Southern Downs CFC - GRATITUDE - Issue 17 - January 2022-2

S O U T H E R N D O W N S C H I L D A N D F A M I L Y C E N T R E
gratitude!
M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R
H A P P Y N E W Y E A R !
OUR TEAM
HAS GROWN
We're now a '4 practice team' office; check
out our new 'Who's Who' plus meet the
newest members of our team
Words matter
Learn how using trauma informed language can
positively shape the way a child sees themselves and
how others interact with them
PLUS
You're invited to
our Open Day
High Tea; Come
and meet our
crew, take a tour
of our new office,
plus more
I S S U E 1 7 • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2

Acknowledgment
We respectfully acknowledge the
First Australians as the
traditional custodians of this
country. We recognise their
connection to land, sky, wind,
water and community, and pay our
respects to Elders past and
present. We extend that respect
to our Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander carers,
colleagues, and partner agencies.
In our work, and in the care we
provide, we pay attention to the
urgent need to ensure that all
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander children and young
people are connected to family,
community, culture and country,
and that work continues to reduce
the harrowing overrepresentation
of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander children
and families in our local child
protection system.

CONTENTS
4
HELLO! AND WELCOME
5
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH
6
7
8
10
11
OUR WHEREABOUTS
MESSAGE FROM OUR ACTING CHIEF
PRACTITIONER ABOUT COVID-19
VACCINATIONS
WORDS MATTER: USING TRAUMA
INFORMED LANGUAGE
YOU'RE INVITED TO OUR OPEN DAY HIGH
TEA
MEET THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF OUR
TEAM
14
WHERE TO REACH OUT FOR HELP
15
EDUCATION MATTERS: SUPPORT FOR
CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE IN CARE
17
INCREASES TO CARER ALLOWANCES
19
THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA DAY
21
EVOLVE (TOOWOOMBA) TRAINING
CALENDAR

Hello!
And welcome.
Happy New Year and welcome to the January issue of our monthly newsletter, Gratitude! Well, 2022 is well
underway, and what a start to the year it's been. I hope you and your families are all staying safe in the current
COVID-19 climate. We know being a carer is a tough job at the best of times, so appreciate that for many of you,
your role has been made even tougher with the rising number of COVID-19 infections in the community,
including in your families. Please know we are here to help, so be sure to reach out if you need additional support.
Thanks for your patience at the beginning of the year while we made changes to how we manage family
connections (contacts), home visits and departmental meetings during January. These changes have enabled us
to continue to provide critical statutory child protection services to children and families, but in a way that reduces
the further transmission of COVID-19. Our priorities will always be the health and wellbeing of the children and
young people we support, their families, along with the health and wellbeing of our amazing foster and kinship
carers and our hard-working staff.
The current COVID situation is a very timely reminder to ensure children and young people in care are vaccinated.
On page 7, we have reproduced a letter recently sent out by our Acting Chief Practitioner about children getting
vaccinated, including those children now aged 5—11 years.
This month we move to being a 'four practice team' office. With most of our new Child Safety Officer positions now
filled (yay), and with Rachel Doherty as our newly recruited permanent fourth Senior Team Leader, we transition
to our new team structure the week of 10th January 2022. Head to page 24 for our new and updated
organisational chart. And meet the newest members of our team—we introduce you to Amanda, Alicia, and Udur,
and share a little bit about them, and why they do what they do.
In the rest of this Issue:
we share an excellent resource from the Australian Childhood Foundation on why the words we use when we
talk about children and young people really do matter;
we invite our foster and kinship carers to our Open Day High Tea coming up in March;
we again share some excellent, FREE learning opportunities for carers coming up with the Evolve Toowoomba
team;
plus lots more!
Happy reading, and until next month...thanks for caring, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Shane Doré
My pronouns are He / Him and this is why they are important
Manager
Southern Downs Child and Family Centre

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Contact us
Call us (07) 3294 2700
Foster and Kinship Carer priority line (07) 3294 2702
Child Safety After Hours Service Centre Freecall 1800 177 135
Email us sdcfcadmin@cyjma.qld.gov.au
Visit us Yuggera & Ugarabul Country, Ripley Town Centre,
Level 1, 20 Main Street, Ripley, Queensland, 4306
Write to us PO Box 4292, Raceview, Queensland, 4305
Please note:
Our Southern Downs CFC phone lines (including mobile phones) are opened during
business hours only.
The Southern Downs CFC staff are offline and unavailable
Wednesdays 9:30am-11:00am; and
Thursdays 9:00am-1:00pm.
Our newsletter
Gratitude is a monthly newsletter produced by the staff of the Southern
Downs Child and Family Centre to share important and useful
information about us and the work we do with our Foster and Kinship
Carers, the agencies that support them, and everyone else across our
catchment.
Our workgroup
We are the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural
Affairs' newest 'service centre', and are located in our new premises at
the Ripley Town Centre.
We are an 'ongoing intervention' child and family centre, and are staffed
by a team of 40 highly qualified and experienced staff across the
professional and administrative streams. Importantly, we also support
and work alongside around 150 volunteer foster and kinship carers
(that's you!), all of whom have opened their homes and hearts to care for
some of our most vulnerable children and young people. Our catchment is
a vast one, covering part of Ipswich and the Scenic Rim in the east, and
much of the Southern Downs and Granite Belt in the west.
We recognise and appreciate the invaluable contribution made by foster
and kinship carers to the lives of children and young people in care.
Caring for some of our most vulnerable Queenslanders, keeping them
safe and helping them to be the best they can be, is a big job and no one
can do it on their own. After all, it takes a village, right? Our commitment is
to work together with you, in partnership, to deliver the best possible
outcomes for our children, young people, as well as their families.

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Our whereabouts in January / February
Name Melissa Hill, Senior Practitioner
Leave 16 December 2021 - 14 January 2022
Contact Shane Doré - Shane.Dore@cyjma.qld.gov.au (Manager)
Name Kayla Grills, Child Safety Officer
Leave 22 December 2021 - 12 January 2022
Contact Rachel Doherty - Rachel.Doherty@cyjma.qld.gov.au (Senior
Team Leader)
Name Tery Valencia, Senior Team Leader
Leave 23 December 2021 - 1 February 2022
Contact Before 12 January, please contact Shane Doré -
Shane.Dore@cyjma.qld.gov.au (Manager); From 12 January, Emily
Green - Emily.Green@cyjma.qld.gov.au (A/Senior Team Leader)
Name Toni Hay, Child Safety Officer
Leave 4 January 2022 - 24 January 2022
Contact Before 12 January, please contact the centre at
sdcfcadmin@cyjma.qld.gov.au or on (07) 3294 2700; From 12
January, Emily Green - Emily.Green@cyjma.qld.gov.au (A/Senior
Team Leader)
Name Leah Holmes, Child Safety Officer
Leave 4 January 2022 - 25 January 2022
Contact Karen Hughes - Karen.Hughes@cyjma.qld.gov.au (Senior
Team Leader)
Name Karen Hughes, Senior Team Leader
Leave 14 January 2022 - 21 January 2022
Contact Melissa Hill - Melissa.Hill@cyjma.qld.gov.au (A/Manager)
Name Shane Doré, Manager
Leave 24 January 2022 - 21 February 2022
Contact Melissa Hill - Melissa.Hill@cyjma.qld.gov.au (A/Manager)
Name Alannah West, Child Safety Officer
Leave 11 February 2022 - 22 February 2022
Contact Tery Valencia - Tery.Valencia@cyjma.qld.gov.au (Senior
Team Leader)

Important message to parents, and foster and
kinship carers, about COVID-19 and vaccinations
From Acting Chief Practitioner, Leanne Black
Dear parents, foster and kinship carers,
From 10 January 2022, children five and over are
eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. It is our priority to do
all we can to keep children in care safe and well, so it is
crucial that they are vaccinated. To find the nearest
vaccination location, go to covid19vaccine.qld.gov.au.
Our Child Safety Officers will support all children and
young people aged five years old and over to be
vaccinated. As parents and carers, I hope someone has
spoken to you about this plan. Please reach out to your
child safety office if you have any questions. If you have
concerns about the vaccination, please visit the
Australian Government Department of Health website
or the Queensland Health website for the information
you need.
I want to reiterate the steps departmental staff have
been asked to take to keep children safe and well
during the pandemic.
Consent
Where a young person is capable of making an
informed decision about their immunisation, this will be
respected.
Queensland Health’s Guide to Young Person Informed
Consent gives some general guidance around informed
consent guidelines for different age groups:
Young people aged 12—17 years ‘may be Mature
Minors/Gillick competent. This means that a young
person may be able to give consent for vaccination.
This is dependent on the individual young person’.
Children aged 5—11 years ‘cannot be Mature
Minors/Gillick competent. This means that a child
cannot give consent for vaccination’.
If the child cannot consent, the child’s carer or
residential care worker can sign a consent form on their
behalf if they are subject to the Chief Executive’s
guardianship. If a parent retains guardianship, we will
ask that you [i.e., the child's parent] sign this for your
child (if the child cannot consent themselves) and if you
are worried about the vaccine, we can arrange for you
to discuss this with a GP.
For those parents who retain guardianship and will not
sign the consent form for children who cannot consent
themselves, Child Safety will ask a health practitioner
to assess the suitability of the child receiving the vaccine
and administer the vaccine using the authority of the Child
Protection Act 1999, section 97(3) (Request to medically
examine or treat a child) if this is assessed to be in their
best interest. I encourage you to discuss your concerns
with your child safety officer and a doctor. Current expert
medical advice is clear that the vaccine is safe and
appropriate for children and young people five years and
older and therefore the department accepts this advice.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services
We acknowledge that Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
Islander children and young people may feel much more
comfortable receiving their vaccine from an Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Health Service and this will be
facilitated as requested.
As the safety of young people in care is our highest
priority, the department’s position is firm. All eligible
young people should be vaccinated to keep them safe and
healthy. As parents and carers, and the people who are so
very important to young people, I encourage you to assist
with this and for yourself to be vaccinated.
Keep informed
We will continue to provide information on COVID-19
through:
Department website
Carer Connect app
Foster and kinship care service providers.
If you have any questions and need to talk to your Child
Safety Officer, please email them in the first instance.
Alternatively, you can call your child safety service centre
or contact the Foster and Kinship Carer Support Line on
1300 729 309.
It’s important that you continue to follow health advice to
stay safe and well. For up-to-date Queensland COVID-19
information, please visit the Queensland Health website.
Warm regards
Leanne Black
Acting Chief Practitioner
Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural
Affairs
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WORDS MATTER
Last month, the Australian Childhood
Foundation released this excellent, informative
guide to using trauma-informed language to
help shift how we speak about vulnerable
children and young people, including how we
represent them in our written work.
In this Australian Childhood Foundation blog
post by Sue Buratti, she writes that as "Our
words are very powerful, they can be used to
advocate [for] or undermine those we are
representing. How we portray children and
young people in our documentation [e.g., emails,
case notes, etc] can characterise them in a
negative way which inadvertently ignores their
trauma experience and their deep desire to be
seen, heard and valued."
She goes onto say that, "Seeing a child’s
behaviour without considering their histories
can lead to deficit-focused writing which limits
hope and creates documentation awash with
negative labels. The trauma-sensitive practice
invites us to represent them in a way that
evokes an understanding of how behaviour is an
attempt at seeking connection, rather than it
representing a deficiency in the child."
The accompanying Words Matter: Trauma
Sensitive Language with Children guide has
some excellent suggestions for alternatives to
negative words when representing children’s
experiences of trauma. For example, we might
label a child's behaviour as disrespectful and
rude, but what might be happening in for that
child is that they are: experiencing an urge to
push bad feelings away, or testing the strength
of connection, or seeking belonging with their
peers, or feeling a sense of shame, or
experiencing a sense of danger.
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WORDS MATTER CONT'D
Instead of using negatively-charged words like
'disrespectful' and 'rude', more preferable
language might be words that describe what /
how the child is feeling, such as: distressed, or
afraid, or frustrated, or uncertain, or
threatened.
In the Words Matter resource, behaviour is
described as an expression of the way children
and young people have experienced past
relationships. They show their hurt and pain
through what they do. The way that the
behaviour is described can shape the way they
see themselves and the way that others interact
with them. We should use language that
positively interprets their needs and suggest
ways that children and young people can be
better connected to the important people in
their lives.
The article and accompanying resource can be
found on the Australian Childhood Foundation's
Prosody Blog, along with a host of other articles
and stories dedicated to research and practice
with children and young people.
Let us know what you think
If you've got some ideas about how we all can
better represent children's experiences of
trauma, let us know at
sdcfcadmin@cyjma.qld.gov.au.
We'd love to hear from you, and to know what
you think!
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T o o u r V a l u e d F o s t e r a n d K i n s h i p C a r e r s
T H E S T A F F O F T H E
S O U T H E R N D O W N S C H I L D & F A M I L Y C E N T R E
I N V I T E Y O U T O O U R
Open Day
High Tea
MEET OUR CHILD & FAMILY CENTRE TEAM
TAKE A TOUR OF OUR NEW OFFICE
PLUS MORE
Thursday • March 10th, 2022 • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Southern Downs Child & Family Centre
Yuggera & Ugarabul Country
Ripley Town Centre
Level 1 20 Main Street
Ripley, Queensland
RSVPs are essential as numbers are limited due COVID-19 requirements.
Please email sdcfcadmin@cyjma.qld.gov.au by COB Monday, March 7th, 2022.

Meet the newest members of our
Southern Downs CFC team
Say hello to Amanda, Alicia, and Udur who have recently joined our Southern Downs Child and Family
Centre team.
AMANDA ANDREWS
What is your role?
I’m an Administration Officer in the
Business Support Team. I am still
learning my role, however, so far I’m
thoroughly enjoying it, and I work
with a great supportive team.
How long have you worked for
CYJMA?
I have worked with Child Safety now
for less than 2 weeks!
Why do you do your role?
I’ve just moved to Queensland from
the NT and my work in the NT really
made me realise my passion is helping
others, and children/young people in
particular.
What part of your role makes you
smile?
Making others smile, and knowing I
am making a difference.
What difference do you hope you
can achieve?
Positivity! There is so much negativity
and stresses in the world at the
moment, so to make a positive
difference to just one person’s life
would mean a lot.
Do you have a favourite quote to
share?
"If you think you’re too small to make a
difference, try going to bed with a
mosquito in the room."
—Dalai Lama
ALICIA HODGES
What is your role?
My name is Alicia and I am a Child
Safety Officer with the Southern
Downs Child and Family Centre. I am
working in Karen Hughes' team.
Amanda Andrews, Administration Officer
Southern Downs Child & Family Centre
How long have you worked for
CYJMA?
I am new to Child Safety, beginning
this role at the start of 2022. Before
this, I worked in the disability sector.
Why do you do your role?
Being a Child Safety Officer is an
important role as it can impact the
lives of many. I want to work with
children, parents and carers to best
support and inspire positive
outcomes. I want to see every child
safe, loved and cared for.
What part of your role makes you
smile?
Working alongside my supportive
team, as well as seeing positive
results for the community of children
we work with, is what makes me
smile.
Alicia Hodges, Child Safety Officer
Southern Downs Child & Family Centre
What difference do you hope you can
achieve?
As a Child Safety Officer, I will be
reliable and value the relationships I
have with the children and families
who I work with. I am a Child Safety
Officer who values cultural identity
and will always acknowledge the
Traditional Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Owners, and work to
improve my understanding and
connection with the various cultures
in this beautiful country. I also hope to
grow my knowledge and practice
across the disability space, so that I
can best support the children and
families I work with.
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Do you have a favourite quote that
you would like to share?
"Let us be the crazy ones, the ambitious
ones, the ones who see beyond the limits
of today."
—Ertharin Cousin
UDUR INTAN
What is your role?
I’m a Child Safety Officer and I’m in
Tery Valencia’s team.
How long have you worked for
CYJMA?
I just started on 6th January 2022.
Why do you do your role?
Similar to my previous role in the
community and health services
sector, no two days will ever be the
same. There will be continuous
learning and this will keep my brain
moving at a pace and, of course, it’s all
driven by my heart; my passion for
making a difference and achieving
change. For me, it is an absolute
Have you downloaded the Carer
Connect app?
Carer Connect is a web and mobile friendly app that has been
developed to provide carers with improved and secure access to
information and support, when and where they need it.
Carers who have children and young people staying with them as a
primary and/or respite placement can view relevant information and
documentation to gain an understanding of how the needs of the
children in their care can best be supported.
Information available may include:
Placement agreement and Authority to Care
medical information, e.g. serious health condition alert, health
passport and immunisations
Child Safety contact information, including after-hours phone
number
type of child protection order and expiry date
cultural information
current education information.
In addition to viewing child and carer entity information, carers can:
upload pictures of their home and family that can be shown to
children when they are transitioning to a new placement
view noticeboard articles that announce everything from
training and social events to legislation changes
make contributions to the life story for children and young
people in their care using kicbox
view and build children and young people’s “Who am I” profile –
valuable information about their likes, dislikes, strengths and
their routine
submit claims for Child Related Costs reimbursements for
children and young people currently in their care and which have
been pre-approved by the department.
Visit the Carer Connect site to register or download 'Carer Connect
QLD' from the Apple store or Google Play.
Udur Intan, Child Safety Officer
Southern Downs Child & Family Centre
privilege to be involved in a child or
family’s life at what will often be a
crisis point, and I will always feel
honoured to be in such a position.
What part of your role makes you
smile?
To protect children and strengthen
families to reach their goals and also
from a little thing like hearing the
children’s wishes, laugh with them
and whatever I can do to make their
day at least a bit better.
What difference do you hope you can
achieve?
The difference that I hope I can
achieve is making sure the children
are heard and their cultural identity is
preserved.
Do you have a favourite quote to
share?
"If there’s a will, there’s a way."
—Unknown
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West Moreton District.
THE MORE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
A CHILD HAS, THE MORE LIKELY S/HE
WILL BE TO RECOVER FROM TRAUMA
AND THRIVE. RELATIONSHIPS ARE
THE AGENTS OF CHANGE, AND THE
MOST POWERFUL THERAPY IS
HUMAN LOVE.
Bruce Perry
Southern Downs
Child & Family Centre.
Department of Children, Youth Justice, & Multicultural Affairs.
South West Region.

Who to reach out to for help.
Being a volunteer carer for a vulnerable child or young person, keeping
them safe and helping them to be the best they can be, is a big job and no
one can do it on their own. So, in addition to your own people in your
safety and support network, as well as your child's and young person's
Child Safety Officer, here's some key contacts that you can call on for
support.
oneplace
Community
Services Directory
oneplace is an easily accessible
directory of community support
services to help Queensland
families to get to the right service
at the right time.
From parenting groups and classes
to domestic and family violence
support services, oneplace is the
go-to resource for children,
families, community members and
professionals looking to find local
support in Queensland.
There are more than 58,000
records listed in oneplace and this
is growing every day. When you’re
looking for local support services,
come back to oneplace, where
you’ll find up-to-date and
comprehensive listings.
oneplace will highlight all the
information you need to know—the
distance from your current location
to a service, the cost of a service
and any eligibility requirements.
The best part is that oneplace is
easy to use. You don’t have to have
swallowed a dictionary to get a
result because oneplace searches
the simple terms we use every day.
While your network of friends and
family is a logical first place to seek
support and advice, there’s also an
enormous amount of help available
from support services in the
community.
Important contact numbers.
Your Foster & Kinship Carer Agency
The foster and kinship carer agency you are affiliated with is there to
support you in your role as a carer, as well as your learning and
development needs. Many of these agencies also provide an on-call
service for after-hours phone support and advice.
Foster & Kinship Carer Support Line - 1300 729 309
The team at the Foster and Kinship Carer Support Line are experienced
foster and kinship care workers who value and appreciate the voluntary
and challenging role that foster and kinship carers undertake. The staff
there have years of experience working with foster and kinship carers
and the specialist knowledge to support them during difficult times. You
can contact them on 1300 729 309 (24 hours, 7 days a week).
Child Safety After Hours Service Centre - 1300 681 513
The Child Safety After Hours Service Centre (CSAHSC) provides afterhours
support, 7 days a week, for situations requiring an immediate
response. As a carer, you may need to call the CSAHSC if, for example, a
child or young person in your care goes missing, or needs urgent medical
attention that requires parental consent (where the parent is the child’s
guardian). You can contact the CSAHCS on 1300 681 513.
Parentline - 1300 301 300
This free service provides advice and counselling about any issue that
affects you as a parent/carer. You can contact them on 1300 301 300
from 8:00am to 10:00pm, 7 days a week for the cost of a local call (mobile
phone charges may apply).
Other help is available too.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family
violence, call:
Womensline 1800 811 811
Mensline 1800 600 636
1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732
If you need mental health support, call:
Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
Lifeline 131 114
Mensline Australia 1300 789 978
If your child or young person needs mental health support, they can call:
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
Headspace 1800 650 890
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Education matters: support for
children & young people in care
Children and young people in care often experience poor educational and life outcomes compared
to other children, but support is available
Education is important in building a
strong foundation for children,
leading to greater opportunities in
adulthood. Children in care generally
start with a level of disadvantage
when compared to their peers and
the consequences of a lack of
achievement at school can be far
reaching. Their exposure to trauma
is recognised as a key contributor to
this and can mean that the normal
cognitive, emotional and social skills
required to function effectively in a
learning environment can be
challenging for traumatised children.
It is the responsibility of both
CYJMA and the Department of
Education to provide children in care
with opportunities to overcome
their adversity and help them
achieve. As the child's carer, you,
too, have a very important role in
promoting and supporting their
educational aspirations, progress
and achievements.
Schooling years
A child is considered to be of
compulsory school age from six
years and six months, until they turn
16 or complete Year 10, whichever
comes first. The preparatory year
(prep) is the first year of school. It is
compulsory for children to
undertake prep prior to Year 1.
Enrolling a child at a school
Selecting a school for a child in care
or changing a child’s school, is a
significant decision and will be made
by the child’s guardian. This means:
if the child is in care as a result
of a care agreement, an
assessment order or a custody
order from the Childrens Court
(including an interim custody
order), the child’s parents retain
legal guardianship. If the parents
are unable or unwilling to make
a decision about the child’s
school, the Southern Downs
Child and Family Centre Senior
Team Leader is able to then
make the decision
if the child is on a guardianship
order to Child Safety, the Senior
Team Leader is authorised to
decide which school the child
attends.
In consultation and partnership with
you and others, the Senior Team
Leader will generally consider
information such as:
continuity of schooling
nature of any educational
disruption previously
experienced
the child’s views
the needs of the child and which
school can best meet these
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needs
intended length of the care
arrangement (placement)
practical considerations such as
transport, as well as which
schools other children in the
carer household are attending.
For children with complex learning
or behavioural needs, the
Department of Education will likely
advise on the school that can best
respond to and support the child’s
needs.
Generally, a child in care will attend
public schooling, unless exceptional
circumstances exist and a private
school has been assessed as the
most appropriate response to the
child’s educational needs. We do
take the view that our public
education system here in
Queensland is world class, and that
this should always be our first point
of call when exploring schooling
options for children and young
people in care. Further, the
Department of Education receives
significant funding from our own
department to support their ability
to meet the educational and
schooling needs of children and
young people in care. We will
generally only consider a private
school for a child in a long-term
placement, and where:
the child was attending the
private school prior to entering
care and the child is not
changing schools
other children in the same carer
household are attending the
private school
educational facilities in remote
communities do not extend
beyond Year 10 and attendance
at boarding school is required in
order to complete Year 11 and
12.
As part of the enrolment process,
state schools require a completed
enrolment form and an interview
with a senior school officer. If you
are enrolling the child, you will need
to produce the Authority to Care
form and/or a copy of the current
Child Protection Order, as well as
medical information about the child.
If it is the first time the child has
been enrolled in a Queensland
school, a copy of their birth
certificate may also be required. If
you don’t have these
documents/information, this will
not delay the child’s enrolment or
commencement at school. Ask your
Child Safety Officer to assist in
providing the required information
to the school.
Education support plans
Every child in care who is on an
interim or final Child Protection
Order granting custody or
guardianship to Child Safety and
enrolled in a state or non-state
school, will have an Education
Support Plan (ESP). The development
of the ESP is led by the child’s
school who will arrange a formal
meeting inviting the child (if they are
old enough), you as the child’s carer,
the Child Safety Officer and other
people who are important in the
child’s life.
The ESP will be reviewed, at a
minimum, every 12 months (many
schools review them every six
months). It is a working document
and can be updated as the needs of
the child change or when there is a
change of school.
The child's ESP identifies:
the child’s educational goals
strategies to achieve those goals
resources that are required and
available
who is responsible for
implementing the strategies
monitoring and reviewing
progress
and includes:
subjects being studied
the child’s participation in
subjects
achievement levels
areas of improvement and what
may benefit the child such as:
literacy and numeracy
tutoring
music and drama classes
homework centres
recovery reading
extension programs
behaviour management plans
and processes
social and emotional wellbeing,
including:
school support staff
buddies
other support programs.
As noted earlier, Child Safety
provides significant funding to the
Department of Education to support
the needs of children in care, as
identified in their Education Support
Plan. It's important that if you have
any concerns or worries about your
child's educational needs, or the
support they are receiving at school,
that you discuss these with the
child's school and their Child Safety
Officer, and that these needs—and
the plan for how these needs are to
be met—are documented in the
child's ESP.
For more information, email your
child's Child Safety Officer, or send
us your questions or any comments
you may have through to
sdcfcadmin@cyjma.qld.gov.au.
gratitude | 16

Increase to carer payments and allowances from
January 1st
January 1st will see a slight increase to all carer
payments and allowances, which are indexed at the
beginning of each year in line with the consumer
price index (CPI).
Fortnightly caring allowance
The fortnightly caring allowance is the base payment
provided to all approved carers when providing direct
care for a child cared for under the Child Protection
Act 1999. It is also paid to long‐term guardians and
permanent guardians who were approved carers for
the child prior to being granted long‐term
guardianship. It is paid fortnightly in arrears, at
different rates depending on the age of the child.
While the allowance may not cover all costs
associated with caring for a child, it is expected to
help meet the day-to-day costs of caring.
Young people aged 18 years
To support a young person 's transition to adulthood,
Child Safety will pay the fortnightly caring allowance
to all approved carers, as well as to long‐term
guardians and permanent guardians, when they are
caring for a young person who has turned 18 – up
until they reach 19 years – regardless of their
education status.
Need more information?
For further information on carer allowances, as well
as other money-related matters for foster and kinship
carers, head over to the Queensland Government's
Money Matters page. For all other queries, reach out
to your Child Safety Officer or get in touch with the
Southern Downs CFC Business Support Team at
sdcfcadmin@cyjma.qld.gov.au.
Fortnightly Caring Allowance rates schedule for 2022
Base Carer Allowance 2021 rate 2022 rate
Start-up allowance: Age 0-18 $109.20 $113.54
Establishment Payments: All Ages $545.02 $566.30
Fortnightly Caring Allowance: Age 0-5 $505.82 $525.56
Fortnightly Caring Allowance: Age 6-10 $545.02 $566.30
Fortnightly Caring Allowance: Age 11 & over $592.34 $615.44
gratitude | 17

Department of Children, Youth Justice, & Multicultural Affairs.
West Moreton District.
"ALL
BEHAVIOUR IS
COMMUNICATION,
INCLUDING OURS.
THE REAL
QUESTION IS,
WHAT IS OUR
BEHAVIOUR
COMMUNICATING
TO OUR
CHILDREN?"
L R KNOST
Southern Downs
Child & Family Centre.
South West Region.

26th January: The
history of Australia Day
By Shane Doré
Manager
Southern Downs Child and Family Centre
The conversation surrounding the
changing of the date for Australia
Day has picked up a lot of pace in
recent years. While many
Australians continue to mark
January 26th with plenty of festivity
and celebration, more and more are
now seeing and understanding why
the date is of such significance for
many Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people, and why 26th
January has now become widely
known as Invasion Day.
Despite a fairly steadfast belief
among many Australians that
Australia Day has always been
celebrated on 26th January, this is
actually not the case. Australia Day
wasn't consistently celebrated on
26th January as a public holiday in
all states and territories until 1994
—that's less than 30 years ago—even
though the name 'Australia Day'
dates back to the early 1900s.
The actual date itself back in 1788
marked the raising of the Union
Jack in Sydney Cove and the official
declaration of British sovereignty
on the land that would become
known as Australia. Captain Arthur
Phillip didn't actually land in
Australia on 26th January; rather,
he first arrived between the 18th
and 20th of January (1788) in
Botany Bay, but because of a lack of
fresh water there, this saw him sail
into Sydney Cove on the 26th.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people, though, 26th
January has come to mark the
beginning of the end of what they
had known for 60,000+ years, and
the reason why today, this day in
January represents a day of
mourning for so many.
If you’re keen to hear what many
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people think and feel
about Australia Day, then I
encourage you to watch this
powerful, but brief clip (just 2
minutes 55 seconds). Please note
that the content in the clip may
contain the names and images of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people who have passed
away.
On 26th January this year, I pay my
respects to all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people—
Elders past and present, children
and families we work alongside,
foster and kinship carers,
colleagues from partner agencies
and community controlled
organisations, CYJMA colleagues,
as well as my staff—recognising
that First Nations sovereignty was
never ceded, and that for many,
26th January will be marked by
feelings of sorrow and sadness.
3-minute
introduction to FASD
If you're looking for a short
introduction to Foetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorders (FASD), then this
3-minute video from Canadian based
The Assante Centre is a great place to
start. There are also links to other
helpful, informative resources, albeit
from a Canadian context. NOFASD
Australia also have some great
resources on FASD, including these
30 Evidence-based FASD Facts for
Health Professionals.
Understanding
intergenerational
trauma
The Healing Foundation has this 4-
minute animated video on
intergenerational trauma and how it
predominantly affects children,
grandchildren and future generations
of the Stolen Generations. If people
don’t have the opportunity to heal
from past trauma, they may
unknowingly pass it on to others.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples, the history of forced
removals, policies such as racial
assimilation, socially sanctioned
racism and violence, and grief over the
loss of land and culture have all
contributed to intergenerational
trauma.
The cumulative effect of historical and
intergenerational trauma severely
reduces the capacity of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples to fully
and positively participate in their lives
and communities, leading to
widespread disadvantage.
If you'd like to learn and know more,
head to Australians Together and this
really informative article on
intergenerational trauma, and why for
many Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islanders, it's not simply a case of
'getting over it' and 'moving on'.
gratitude | 19

Kindy Counts.
Let's Connect!
Your local kindergarten is looking forward to
welcoming you in 2022!
LEARNING
A successful
connection to
kindergarten is all
about LEARNING,
WELLBEING and
BELONGING
Children are always learning
Kindergarten provide a place for children to come
together to play and learn
Educators are skilled and experienced in building on the
strengths and interests of children to support learning,
wellbeing and development
WELLBEING
Connection is essential to wellbeing
Kindergarten provides a place to reconnect together -
reconnecting friendships and relationships,
reconnecting routines
BELONGING
Everyone (children, families, educators) working
together
Kindergarten provides a place for everyone's voice to be
heard to support learning and development
Educators understand that transitions take time and are
unique for each child and family
Educators will help children to feel safe and secure in
the kindergarten environment
Helpful links
Kindy calculator Prep calculator Find child care Let's Yarn About Kindy
Department of Education contacts
Jo Gaudry Partnership Facilitator Metropolitan Region
Joanne.Gaudry@qed.qld.gov.au
Daniel Gardiner Principal Policy Officer Darling Downs South West Region
Daniel.Gardiner@qed.qld.gov.au
Have you enrolled
your child in a
kindergarten
program for 2022?
In partnership with our colleagues
from Department of Education, the
team here at Southern Downs CFC is
committed to ensuring 100% of
children in care eligible to be
enrolled into a quality kindergarten
program for 2022—are enrolled, and
attending.
This is in line with our State's vision
that all Queensland children will
have a great start in life, and are
supported by their families, service
providers and the wider community
to improve their life chances and
reach their full potential.
For carers with children in their care
eligible to enrol into an approved
kindergarten program for 2022—but
are not yet enrolled—someone from
our office or from Department of
Education will be in touch over the
coming first couple of weeks of
January 2022 (if they haven't been
already) to discuss your options.
If you have any questions in the
meantime though, please reach out
to your child's Child Safety Officer,
or contact your local Department of
Education representative.
gratitude | 20

gratitude | 21

gratitude | 22

Southern Downs
Child & Family Centre.
Department of Children, Youth Justice, & Multicultural Affairs.
South West Region.
Call us (07) 3294 2700
West Moreton District.
Child Safety After Hours Service Centre 1800 177 135
Email us sdcfcadmin@cyjma.qld.gov.au
Our people.
Visit us Yuggera & Ugarabul Country, Ripley Town Centre,
Level 1, 20 Main Street, Ripley, Queensland, 4306
Shane
DORÉ
Manager
Tia
HEAD
Senior Child
Safety Support
Officer
Kate
HILLIER
Business
Officer
Melissa
HILL
Senior
Practitioner
Elizabeth
WALSH
Child Safety
Officer
COMMENCING
17.1.22
TIA
HEAD
Ilyshah
Support Officer
BEAZLEY
3294 2738
Child Safety
Tia.Head@
Officer
Senior Child Safety
COMMENCING
6.1.22
Udur
ITAN
Child Safety
Officer
Jordyn
WATTS
Administration
Officer
Letitia
HUNT
A/Administrative
Officer
Pamela
FISHER
Cultural Practice
Advisor
Suzanne
CARTER
Cultural Practice
Advisor
Clare
GOODEY
Child Safety
Officer
Toni
HAY
Child Safety
Officer
Alannah
WEST
Child Safety
Officer
Katherine
HIRST
Administration
Officer
Amanda
ANDREWS
Administration
Officer
Natalie
VAN PELT
Child Safety
Officer
Kam
RAJPAL
Child Safety
Officer
Tery
VALENCIA
Senior Team
Leader
Charles
EDET
Child Safety
Officer
Uni
LAUBUKA
Child Safety
Officer
Mira
BOJIC
Child Safety
Support
Officer
Veronica
RILEY
Child Safety
Officer
COMMENCING
6.1.22
Alicia
HODGES
Child Safety
Officer
Karen
HUGHES
Senior Team
Leader
Rachel
DOHERTY
Senior Team
Leader
Sarah
LOVETT
Child Safety
Officer
Jody
STEPHEN
Child Safety
Officer
Molly
CHOYCE
A/Child Safety
Support
Officer
Recruitment
UNDERWAY
Child Safety Officer
(PO3)
(Permanent)
Leah
HOLMES
Child Safety
Officer
Katrina
LYE
Senior Team
Leader
Dennis
VERNER
Child Safety
Officer
Kayla
GRILLS
Child Safety
Officer
Emily
GREEN
A/Senior Child
Safety Officer
COMMENCING
10.1.22
TIA
HEAD
Rebecca
Support Officer
TEDESCO
3294 2738
Child Safety
Tia.Head@
Officer
Senior Child Safety
Recruitment
UNDERWAY
Child Safety Officer
(PO3)
(Permanent)
Leadership Team
Shane Doré
Kate Hillier
Katrina Lye
Rachel Doherty
Pamela Fisher
Tery Valencia
Melissa Hill
Karen Hughes
Suzanne Carter
COMMENCING
17.1.22
Leah
O'DWYER
Child Safety
Officer
Recruitment
UNDERWAY
Senior Child Safety
Support Officer
(AO4)
(Permanent)
Zachary
HUTHCINS
A/Child Safety
Support
Officer
Carly-
Chey
JONES
Child Safety
Officer
Kristina
WILLIS
Child Safety Officer
On Leave
Colleen
SIELAFF
Administrative Officer
On Secondment
Casey
TURVEY
Child Safety
Support Officer
On Leave
Anne-Marie
DAWID
Child Safety Officer
On Leave
Lomasi
FOGARTY
Child Safety Officer
On Secondmennt
Claire
O'KEEFE
Senior Child
Safety Officer
On Leave
v20220110

Southern Downs
Child & Family Centre.
Department of Children, Youth Justice, & Multicultural Affairs.
South West Region.
Call us (07) 3294 2700
West Moreton District.
Child Safety After Hours Service Centre 1800 177 135
Email us sdcfcadmin@cyjma.qld.gov.au
Our patch.
Visit us Yuggera & Ugarabul Country, Ripley Town Centre,
Level 1, 20 Main Street, Ripley, Queensland, 4306
Brisbane
Toowoomba
Helidon
Grantham
Gatton
Plainland
Ipswich
Southern Downs CFC
Cleveland
Giabal & Jarowair Country
Cambooya
Stockyard
Rockmount
Ma Ma Creek
Mount Whitestone
Fordsdale
Mount Sylvia
Mulgowie
Laidley
Rosewood
Yamanto
Willowbank
Ebenezer
Mutdapilly
Ripley
Springfield Central
Browns Plains
Beenleigh
Felton
East Greenmount
Greenmount
Nobby
Pilton
Hirstglen
Junction View
Black Duck Creek
East Haldon
Lefthand Branch
Thornton
Mount Haldon
Mount Mistake
Peak Crossing
Yuggera & Ugarapul Country
Merryvale
Harrisville
Warrill View
Washpool
Jimboomba
Rosevale
Milora
Radford
Milbong
Tamborine
Thanes Creek
Thane
Pratten
Wheatvale
Leslie Dam
Talgai
Clifton
Mount Marshall
Allora
Geynyan Country
The Glen
Githabul Country
Womina
QUEENSLAND
Forest Springs
Warwick
Wildash
Sladevale
Clintonvale
North Branch
Killarney
Elbow Valley
Glen Rock
State Forest
Yangan
GoomburraMain Range
National Park
Maryvale
Swanfels
Emu Vale
Moogerah Dam
The Falls
Frazerview
The Head
Aratula
Moogerah Peaks
National Park
Carneys Creek
Kalbar
Dugandan
Mount Alford
Boonah
Maroon
Mount Barney
National Park
Wyaralong
Mount Barney
Kooralbyn
QUEENSLAND
Rathdowney
NEW SOUTH WALES
Tamrookum
Lamington
National
Park
Border Ranges
National Park
Beaudesert
Ipswich CBD
Harrisville
Brisbane CBD
Boonah
Southport
Toowoomba
Warwick
Allora
Nobby
Stanthorpe
Wallangarra
Tamborine
Mountain
Canungra
Southport
Helensvale
10 (14 mins)
30 (25 mins)
42 (37 mins)
50 (38 mins)
94 (1 hr 5 mins)
101 (1 hr 16 mins)
120 (1 hr 27 mins)
123 (1 hr 28 mins)
137 (1 hr 44 mins)
181 (2 hrs 10 mins)
218 (2hrs 38mins)
Brassall
Mount Magnus
Dalveen
Cottonvale
NEW SOUTH WALES
Karrabin
Wulkuraka
East Ipswich
North Booval
Bundamba
Dinmore
Redbank
Goodna
Thulimbah
Leichhardt
Ipswich
Booval
Silkstone
Collingwood Park
Applethorpe
Broadwater
Stanthorpe
Amberley
One Mile
Churchill
Yamanto
Eastern Heights
Blackstone
Raceview
Flinders View
Redbank Plains
Springfield
Kambuwal Country
Glen Aplin
Purga
Southern Downs CFC
Ripley
Swanbank
Ballandean
Eukey
Girraween
National
Park
Deebing Heights
White Rock
Springfield Central
Wallangarra
Serviced by Southern Downs Child & Family Centre
Serviced by another centre
v20220110