects kids and teens with their Carers and lets both the kids and Carers upload the content, write captions, and see all the memories from their time together. If the young person moves to a new family, the new Carers are connected with the child’s Life story and can continue to upload all the new memories. The content will be able to be accessed forever - even when the person leaves care or turns 18. It’s also a great way for you to remember your time with your child – you also have access to all this content forever.
Looking for your next read? Check out the book review for this month
It is a hard choice which book to recommend first for 2022, however a very easily accessible book about the topic of trauma, resilience and healing which is very pertinent to carers and staff alike comes from two very well-known people in their respective genre’s. Using her celebrity status yet again Oprah Winfrey has paired with one of the world’s best known researchers into trauma Dr Bruce Perry bringing us What happened to you? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing.
The book reads as a conversation between Oprah and Bruce as they share personalised stories with simple takeaways backed by decades of experience and research. This book will assist the reader to adjust their mindset toward a traumatised person from what is wrong with them that can be perceived as being negative and judgemental, to one of curiosity, exploration, and trust improving relationships and healing.
This book is very cheap at every major store, or on your favourite app as an e-book or audiobook. However, you cannot go past free from your local library if you are counting your pennies. Do yourself a favour, take a chance and if you only read one book in 2022, make it this one.
Reviewed by Scott Handlin.
Cornflake Cookies for a lunchbox treat
Ingredients
Method
STEP 1: Preheat oven to 180c/160c fan forced. Grease or line baking trays with baking paper.
STEP 2: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the egg and beat well. Fold through the sifted flour and salt alternately with the fruit.
STEP 3: Place the cornflakes in a bowl. Drop tablespoons of the mixture in the cornflakes and gently toss to coat in cornflakes. Place onto the trays, allowing room for spreading.
STEP 4: Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden. Cool on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
STEP 5: Try not to eat them all at once 😊
AbSec Carer Support Service
AbSec’s Carer Support Service aims to provide information, support, advice and training opportunities for Carers of Aboriginal children and young people in NSW.
Feel free to contact our Carer Support Line and talk to our Aboriginal Carer Support Officer.
AbSec’s Carer Support Line operates during business hours and provides free support, information, advice and other resources for all carers of Aboriginal children and young people in NSW. We have a Carer Email Network. To be included, email us at Suwana.Combo@absec.org.au
Contact us at: AbSec's Carer Support Service (Suwana Combo)
Ph: 1800 888 698 / Ph: (02) 9559 5299
Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn: @AbSecNSW
Website: www.absec.org.au
AbSec’s Carer Support Group
AbSec recognises the need for foster and kinship Carers to come together, have a yarn and support each other in a friendly and informal way. Having a bit of fun in a group always helps too!
We are planning to start up a Carer Support Group in the Newcastle area and invite you to register your interest to attend. Unfortunately, due to COVID our first group will operate online.
Target Group: Carers of Aboriginal children and young people, this Includes authorised family, kinship Carers and Foster Carers.
When: Late February 2022
How Often: AbSec’s Carer Support Group will run for a couple of hours a day, approximately every 6 weeks.
What we offer:
If you have any questions about this group or want to register your interest in joining us, please contact:
AbSec’s Carer Support Service (Suwana Combo)
Ph: 1800 888 698 or (02) 9559 5299
Email: Suwana.Combo@absec.org.au
Come along to our newly formed Carer Support Group.
We'd love to see you!
Key dates and events
FEB 23 – 10am Webinar: If I Were You for Just One Day
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to stand in the shoes of a birth parent who has lost their way, or a Caseworker who has to make decisions that affect a child’s life or a Foster Carer who has to wear several hats all at the one time? Go on a journey as we explore the parallel worlds that co-exist in the life of a child in care.
FEB 23 – 7.30pm Webinar: Top tips for responding to disclosures Supporting a child who has disclosed abuse can be challenging and it can feel difficult to know how to respond or what actions to take.
MAR 1 – 10am Webinar: Working Collaboratively with Your Care Team This webinar provides a guide to understanding and accessing supports and services for children in care and creating collaborative partnerships with your foster child's team.
MAR 8 – 10am Webinar: Teenagers preparing to leave your care
Join us as we explore the challenges of future planning and help equip our young people to get ready for the future.
MAR 15 – 10am Webinar: Relative & Kinship Care Join us online where this training session aims to provide a space for relative and kinship carers to explore those challenges and discuss strategies for managing life as a kinship carer.
MAR 23 – 9.30am ONLINE: Supporting Positive Cultural Identity This workshop is designed to support Kinship and Foster Carers to support children and young people in their care from diverse backgrounds.
For more information: http://www.myforeverfamily.org.au/events