Program at a glance
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PROVISIONAL AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE – UPDATED 25 MAY 2023
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Opening Plenary Day 1
- Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country - Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council
- Healing on Country Opening Dance Uncle Matty Doyle, Daniel Mateo and Lillian Banks
- Welcome from AbSec Chairperson, Dana Clarke
- Welcome from AbSec Chief Executive Officer, John Leha
- Guest Speaker: Kate Washington, Minister for Families and Communities
- Guest Speaker: Michael Tidball, Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice
- Journey to healing in child protection – Carla Ware
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Workshops / Presentations (Morning Session)
- Voice, Truth and Treaty - The Uluru Statement and First Nations Voice – Kishaya Delaney, Solicitor & Gemma McKinnon, Responsible Business Manager - Herbert Smith Freehills
- 'Our Healing and Truth' – Panel members: Uncle Bobby Young, Uncle James Michael Widdy Welsh, Moderater: Taliya-Via Tuiono
- Navigating Intersections – How we can improve service delivery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTIQ+SB Young People – Estelle Clarke, Program and Training Coordinator, BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation
- The role of the Children's Court in responding to risk and strengthening Aboriginal families and communities to keep children safe – Judge Nell Skinner, President of Children's Court of NSW
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Workshops / Presentations (Afternoon Session 1)
- Churchill Fellowship Research – Gemma Slack-Smith, Magistrate of the NSW Local Court
- Aboriginal voices on Family Preservation service delivery – Jade Lane, Project Manager, Family Preservation, AbSec
- 'Healing through Storytelling' Alira Tufui, Director, Sector Operations, AbSec
- Reconciliation Action that leads to Transformation – Peter Morris, General Manager, Reconciliation Australia
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Workshops / Presentations (Afternoon Session 2)
- ‘Strong Connections, Strong Communities – A local perspective’
Presenters: Eimear O' Farrell, Acting Director Commissioning & Planning, Sydney, South Eastern Sydney, North Sydney District, DCJ; Helen Eason, CEO Nelly's Healing Centre; Shane Philips, CEO Tribal Warrior, Lily Miles, Tribal Warrior
- Cocooning in Culture; The Development of a Culturally Situated Trauma Informed Practice Approach within an Aboriginal Community Controlled OOHC Program – Reimaging Cultural Plans for Aboriginal Children in OOHC – Dr Samantha Lukey, Senior Lecturer, Social Work, University of New England and Fiona Frith, Team Leader, Myimbarr Permanency Support Program, Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation
- Futures Planning and Support – Natalie Riley, Executive Officer, Burrun Dalai Aboriginal Corporation
- FIC and active efforts and practice in children's court – Zoe De Re, Managing Solicitor, Aboriginal Legal Service
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Afternoon Plenary
- Independent Panel – Aboriginal Child Protection System and Commission – Moderater: John Leha, Chief Executive Officer, AbSec
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Daily wrap-up & Day 1 close
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Opening Plenary Day 2
- Opening and Sponsor Show Reels
- Launch of the AbSec Strategic Plan 2023-2026, John Leha, Chief Executive Officer, AbSec
- Guest Speaker: Catherine Liddle, Chief Executive Officer, SNAICC – National Voice for our Children
- Guest Speaker: Claire Robbs, Chief Executive Officer, Life Without Barriers
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Workshops / Presentations (Morning Session)
- Stabilising removal numbers in NSW and their placement prevention review – Jodie McNair, Director and Doug Faircloth, Director at Faircloth McNair & Associates
- The Gumaguy (Family) Way – Michelle Rogers, Partnerships and Engagement Manager, Ngunya Jarjum
- Transforming the cultural safety and experience of Aboriginal children engaged with child protection services – Irene Wardle, Aboriginal Research Partnerships Manager, University of Sydney
- Bring them home, keep them home – Professor BJ Newtown, Senior Research Fellow at the Social Policy Research Centre at UNSW Sydney
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Workshops / Presentations (Afternoon Session 1)
- Learning Together: Using Telepractice with First Nation Peoples – Panel Session: Melanie Hughes, Karitane; John Byrne, Business Development & Strategic Partnerships Manager, AbSec; Kate Spalding (Parenting Reseach Centre); Dorothee Crawley, CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes
- Reflecting on Aboriginal Governance: Lessons learnt to improve outcomes – Georgia Stern, Director, Nous Group and Connor Haddad, Manager, Nous Group
- Aboriginal Led Commissioning – Self-Determination in Action – Gillian Brannigan, Project Manager, Commissioning, AbSec; Shantelle Common, Project Manager, Aboriginal-led Commissioning, AbSec; Sarah Patrick, Senior Project and Community and Engagement Officer, Aboriginal-led Commissioning, AbSec
- Wiradjuri Workbook series, strengthening cultural knowledge and connection for children and families - Associate Professor Lynette Riley, Senior Lecturer, Chair Aboriginal Education & Indigenous Studies, Sydney Schools of Education & Social Work, University of Sydney.
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Workshops / Presentations (Afternoon – Session 2)
- An overview of ACWA's Disability Project and collaborative action planning with AbSec and the Disability Community of Practice - Lyn Ainsworth, Disability Project Director, Association of Children's Welfare Agencies
- Nikinpa Aboriginal women's art group – Bonnie Simon, Family Support Worker, Muloobinba Aboriginal Corporation
- Family Presevation Waminda Way – Lisa Braddick, Team Leader, Nabu Program Waminda and Jahnakri Moran, Caseworker, Nabu Program, Waminda
- Gamerada Men's Healing Program – Ken Zulumovski, Founder and Managing Director, Gamarada Universal Indigenous Resources
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Afternoon plenary
- On the Road to Healing – Tiffany McComsey, Chief Executive Officer, Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation
- Culturally Informed Practices – Rosie Armstrong Lang, Chief Executive Officer, Culturally Informed Practices Institute
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Daily wrap-up & Conference wrap-up
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Conference Gala Dinner
- 6:30pm for 7:00 PM start to 11:00 PM
- Presentation of the NSW Aboriginal Child and Family Awards
