Spotlight on Child Safety in South Australia

We recently held our first ‘Spotlight on Child Safety’ forum in South Australia. It was a forum on child safety for organisations who provide child, youth and family Services in SA. We had representatives from both government and non-government agencies including the Deputy CE of Department of Child Protection, Fiona Ward and the Minister for Child Protection, the Hon. Rachel Sanderson MP.

It was a wonderful opportunity for the sector to come together to listen to the latest research and most importantly the voice of young people in that research in relation to what being safe means to them and what they want adults to understand about safety from the child’s perspective. The invited speakers were the Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Child Protection, Associate Professor Tim Moore and our own Dr Belinda Mayfield. Also present supporting the event were Life Without Barriers board members Gillian Calvert and Jan Lowe.

Image: Associate Professor Tim Moore presenting his research on 'A Place to Call Home'

Assoc. Prof. Moore presented the forum with his research findings in better understanding children’s lives and the best way to support them and their families during periods of adversity in particular the participatory research he has done and continues to do commissioned by the Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse. Dr Mayfield presented the findings from her research with Griffith University evaluating LWBs revised foster carer screening approach and our evidence based practice to keep children safe. The presentations generated a lot of insightful comments and discussion from the audience which really demonstrated the commitment from the sector on the important issue of keeping our children safe.