Julie McCrossin
Julie is known to many through her TV and radio programs as a reporter and presenter. She has also worked as a children’s entertainer, literacy teacher and community legal educator, and holds qualifications in the arts, education and law.
Julie has a special gift for listening to others and leading panel discussions with lots of audience participation at seminars, conferences and public forums. We are looking forward to experiencing Julie’s special talents as she actively engages with our conference delegates with her warmth, intelligence and humour to create a truly memorable conference ‘with a difference’.
Professor Dorothy Scott OAM
Dorothy is the Foundation Chair in Child Protection, Director of the Australian Centre for Child Protection at the University of South Australia and Patron of the Australian Foster Care Association.
She is recognised for her passion and development of innovative programs to prevent child abuse and neglect, her work in child protection policy and practice, and maternal mental health services. An advisor to State and Commonwealth Governments, Dorothy has also conducted several high level inquiries in the field of child protection, and is recognised for her leadership in crosssectoral child protection policy and practice.
Dr Jenn McIntosh
Jenn is a clinical child and family psychologist, family therapist and research and training consultant who specialises in attachment and bonding, particularly with foster children. She is also an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Melbourne University, and an Adjunct Associate Professor at La Trobe University, School of Public Health.
Jenn is well regarded for her ability to articulate the child’s experience of family trauma and loss and is well known for her strong advocacy on the rights of children to psychological safety, particularly in the face of family trauma and change.
Muriel Bamblett AM
Muriel is a Yorta Yorta woman. She has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency since 1999, and is the Chair of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC), the peak agency representing Indigenous Child and Family Services nationally, Chair of the Victorian Ministerial Advisory Committee on Child and Family Support and a member of the Victorian Children’s Council.
Muriel is active on many boards concerning children, families and the Indigenous community and has been the recipient of a number of awards in recognition of her services to the community, particularly through leadership in the provision of services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
Bernie Geary OAM
Bernie was appointed as Victoria’s inaugural Child Safety Commissioner in May 2005. He is widely known and respected for his 30 plus years of working with vulnerable children, young people and their families. This includes being Victoria’s first outreach youth worker and serving on the Victorian Youth Parole Board for 17 years.
Since his appointment as Child Safety Commissioner, Bernie has been consulting with the community, promoting child safety, and developing key policy initiatives and projects that focus on the best interests of children.
Dr Robyn Miller
Robyn is the Principal Child Protection Practitioner in the Victorian Department of Human Services.
As a social worker and family therapist, Robyn has over 25 years of experience working in community service organisations and local government, as a Child Protection Practitioner, teaching at universities and, for 14 years, as the Senior Clinician at the Bouverie Family Therapy Centre. Robyn has also operated her own private practice providing a therapeutic service for individuals, couples and families, and supervision and training to various organisations across the sector.
Robyn’s practice and research interest has been in the area of trauma and family work, and she has particular expertise in the area of sexual abuse and family violence.
Marilyn McHugh
Marilyn is a Research Scholar at the Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales. She is completing a PhD thesis on the direct and indirect costs of fostering to carers.
Her research interests include sole parent families, child support, child protection, children’s services, foster care, costs of foster caring and budget standards. Marilyn’s current research includes the costs of foster care in Australia and the link between children’s services and child protection.
Khoa Do
Khoa’s story is amazing – arriving in Australia as a refugee on a tiny fishing boat crammed full of people to becoming the 2005 Young Australian of the Year. His journey is one of courage, resilience and hope amidst incredible opposition. He is a film director, screenwriter and teacher who has had extensive experience working with the most disadvantaged in our community, inspiring them and guiding them to incredible success.
He has represented Australia internationally as a youth delegate (Action 2000 Anti-Racism Initiative in Canada), and has travelled widely speaking on youth issues, motivation and inspiration. Khoa’s belief is that everyone on a team, no matter what their background or experience, is extraordinarily gifted, and the goal should be to help others to realise their true potential.
Dr Colin Riess
Colin, Director of the Bouverie Centre, is a Consultant Psychiatrist who has specialised in child, adolescent and family psychiatry for over 20 years. He teaches family therapy to psychiatrists and has been a major architect of Family Sensitive Practice within mental health services. He is well known for his creative and innovative approaches to clinical work. One of his current interests is working with the impact of Toxic Shame on families and individuals with eating disorders and other addictive syndromes.
|
