Date: Thursday 19 November 

Time: 10.00am – 1.00pm (3 hours) 

Location: Online (Zoom)

Presented by: Janet Irvine, SSI Diversity Training Manager

With 1 in 2 Australians born overseas or having at least one parent who was born overseas it is likely you will be caring for a child or young person from a different cultural background to your own.

This workshop explores the importance of supporting children and young people from multicultural backgrounds to develop positive cultural identity as the scaffolding for positive self-esteem and resilience.

At the end of this workshop carers will be able to:

• Describe the influence of culture on the interaction between themselves and the children and young people they are caring for
• Describe the impact of racism and prejudice on the development of cultural identity
• Discuss strategies to reduce the damaging effects of prejudice and discrimination
• Respond to resistance to engage with cultural support strategies from the child or young person
• Identify strategies to support the development of positive cultural identity for children and young people in care

This workshop specifically addresses the experiences of children from migrant and refugee backgrounds however carers of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and young people will find content relevant.

Janet Irvine is the Manager of SSI Diversity Training, an initiative of Settlement Services International, providing learning solutions that build culturally responsive workforces.  Janet has extensive experience working with newly arrived families from a refugee background as a counsellor, caseworker and educator.  This experience and her role providing a range of training for child protection and out-of-home care caseworkers has cultivated her passion for creating learning spaces for people to hone their skills to be more culturally responsive and trauma informed.  

The session is designed for kinship, foster and permanent carers.