Ovens Murray Child & Family Services Alliance

Ovens Murray region MARAM Collaborative Practice Training- Online event
2024-06-11 09:30 - 15:30 UTC
This training is open to any professional in the Ovens Murray region who responds to family violence.
Explore how to contribute to risk assessment and collaborate for ongoing risk management through respectful and sensitive engagement with victim survivors, information sharing, referral and secondary consultation.
This is not risk assessment training but forms an integral component of the MARAM suite of training for professionals responding to family violence.
Registrations required and spaces are limited.
Hosted by Ovens Murray Family Violence Partnership

Trauma Responsive Leadership - Self as a Leader
2024-06-14 09:00 - 16:30
Online
This training program explores the application of a trauma lens when supporting teams and individuals who work with complex trauma. Being trauma responsive means both individual and organisation recognise and respond to trauma which can enable change and strengthen resilience and protective factors. A trauma responsive leader embeds trauma informed principles into practice and creates a culture of safety for their team to work from.

Professional Member Discount $310.00 incl. GST
Group Booking (3 or more people) Per Person Rate $330.00 incl. GST
$350.00 incl. GST

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Trauma Sensitive Practice - Working with Complex Trauma
2024-06-19 09:00 - 16:30
Online
This training is a blend of foundational information on complex trauma with the introduction of the practice of safety and stabilisation. This training program utilises current research to provide an understanding of trauma, the impacts of trauma and the neurobiological responses that occur. Building an understanding of the key features of complex trauma that can present in our working relationships and the resourcing and regulation that can support in practice.

Professional Member Discount $310.00 incl. GST
Group Booking (3 or more people) Per Person Rate $330.00 incl. GST
$350.00 incl. GST

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Blue Knot Foundation - Wellbeing and Emotional Awareness when working with Complex Trauma (Webinar)
2024-06-20 11:00 - 12:30
Online – 1 hour, 30 minutes, 11:00 AM AEST – 12:30 PM AEST
This one and a half hour webinar provides information about wellbeing and self-care when working with clients who have Complex Trauma.

$75.00 GST

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Wellbeing and Emotional Awareness when working with Complex Trauma Webinar
2024-06-20 11:00 - 12:30
Online
This one and a half hour webinar provides information about wellbeing and self-care when working with clients who have Complex Trauma.
$75.00 incl. GST
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Foundations for Building Trauma Awareness
2024-06-21 09:00 - 16:30
Online
This training utilises current research to provide an understanding of trauma, the impacts of trauma on all aspects of life and subsequently the coping mechanisms formed in response to trauma. The principles of trauma-informed practice are introduced which focus on a strengths-based approach and applicable to all, vital for every person working in health, human, education, disability and legal services, working in government, non-government, public or private sectors.

Professional Member Discount $310.00 incl. GST
Group Booking (3 or more people) Per Person Rate $330.00 incl. GST
$350.00 incl. GST

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Ovens Murray Community Services Symposium - Stronger Together
2024-06-25 09:30 - 16:30 | Wangaratta Peforming Arts Centre, 33-37 Ford Street, Wangaratta, Victoria, 3677, Australia
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
The Ovens Murray Community Services – Stronger Together Symposium is a chance for Community Service sector practitioners and leaders to come together in celebrating and promoting collaborative pathways, connection and practice.
The full-day program will include opportunities to explore pathways for collaboration and innovative practice to enable our workforce to work together, for better outcomes for children, young people and families across Ovens Murray.
Keynote speakers I Presentations I Panel discussions

Matt and Sarah Brown ‘SHE IS NOT YOUR REHAB’
In their powerful keynote messages, Mataio + Sarah Brown share their innovative and revolutionary approaches to addressing family violence, emphasising the pivotal role of community and collective healing in breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma while passionately advocating for healthy masculinity role modelling. They encourage men to overcome shame while taking responsibility for their own healing. Their message inspires a transformative journey towards healthy relationships and cultural shifts that challenge ingrained norms to foster a safer, more empathetic and holistic society.
Professor Daryl Higgins
Is Director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies. For 30 years, Prof Higgins has been researching child abuse prevalence and impacts, public health approaches to prevention, child protection and out-of-home care systems, family law, family violence, family wellbeing, and past adoption practices. He is one of the Chief Investigators on the Australian Child Maltreatment Study.

Navigating cultural differences and ethical dilemmas when working with culturally diverse families
2024-06-26 13:00 - 14:00
Presenters: Pshko Marden, Rhett McDonald, Hala Abdelnour and Amanda Kemperman
Partner: Emerging Minds
Many practitioners strive to support all families in ways that are culturally appropriate and sensitive. However, when practitioners work with children and families from a different culture than their own, they may receive questions or hear experiences that differ from the norms, knowledge or expectations of their own culture. In these situations, practitioners may feel uncertain about how to navigate these cultural differences.
Ethical dilemmas can arise when practitioners’ own values or opinions around equity, fairness or parenting practices differ from those of the family they’re working with. For example, differences around the expected responsibilities appropriate for a child to take on.
Practitioners may feel uncertain about how to best support the mental health and wellbeing of the child and their family while maintaining cultural respect, humility and curiosity. Through self-reflection and improved cultural awareness, practitioners can avoid unintentionally imposing their own beliefs and expectations on families. This can reduce the risk of the child and their family feeling misunderstood or isolated from services.
This webinar will help you:

maintain humility and curiosity when cultural differences and ethical dilemmas arise in your work
navigate conversations with children and families from cultures that are different from your own, particularly when cultural differences arise, so that you can maintain culturally sensitive practice
reflect on and challenge your own assumptions, judgements and biases when ethical dilemmas arise due to cultural differences.

This webinar will interest practitioners who work in the child and family sector – such as psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, nurses, teachers and support workers – who want to develop their confidence and cultural humility when working with culturally diverse children, parents, families and communities.
This webinar is co-produced by CFCA at AIFS and Emerging Minds in a series focusing on children’s mental health. They are working together as part of the Emerging Minds: National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health, which is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care under the National Support for Child and Youth Mental Health Program
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Carer Kafe Training
2024-07-09 10:00 - 11:30
Carer Kafe Training
Do you work with carers who are in need of training and support? Carer Kafe is funded to provide learning and development opportunities to statutory kinship carers, accredited foster carers and permanent carers in Victoria.

Caring can be rewarding but exhausting. Join the navigating compassion fatigue for carers session online to learn coping strategies on Tuesday 9 July from 10.00am – 11.30am.

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Safe & Together™ Model CORE Training
2024-07-15 09:30 - 16:30
Safe & Together™ Model CORE Training
By focusing on four key skills: assessment, interviewing, documentation and case planning our experiential training provides the foundation for domestic
violence-informed practice.
More Information/Registration: https://events.humanitix.com/safe-and-together-core-training-by-umfc

Location: Wangaratta Turf Club – Grand Oaks 1, 20-32 Racecourse Road, Wangaratta
Four-day training event, dates: 15th, 22nd, 29th July & 5th August 2024 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Questions: fvcst@umfc.com.au
CORE Training explores the importance of:
● Identifying the impact of domestic violence on children and family functioning.
● Fact-based assessment of the perpetrators’ behavior patterns.
● Partnering with adult survivors of domestic violence.
● Intervening with perpetrators.
● How domestic violence intersects with other issues like substance abuse and mental health.
Participants of the CORE Training will:
● Learn to use practice tools, such as Mapping Perpetrators’ Patterns and Multiple Pathways to Harm that can be implemented right away to improve assessment of risk, impact on children, survivor protective efforts and essential case decisions
● Practice interviewing perpetrators, survivors and children through modeling, role play and videos
● Improve their domestic violence-informed documentation through individual and group exercises
● Discuss their own current or past cases and explore how the Safe & Together Model could be implemented
CORE as a prerequisite:
● Participants who complete all four days and score an 80% or higher on the CORE Training posttest will meet one of the prerequisites to become a Safe & Together Model Certified Trainer.
More about Certified Trainer Program:
https://safeandtogetherinstitute.com/what-we-offer/certifications/stm-trainer-certification-program/

Carer Kafe Training
2024-07-18 10:00 - 12:00
Carer Kafe Training
Do you work with carers who are in need of training and support? Carer Kafe is funded to provide learning and development opportunities to statutory kinship carers, accredited foster carers and permanent carers in Victoria.
Belonging Matters: Supporting children and young people through bullying challenges – Thursday 18 July online from 10am – 12pm.

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Four Day Foundational Training – Working with men who perpetrate violence and abuse ($1732.50 – 4 full days, online training sessions delivered via Zoom)
2024-07-23 10:00 - 15:00
Delivered over 4 days, this course will provide professionals with the foundational skills, knowledge and confidence to interrupt abusive attitudes, and engage in meaningful conversations that work to move men using family violence into a change journey.
This course is for professionals who come into contact with perpetrators of family violence in the course of their work, new workers in specialist family violence services or students considering a career in working with men and ‘men’s behaviour change’ or primary prevention sectors.
Dates of delivery:
23, 24, 30, 31 July 2024 – 10-3pm all days
For more information and to register, click here.

Responding to Family Violence in Migrant & Refugee Communities
2024-07-25 09:30 - 16:30
RSVP to: genderquity@wangaratta.vic.gov.au

OPEN Forum: Trauma-informed insights
2024-07-25 12:30 - 14:00
Thursday 25 July | 12:30pm – 2:00pm | Online
When working with young people using violence, being trauma-informed is a must. Do you need ideas embedding an organisation-wide model of care? Join OPEN and facilitators from Uniting Vic.Tas, for an insightful discussion on the development of Uniting’s Therapeutic Model of Care (TMoC).
Register here.

Enhanced – The Five Essential Discussion Tools (FREE, 3 hour online training session delivered via Zoom)
2024-07-26 10:00 - 13:00
For practitioners who have engaged with the Five Essential Discussion Tools before, this enhanced package will refresh knowledge and introduce new topics and practice considerations.
Training content expands upon underlying theories that support the tools – interoception (Body Signs Tool), Name it to Tame it [Dr. Dan Siegel] (Traffic Light Tool) – the theory of behaviour change and brain plasticity; identifying and responding to invitations to collude; and practitioner accountability and best practice principles in the work – managing reactivity and using the tools on yourselves as practitioners.
The enhanced package also includes a case study following the journey of a ‘practitioner’ explaining the benefits of the tools to a ‘client’.
Dates of delivery:

26 July 2024 – 10am-1pm
23 August 2024 – 10am-1pm
20 September 2024 – 10am-1pm

For more information and to register, click here.

Best Interest Case Practice Model - Foundation Training
2024-07-29 09:30 - 12:30, 2024-07-30 09:30 - 12:30
Tailored to enrich and bolster professional proficiency in family services, child protection, and placement and support services, the Best Interests Case Practice Model (BICPM) is dedicated to fostering favourable outcomes for children and their families.
Learning Outcomes

Enhance skills in building relationships with clients and stakeholders to facilitate optimal outcomes for children, young people, and their families, aligning with BICPM’s ‘Relationship Based’ principles.
Develop proficiency in ‘Information Gathering’ techniques consistent with BICPM’s principles and tools.
Strengthen capabilities in case planning and risk assessment in alignment with BICPM’s ‘Analysis and Planning’ principles and tools.
Acquire skills for effectively supporting service users in accordance with BICPM’s ‘Action’ principles.
Develop the ability to reflect on practice and service delivery in accordance with BICPM’s ‘Reviewing Outcomes’ principles.

Online training via TEAMS
Cost of Training: $420 (incl GST)
Delivery date and timings:
This session will be delivered in 2 parts:
29/07/2024, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
30/07/2024, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
To register please go to – https://training.cfecfw.asn.au/ and enter CENPRO in the Program Code field.

AVITH in Context: Work with Under 12s
2024-08-07 13:00 - 14:00
AVITH in Context: Work with Under 12s

Many service providers are seeing referrals for children under 12 with violent, aggressive or otherwise “challenging” behaviours. Join us for this online discussion with specialist practitioners about common presenting issues and behaviours seen in younger cohorts and how this work with children (engagement, parent work, expectations of accountability) differs from work with older adolescents.

Wednesday 7 August 2024
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Online

RSVP today to the AVITH event

THE NATIONAL Kinship, Permanent & Foster Care Conference 2024
2024-08-09 08:00 - 2024-08-11 17:00 | Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, 1 Convention Centre Place, South wHARF, Melbourne, Victoria, 3006, Australia
The National Kinship, Permanent and Foster Care Conference 2024
Registrations now open for The National Kinship, Permanent and Foster Care Conference, 9 – 11 August, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Submit your abstract to participate in the upcoming Conference.
Register to attend.

The Five Essential Discussion Tools (FREE, 3 hour training session delivered via ZOOM)
2024-08-09 10:00 - 13:00
The original ‘The Five Essential Discussion Tools’ training package has been revised and refreshed. Perfect for practitioners who are new to working with men using family violence or those who have not explored de-escalation techniques in their work, this training explores the Five Essential Discussion Tools whilst applying an intersectional lens. It identifies how practitioners can engage in conversations to help men make sense of their behaviour; examines the client facing tools; develops practice skills in using the tools as additional interventions with men using family violence; and discusses how safety for families can be established by connecting men with their capacity to change.
The revised package includes a video activity to support practitioners to identify invitations to collude, reframing of passive language and safety planning.
Dates of delivery:

9 August 2024 – 10am-1pm
6 September 2024 – 10am-1pm
4 October 2024 – 10am-1pm

For more information and to register, click here.

Commission for Children and Young People Upcoming Webinar - Understanding the changes to the Reportable Conduct Scheme
2024-08-12 10:00 - 11:00
We’re hosting a free webinar for people who want to learn more about the increase in types of employees covered by the Reportable Conduct Scheme, which came into effect on 1 July 2024. This webinar is for people in organisations subject to the Reportable Conduct Scheme, who might be impacted by the changes.
You can read more about the changes on our website:
Changes to workers covered by the Reportable Conduct Scheme

Date: Monday 12 August 2024
Time: 10:00am – 11:00am
Location: Online, via Teams. You do not need a Teams account to join but registration is required.
Recording: If you can’t make it on the day, a recording of the webinar will be available on our website after the event.

Register for the webinar

Practice Responses to Child Sexual Exploitation: Forum Series
2024-08-14 09:30 - 16:30
Register now via Humanitix

Supporting infants' and toddlers' resilience during daily transitions
2024-08-14 13:00 - 14:00
Presenters: Dr Robyn Dolby, Dr Belinda Friezer, Claudius Reiman and Vicki Mansfield
Partner: Emerging Minds
Date & time: Wednesday 14 August 2024, 1:00 – 2:00PM (AEST). Find your time zone.

Early childhood is a dynamic period of development and critical to a child’s long term social and emotional wellbeing. In their first five years, children experience numerous transitions – some transitions are ‘big’, and some are small, some expected and some unexpected. Often in practice we discuss the big transitions, but it’s the repeated small ones that create relationships and underpin the bond between parents/carers and the child.
The busyness of day-to-day life can sometimes make it challenging for parents/carers to be emotionally available and find opportunities to connect with their infant or toddler. This webinar will explore ways practitioners can support parents/carers and educators to experience the world through the child’s eyes.
Using a case study involving a childcare drop off, this webinar will focus on how practitioners can support educators and parents/carers to be responsive and consistent with infants and toddlers during daily transitions to promote their confidence and sense of security. Panellists will discuss three transition processes, including the rowboat metaphor, the negotiated goodbye, and preparing to launch.
This webinar will help you:

identify how infant and toddler behaviour is a form of communication
understand how changes in everyday moments of caregiving can build infants’ and toddlers’ confidence and sense of security
promote infants’ and toddlers’ sense of security, resilience and confidence during everyday separations, transitions and social interactions
understand how interdisciplinary coordination between parents/carers, early childhood educators and practitioners can promote infant and toddler social and emotional wellbeing.

This webinar will interest practitioners who work with infants, toddlers and their families, such as early childhood educators, child and family services and parenting support, allied health workers, child and family nurses, paediatricians, infant mental health workers, adult mental health workers and family domestic violence services.
This webinar is co-produced by CFCA at the Australian Institute of Family Studies and Emerging Minds in a series focusing on children’s mental health. They are working together as part of the Emerging Minds: National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health, which is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care under the National Support for Child and Youth Mental Health Program.
REGISTER

Join our 'Working with Dads' training
2024-08-14 13:00 - 16:00
Online
For professionals and support servicesIn this workshop, you will gain knowledge and strategies to:
Engage dads and father-figures
Build a dad-focused service
Promote to dads effectively
Understand the different types of dads
Support dads to create positive family relationships

Book your place here

Promoting Children's Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Context of Family and Domestic Violence
2024-08-22 12:30 - 14:00
The Centre, in collaboration with No to Violence, Safe and Equal, and Sexual Assault Services Victoria are working on the Family Violence and Sexual Violence Knowledge Hub Project. The project aims to support children and families experiencing family violence and family violence service users. The project will strengthen practice, identify data gaps and build an evidence base in this sector. As part of the collaboration project, the Centre will be hosting a series three online events.
Interactive online event with Emerging Minds
Family Violence & Sexual Violence Event (FV&SV)
This interactive online event, the second of the series and facilitated by Emerging Minds, will improve understanding of how family and domestic violence and abuse may be affecting children’s health, development and wellbeing.
Practitioners from specialist and non-specialist programs will likely come into contact with families who have been or are currently impacted by family and domestic violence and abuse. Therefore, it’s crucial for professionals to have the skills and confidence to discuss with parents how such situations impact children’s health, development, and overall wellbeing. We know that children will be impacted by family and domestic violence even if they are not subjected to abuse or witness it directly.
This interactive presentation will support practitioners to:

Consider the impact of family and domestic violence on children’s mental health and wellbeing
Understand the importance of being child-aware and parent-sensitive
Explore ways to talk and work with parents to support and improve their children’s mental health and wellbeing.

This online event will be particularly valuable to those designing and leading child and family programs and for passionate-change makers wanting to better embed children’s social and emotional wellbeing in their organisational advocacy and strategy.
The Family Violence & Sexual Violence Knowledge (FV&SV) Hub Project
Register here.

Enhanced – The Five Essential Discussion Tools (FREE, 3 hour online training session delivered via Zoom)
2024-08-23 10:00 - 13:00
For practitioners who have engaged with the Five Essential Discussion Tools before, this enhanced package will refresh knowledge and introduce new topics and practice considerations.
Training content expands upon underlying theories that support the tools – interoception (Body Signs Tool), Name it to Tame it [Dr. Dan Siegel] (Traffic Light Tool) – the theory of behaviour change and brain plasticity; identifying and responding to invitations to collude; and practitioner accountability and best practice principles in the work – managing reactivity and using the tools on yourselves as practitioners.
The enhanced package also includes a case study following the journey of a ‘practitioner’ explaining the benefits of the tools to a ‘client’.
Dates of delivery:

23 August 2024 – 10am-1pm
20 September 2024 – 10am-1pm

For more information and to register, click here.

Foundation Case Notes Training
2024-08-27 09:30 - 12:30
Tailored for professionals such as practitioners, case managers, and social workers, along with other integral members of a comprehensive support system for children, youth, and families, this dynamic 3-hour workshop offers an immersive learning experience.
“The presenters were very knowledgeable and created a safe space for sharing information and learning.” – participant of Foundation Case Notes.

Register now

Engaging Dads Using Family Violence ($369.40, 2x 3 hour online training sessions delivered via Zoom)
2024-08-28 10:00 - 13:00
This training explores the damaging effects of children witnessing/experiencing violence and abuse and how to shift the focus of interventions to the father’s responsibility and accountability for safe parenting.
This training is underpinned by the current evidence base that has established an understanding of the gender drivers of men’s violence against women. Practitioners attending this training examine the understanding that the choice to use abuse includes the ways in which abuse and violence minimise and impact on the parenting of the victim-survivor.
Dates of delivery:
28 & 29 August 2024, 10am-1pm both days

Webinar: Supporting children with a disability and/or developmental delay in kindergarten
2024-08-29 13:00 - 15:00
Early Start, Bright Future
Upcoming webinar: supporting children with a disability and/or developmental delay in kindergarten
Join the ESBF team as we present a case study of a young child with an emerging disability and experience of trauma. We will touch on the support available for this child and their family on their journey to kindergarten and the transition to school. Experts will join us in the field to highlight the assistance they can provide to support the inclusion of all children in early learning settings.

Thursday 29 August 2024
1:00 am – 3:00 pm AEST
Online (Microsoft Teams)

Trauma Sensitive Practice: Working with Complex Trauma
2024-08-30 09:00 - 16:30
(PUB) Trauma Sensitive Practice – Working with Complex Trauma
Melbourne
This training is a blend of foundational information on complex trauma with the introduction of the practice of safety and stabilisation. This training program utilises current research to provide an understanding of trauma, the impacts of trauma and the neurobiological responses that occur. Building an understanding of the key features of complex trauma that can present in our working relationships and the resourcing and regulation that can support in practice.

Professional Member Discount $310.00 incl. GST
Group Booking (3 or more people) Per Person Rate $330.00 incl. GST
$350.00 incl. GST

REGISTER
