Advocate

Carers often face challenges and issues that impact their ability to provide care for vulnerable children and young people resulting in poorer life outcomes. Advocacy provides Carers with the opportunity to participate in decisions that impact the children and young people they care for, their lives and their families and aims to ensure their rights as Carers are promoted and protected.

CF&KC-SA works to promote the voice of Carers, to have Carers’ voices be heard and for Carers to be collectively recognised as an essential part of the child protection system.

This advocacy occurs at two levels: influencing positive changes to attitudes, policies, systems and laws through systems advocacy – and individual advocacy, helping Carers have an effective voice in matters that affect them and the children and young people in their care.

Our Carer Advocacy team is here to help. To speak with one of our Carer Advocates:
phone 1800 732 272 (freecall) or email: support@cfc-sa.org.au

Systems Advocacy
CF&KC-SA seeks to influence positive change through …

Participation on committees and reference groups
Formal submissions and responses to key parliamentary and departmental public consultation requests (e.g. Nyland Report; draft Children and Young People (Safety) Bill 2016 (SA))
Informal consultation on relevant processes (e.g. ‘Who can say OK?’ resource update)
Involvement in child protection sector, maintaining longstanding relationships with agencies
Publication of media releases and communications on issues, trends and campaigns
Involvement in Department for Child Protection (DCP) policy and procedural development and review
Research
Reducing the stigma associated with involvement in the child protection system (and foster care in particular)

Individual Advocacy
CF&KC-SA helps Carers to have an effective voice in matters that affect them and the children and young people in their care by …

Where a person has their own voice, making sure that person is heard
Where a person has difficulty speaking up, providing help
Where a person has no voice, speaking up for that person
Listening and trying to understand the person’s point of view
Helping Carers to understand their choices and options, and to consider the impact of decisions
Informing Carers about the child protection system and responsibilities and requirements of other partners in their child or young person’s care team
Providing information and options for Carers in relation to court orders and other processes impacting their contact and care arrangements
Offering independent advocacy support that is free from conflict of interest and independent of the broader service system that provides support to Carers

“I needed your encouragement and support to start - I was in the worst place possible. So over the finger pointing and blame. I didn't feel worth anything anymore. You were there to listen and encourage and advise. Thank you.” (Carer)

Advocate

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