Join us this Wednesday, May 2, in Elder Park at a candlelight vigil to remember all women and children who have lost their lives as a result of domestic violence.

​Events are being held across Australia this week in a mark of national remembrance.

The hour-long Adelaide vigil organised by the Coalition of Women’s Domestic Violence Services of South Australia, will begin at the Elder Park rotunda, on the southern bank of the River Torrens, at 5.30pm.

Everyone can play a part in raising awareness of domestic violence and an understanding of warning signs of abuse to support women and children at risk.

As part of the Power to End Violence Against Women education program, Port Adelaide Football Club joined Centacare at last year’s vigil.

http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/video/2017-05-08/hartlett-speaks-on-domestic-violence-ptv

From jumping castles to kayaking, we have school holiday fun covered for kids!

Children’s Fun Day at Wandana Community Centre

When: Thursday, April 26

Ages: 5 to 15 years

Time: 10am to 1pm

Free activities! Rock climbing, jumping castle, arts and crafts, and a BBQ. Sausage sizzle $2.

Please call 8261 8124 to book your child’s place. Children aged under five years must be accompanied by a parent/adult.

Beyond Kayaking 

Communities for Children is holding a kayaking program at four locations across the Murraylands. Come and have some fun with the kids on easy to use sit on top double kayaks. All equipment is supplied. Just bring a hat, water, sunscreen and solid soled shoes (no thongs please). Sit on top kayaks are wide and stable for beginners, and provide great fun for children. Please phone Lyall at Centacare 8215 6320 to book your session.

• Murray Bridge @ Long Island

Monday, April 16

10am to 12 noon and 1pm-3pm

• Swanport Reserve

Thursday, April 9

10am to 12 noon and 12.30pm to 3pm

• Murray Bridge @ Sturts Reserve

Tuesday, April 24

9am to 10.30am

• Mypolonga

Tuesday, April 24

12 noon to 3pm

The impact of drug use is felt across generations – many young and older people using methamphetamine are parents too.

Centacare’s Kids in Focus (KIF) service supports parents and carergivers who are misusing alcohol and/or other drugs. The team has made this video to illustrate how children can be affected by their parents’ lifestyle.

My world from Centacare on Vimeo.

Based in the northern suburbs, KIF is a home visiting service and uses child-focused interventions to increase parenting capacity, build healthy relationships between parents and their children, and provide safe family environments.

Parents and caregivers may be more susceptible to substance misuse if they have experienced intergenerational and multiple complex trauma, including mental health, family violence and homelessness.

Children in these families are vulnerable and at risk of accumulative chronic childhood neglect and abuse, leading to long-term behaviour and developmental issues and concerns.

Many parents have never known a nurturing, stable environment and, often, do not allow themselves to see the impact of their drug use on their children.

This includes a lack of play and educational opportunities, unrealistic expectations of the child – including the responsibility for caring for other siblings – developmental delays and mental health.

When parents and caregivers use methamphetamine, children often do not have basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter, and they frequently lack adequate supervision and medical care.

Our KIF team works in partnership with families to strengthen relationships, address drug addiction and assist parents to maintain a clear focus on the well-being of children.

It’s the race that stops the nation in a flutter of fashion, form guides, foreign raiders and famous faces but, behind closed doors, the Melbourne Cup is one of the darkest days of the year, writes Director Dale West.

Horses aside, there is one sure thing tomorrow – domestic violence will soar.

Alcohol and gambling coupled with the use of power, coercion and control over another create a perfect storm for abuse on the first Tuesday in November, most often by a male perpetrator.

The result can be sickening.

Research shows emergency department admissions, police recorded assaults and family incidents are elevated on Cup day.

In response, South Australian support services are preparing for a spike in demand for outreach, emergency accommodation and crisis help, as the impact of race day celebrations hits home.

The problem is not the Melbourne Cup itself – we should be able to enjoy the Spring Carnival without hurting our partner and kids. Rather, it is the cumulative effect of noxious gender attitudes, alcohol and gambling.

For a big problem, the link between gambling and violence remains largely unknown.

In the past decade, studies have found family members of a problem gambler are likely to experience violence and that this can impact the broader family: parents, parents-in-law, children, siblings.

In acts of desperation, family members may turn to violence themselves – sometimes against their partner, and other times, against children – to try and change the situation.

Centacare is currently working with Government and other non-Government organisations to develop practice frameworks for problem gambling and domestic violence.

While we recognise that these two problems are not always interrelated, many households receive support for both. However, service providers may not always be aware of one other or cross-refer clients.

Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) recently announced it would fund new research into the impact of gambling on domestic violence.

The study is one of three ANROWS projects to address key gaps in current evidence on the experience of domestic abuse, and the prevention and response to violence against women.

Key research questions include how problem gambling might contribute to domestic violence towards women – when it is linked to his gambling or her own habit – and the use of economic abuse to sustain the perpetrator’s gambling.

Hundreds of millions will be bet on the Melbourne Cup as once-a-year punters join regular gamblers for their annual wager on the iconic event.

Who wins, who loses and how that affects individuals and the choices they make will mean many families are fearful of what tomorrow may bring.

Living under the threat of violence day-in and day-out is debilitating.

As the euphoria of the world’s richest two-mile race dies down, spare a thought for those who will lose more than money – their lives are threatened regardless of who’s first past the post.

Dale West is Director of Centacare Catholic Family Services.

The Melbourne Cup is anything but a celebration for women and children in vulnerable homes.

Centacare’s Vicki Lachlan says there is a significant rise in domestic violence on the first Tuesday in November, with alcohol and gambling creating a perfect storm for abuse – most commonly by a male perpetrator.

“If the money is gone after a day at the races or a Cup event, then that can have a big impact on the family,’’ said Vicki, Manager, Domestic Violence and Homelessness Services.

“It’s not only the loss of income, but there’s potential for behaviours and moods that put women and children at risk when he comes home.

“He won’t blame himself for losing on the races, he’ll blame the woman.’’

Research shows emergency department admissions, police recorded assaults and family incidents are elevated on Cup day.

In response, local support services are preparing for a spike in demand for outreach, emergency accommodation and crisis help, as the impact of race day celebrations hits home.

Vicki said the glamour of the Spring Carnival hid a dark side of problem gambling and increased accessibility to multiple betting platforms, via the internet, telephone and face-to-face formats.

“It’s like everything in today’s society – betting platforms are easier to access so you can also lose money quicker.

“There will be a lot of women feeling apprehensive about Tuesday.’’

The Cup is among a number of dates on the nation’s social calendar that put vulnerable women at a heightened risk of abuse.

Christmas and New Year also take a heavy toll on families in which perpetrators exercise power and control over their partner and children, Vicki said.

This year more hundreds of millions will be bet on the Melbourne Cup as once-a-year punters join regular gamblers for their annual flutter on the iconic event.

Centacare is currently involved in work with Government and other non-Government organisations regarding the development of practice frameworks for problem gambling and domestic violence.

This work has stemmed from national research recognising a link between domestic violence and gambling, and that both problems exist in many families.

“Centacare is pleased to be looking at how services might better respond when there is problem gambling and domestic violence, and while we recognise that gambling and domestic violence are not always interrelated, a lot of families see services for both issues but those services don’t always know about each other or how to cross-refer,’’ Vicki said.

“That’s what we are working to address.’’

Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) recently announced it would fund new research into the impact of gambling on domestic violence.

The study is one of three ANROWS projects to address key gaps in current evidence on the experience of violence, and the prevention and response to violence against women.

Key research questions include how problem gambling might contribute to domestic violence towards women – when it is linked to his gambling or her own habit – and the use of economic abuse to sustain the perpetrator’s gambling.

New research released last month by the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) found nearly one million Australians regularly gamble on horse and dog racing, with about 41 per cent experiencing one or more gambling-related problems such as relationship issues, financial pressures and health problems.

The AGRC analysed data collected through the 2015 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey.

In the lead-up to Cup day, AGRC Researcher Dr Andrew Armstrong said “regular bettors should consider their financial position carefully and seek help if they are concerned they are at risk of gambling-related problems.’’

What is your happiest childhood memory?

Centacare parenting educator Kay Buckley recalls the freedom of growing up in the ‘50s – and crossing one of the nation’s busiest thoroughfares on her 2km walk to school each day.

“I lived in Sydney and I’d cross the Hume Highway – without traffic lights, on my own, at six! That was normal back then.

“In the 1980s when I was bringing up my own kids, we lived on a fruit block and they’d be gone from morning ’til night. Now most parents are reluctant to let their kids walk to the end of the street.’’

As parents become increasingly confused about what children can and cannot do, young people’s resilience – and their freedom to learn and grow – is gradually being eroded and replaced with fear, Kay says.

Our fears are often unlikely but our fears are likely to become more likely if we don’t skill our kids up

Kay Buckley, parenting educator

In response, Centacare is encouraging parents to use practices that build competence, optimism and capability. Allowing children to take some risks also helps to nurture resilience and persistence, Kay says.

“Our fears are often unlikely but our fears are likely to become more likely if we don’t skill our kids up.

“Children have always been able to take risks and if we don’t let them take little ones incrementally, with some scaffolding and support around them, then there’s a certain inevitability about what they may do as adolescents.

“We complain that our children can’t do anything or won’t do anything, but we don’t give them life skills and freedom because we do everything for them. We don’t coach them anymore; we stand there clapping on the sidelines. We should be giving them instruction.’’

Kay’s 12 ingredients of competence:

• Offer opportunities for initiative and autonomy at an early age
• Help build confidence by partialising challenges
• Stop lecturing, testing and drilling
• Reinforce your child’s excitement about achievements
• Recognise effort rather than outcome
• Create an environment where mistakes are accepted
• Stop rescuing your child
• Teach the language of optimism and persistence
• Model positive self-talk
• Help children manage strong emotions
• Affirm your child’s ability to impact their world
• Encourage responsibility, good judgement and persistence

To nurture resilience in children, Kay recommends:

• Exposure to healthy role models
• Discover a sense of spirituality
• Support them to develop life skills
• Recognise islands of competence
• Promote positive self-talk

National Child Protection Week (September 3-9) is an opportunity for everyone in the community to think about how we can work together to keep all children safe.

Centacare will mark the start of this important week with a special event at our Wakefield St office on Monday, from 10.30am.

Hosted by Seven Network presenter Rosanna Mangiarelli, the event will explore the theme `It takes strength…’

It takes strength to be a voice for children. It takes strength for families to overcome challenges in their lives. It takes strength to make positive change.

As part of the event, Rosanna will interview a panel of child protection experts, with a focus on the role Centacare is playing in supporting vulnerable children and families.

You can play a part in this too! Even small actions can help to improve a child’s future. By building stronger communities, we are creating safer environments for our children.

Wondering how you can help? NAPCAN has these tips:

• Be a good role model for children
• Be kind to children, parents (and yourself!)
• Take the time to really listen to children and believe them if they tell you something
• Learn about what help services are available so you can support others if they need help
• Don’t judge other parents and families; remember that we’re all trying our best
• Look out for all children, not just your own
• Be a friendly, helpful member of your local community
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help or to ask someone if they need help
• Check out our  these Tip Sheets for more ideas about how to play your part

#ncpw #playyourpart #Centacare #childprotection

Centacare’s much loved Kolbe Cottage has reopened after a six-month state-of-the-art renovation.

Known for its home-like environment, Kolbe has been providing support for children with intellectual disabilities for more than 34 years.

A housewarming party for families, friends and staff last week marked the start of a new era at the 1930s Plympton site.

It has been transformed with an open-plan living, dining and kitchen area, sensory room, office space, and new bedroom and bathroom facilities for clients and staff.

A playground, to be built in the coming months, will complete the project.

Kolbe offers overnight stays and day respite on weekends and during school holidays for children aged 5 to 18 years.

The redevelopment will enable Centacare’s respite and day options program, Centanet, to operate concurrently on-site for the first time.

Centanet supports young people to engage in a range of group-based community and recreational activities, with an emphasis on having fun with friends.

Lyn Lenthall has worked at Kolbe for the past 20 years and says clients are already embracing their new “home”.

“I had a participant with me today and it was almost like he knew he was home; he was happy to wander. Other clients I know are excited. They will all love it. It’s just beautifully laid out.”

Catholic Charities, builder Jim Rinaldi, and Centacare’s Kokoda Challenge 2017 team contributed to the redevelopment.  The team leaves for Papua New Guinea on Friday, led by Assistant Director Bernie Victory who is returning to Kokoda for a 13^th time.

“For 20 years staff have talked about how it would be good to have improved facilities but without changing the lovely cottage-like atmosphere Kolbe is known for, and I think we’ve achieved that,” Bernie says.

Lachlan Purves (pictured), Executive Manager, Disability Services, hopes Kolbe’s renovation will open up new opportunities: “Kolbe Cottage has a well-earned and widely held reputation for the high standard of service that has been provided over many years. The renovation to the property itself now brings the site up to the same standard.

“We expect the renovated site will facilitate opportunity to expand on our services, and the number of individuals we can offer our services to.”

For more information about NDIS supports provided at Kolbe Cottage, phone our Disability Services team on 82156818 or email disability@centacare.org.au

Traumatic events in a person’s life can put them on a multi-directional path to homelessness. Understanding the impact of childhood trauma is driving Centacare’s support of vulnerable young people in the north.

It is easy to make assumptions about people living homeless: they’re tearaways, lazy, they should just get a job…

But it is the invisible pain cloaking their plight that’s guiding Centacare’s trauma informed care of young people living homeless in the north and Barossa Valley.

“I don’t think most people recognise the extent of how trauma effects people’s lives and their core,’’ says Megan Welsh, Executive Manager, Youth and Community Support Services.

“At the heart of their troubles is often years of immense sadness that’s hard to fathom when they’re still so young.

“Rather than punish and entrench that trauma, we try to repair and resolve it, and that in itself is quite complex because everybody’s experiences are different.’’

This is requiring a greater understanding of the challenges that precipitate homelessness, how adolescents act out as a result of experiencing childhood trauma, and the impact this has on the way Centacare supports them.

In response, the Outer North Youth Homelessness Service (ONYHS) has adopted a trauma-informed approach to increase our capacity to support vulnerable young people beyond therapeutic and other traditional interventions.

The focus is as much on youth case workers as it is on those at risk.

“You hear a lot of stories, you feel a lot of pain and see a lot of distress,’’ says Tina Breen (pictured), Senior Social Worker. “That can sneak up on you.’’

Reflective practice and supervision is used to encourage staff self-care, and their work is guided by trauma informed policies and procedures.

A 2015 Pegasus Economics report shows unresolved trauma, and its long-term impact on an adult’s wellbeing, costs the nation about $7.8 billion each year.

In 15/16, the ONYHS supported 549 people (348 females and 201 males). Of these, 281 were homeless at intake, 218 were experiencing mental health issues and 57 were fleeing family or domestic violence.

“Most of the young people we see present with complex trauma: repeated episodes of abuse and neglect as a child is common,’’ Tina says.

“Developmental trauma linked to poor attachment and neglect is compounded by other risk factors, such as domestic violence, substance abuse and family breakdown, putting them on a multi-directional path to homelessness.

“As a result, they have less capacity to function so they might self-medicate or end up being the victim of further abuse, such as rape, or put themselves in violent situations because they don’t have the ability to act and respond and make decisions like everybody else.’’

Embedding a deeper understanding of trauma across the ONYHS is helping staff predict and more thoughtfully respond to young people’s reactions to some supportive interventions.

For example, a teenager’s refusal to eat may be due to deprivation or denial of food as a child.

“We might think we’re helping offering them a piece of toast if they’re feeling unwell, but what they see in that is a very scary, threatening act that makes them feel highly vulnerable,’’ Tina says.

Over recent months, the ONYHS has adopted a trauma informed approach to its psychosocial assessment at intake to avoid young people reliving painful events in their past.

In addition, to provide consistent support, limit disruption and foster stability, one youth case worker now works during the day at Carlow Place, Monday to Friday.

“Taking responsibility for understanding how trauma impacts their past allows us to make more informed responses in the support we provide to each young person,’’ Tina says.

*This week we are marking Homelessness Week (August 7-13). The national campaign aims to raise awareness of the experiences and challenges faced by people living out of home. The theme of this year’s week is ‘Action and Innovation‘ and we will be highlighting some of the ways we are supporting young people to stay safe, remain connected with their communities, and build their independence. Centacare provides specialist youth homelessness services, and accommodation support for women and children experiencing domestic violence, in regional and metropolitan South Australia.

#HW2017 #endhomelessness and #innovationinhomelessness

Today we mark the beginning of Homelessness Week. Coordinated by Homelessness Australia, this national campaign aims to raise awareness of people living homeless and the challenges they face. This week we will be highlighting the ways Centacare is supporting young people as we celebrate action and innovation across the homelessness sector.

A new transitional housing project in the north is helping young males to exit homelessness and prepare for their future.

Centacare has partnered with Hope Central at Elizabeth to redevelop two maisonettes and house four males aged 18 to 25 years.

The young people can lease the properties, owned by the church, for up to 18 months, providing they are on an independent income and engaged with a case worker through Centacare’s Outer North Youth Homelessness Service.

Executive Manager Megan Welsh says the project aims to bridge a gap in affordable housing for young males living homeless, or at risk of homelessness, whose only other option is accommodation at a city boarding house.

“Finding safe and appropriate housing for young men in that age group is a lot more difficult than it is for women who are often pregnant or parenting and therefore have more options around housing,’’ she said.

In May, the first tenants moved into the properties which each have a shared kitchen but separate lockable bedroom and living areas.

“Our hope is that they increase their independent living skills, including how to budget and maintain a home but also how to be a good neighbour,’’ Megan said.

“Most importantly it’s giving the young men a rental history. That’s part of the problem: getting a start.’’

The project has simultaneously benefitted job seekers, with Centacare’s Work Ready Training participants involved in fitting out and renovating the properties.

“It’s been a very exciting project to work on because it’s been a community effort,’’ said Wendy Brooks, Operations Pastor, Hope Central.

“We’ve never done anything like this before so to be able to work with other groups of people who had the expertise we didn’t has been amazing.’’

Tina Breen, Senior Social Worker, said there was a misconception vulnerable young males were less at risk than females.

“We know that young men are less likely to access support but are at greater risk of social isolation if they disconnect from family, friends and society.

“The longer their mental and physical health goes downhill, the less likely their chance of recovery.

“If they can’t get a motel room and don’t have the option of respite and safety supports that females do, then often they will engage in illegal activity or connect with people that are undesirable simply to access some form of accommodation.’’

Besides providing a stepping stone to longer-term housing, the Hope project is connecting young people to community, Tina says, highlighting their welcome participation in church activities, such as free Sunday breakfast.

*This week we are joining in the national campaign to highlight homelessness across Australia. Coordinated by Homelessness Australia, National Homelessness Week (August 7-13) aims to raise awareness of the experiences and challenges faced by people living out of home. The theme of this year’s week is ‘Action and Innovation‘ and we will be highlighting some of the ways we are supporting young people to stay safe, remain connected with their communities, and build their independence. Centacare provides specialist youth homelessness services, and accommodation support for women and children experiencing domestic violence, in regional and metropolitan South Australia.

#HW2017 #endhomelessness and #innovationinhomelessness