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
- 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
- Story telling: Carla Ware, Audit Office of NSW
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Workshops / Presentations (Morning Session)
- Voice, Truth and Treaty in Child Protection – Kishaya Delaney, Solicitor & Gemma McKinnon, Responsible Business Manager - Herbert Smith Freehills
- 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
- Practice Note 17 and Innovation in the Children's Court – 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
- Launch of ‘What we heard’ Paper – 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
- 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
- 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
- ‘Our Healing and Truth’ – Panel members: Uncle Bobby Young, Uncle James Michael Widdy Welsh, Moderater: Taliya-Via Tuiono
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Daily wrap-up & Day 1 close
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Opening Plenary Day 2
- John Leha, Absec CEO – AbSec Strategic Plan
- Guest Speaker – Catherine Liddle
- Guest Speaker – Claire Robbs, Life without Barriers
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Workshops / Presentations (Morning Session)
- Stabilising removal numbers in NSW and their placement prevention review – Jodie McNair & Doug Faircloth, Faircloth McNair and Associates
- The Gumaguy Way – Aboriginal led family preservation project – Michelle Rogers, Ngunya Jarjum
- Transforming the cultural safety and experience of Aboriginal children engaged with child protection services – Irene Wardle, Sydney University
- Bring them home, keep them home – BJ Newton, Sydney University
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Workshops / Presentations (Afternoon Session 1)
- Learning Together: Using Telepractice with First Nation Peoples – Panel Session: Melanie Hughes (Karitane), John Bryne (AbSec), Kate Spalding (Parenting Reseach Centre), Dorothee Crawley (CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes)
- Learnings from NOUS's experience working on projects across the sector, where we have established Aboriginal community controlled governance – Georgia Stern & Connor Haddad, NOUS
- Cultural supports and therapeutic interventions for OOHC – Wiradjuri Workbook series, strengthening cultural knowledge and connection for children and families – Sydney University, Associate Professor, Lynette Riley
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Workshops / Presentations (Afternoon – Session 2)
- Disability communities of practice – Lyn Ainsworth, ACWA
- Nikinpa Aboriginal Women's Art Group – Bonnie Simon
- NABU Model & Highlight Waminda's Operational Model – Waminda
- Gamerada Men's Healing Program – Ken Zulumovski
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Afternoon plenary
- Culturally Informed Practices – Rosie Armstrong-Lang
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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 10:00 PM
- Presentation of the NSW Aboriginal Child and Family Awards