Barnardos Australia

🌟 What a year it’s been! As 2024 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the moments that made this year unforgettable: 👶 Supporting more families through foster and kinship care 💛 Expanding programs that empower children to thrive 🤝 Coming together as a community to champion children To everyone who has walked this journey with us—thank you. Your support has helped make these achievements possible, and we couldn’t do it without you. As we all look forward to a brand-new year, we’re excited for another 365 days of empowering children to reach their potential. Here's to brighter futures for every Australian child in 2025. 💚

💚 Thank you for helping us make a safer world for the families we work with! Every day, our Barnardos caseworkers are there, supporting children and families, offering hope, and creating brighter futures. 🎄 Watch this special Christmas Eve message and see the difference your support makes all year round.

Paul, Manager of the Australian Mutuals Foundation was delighted to join Gaylene from Unity Bank to host the kids from the Barnardos Australia Yurungai Learning Centre at their end of year dinner. It was a highly enjoyable event, with our team sharing laughs and festive cheer with the Yurungai students. "𝘖𝘯 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 10𝘵𝘩, 𝘎𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 25 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘠𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘪 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘗𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨." - Paul, AMF Manager. Located in Waterloo, Sydney, an area with a large Indigenous community, the Yurungai Learning Centre delivers a range of after school services to around 30 children aged between 5 and 12 years of age, offering support with homework, cultural learning, life skills, self-confidence and the provision of nutritious meals. The Australian Mutuals Foundation's funding is used to support the Yurungai Centre's literacy and numeracy program with the key objective to help close the education achievement gap that exists between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal primary school students. The aim is to have children at Yurungai achieving curriculum benchmark levels or above, in both literacy and numeracy.

10 is the age of criminal responsibility in NSW. That is too young. To change the law, and do better for kids and communities, we need to change hearts and minds. Find out more here: raisetheagensw.org.au #RaiseTheAgeNSW #HappierTenthBirthday #TenIsTooYoung

Staff Spotlight: Meet Erin! 👋 I am the Team Leader for Family Connect and Support’s Western Sydney region, based in Cranebrook. I started at Barnardos in 2020 as a Casework Support Worker in Sydney Metro’s Yurungai Child and Family Services team, before moving to Penrith CFC in 2021 as a Caseworker in the Family Connect and Support program. The thing I find most rewarding about this work is how often we are given the privilege of being allowed into the lives of our families during some of their most vulnerable moments and being trusted to support them along their journey. The courage and bravery of the children and families we work with should not go unnoticed. Before I came to Barnardos, I worked at a youth organisation in Blacktown that focused on supporting young people through the transition of leaving care and moving into adulthood. This was my first job out of university and whilst it was rewarding and eye-opening, it allowed me to realise my passion for child protection work. When I was younger, I was never sure what I wanted to do for a career, but I was inspired my grandmother’s many years in juvenile justice and residential care, and the difference she made in the lives of her clients. This sparked my interest in social services, and I graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work in 2019. When I think about my time at Barnardos, I not only think about the amazing connections I have made over the years with colleagues and community, but also about the number of children, young people and families I have been able to support, even if it’s just in a small way. After working in this sector for a number of years, I would like to see more funding, resources and attention allocated to the area of domestic violence. The majority of our families have experienced or are experiencing the very real, very frightening impacts of a parent who chooses to use violence, and they should not have to do this alone. Looking towards the future, I hope to continue supporting families along their journey to build their capacity and keep children safe. I also look forward to supporting my amazing team in the challenging and phenomenal work they do on the ground every day for our families. I think it is so important to not underestimate the importance of our work – whether it’s hearing somebody’s story or providing a food hamper; what can feel like just another day at the office for us, can be a huge moment for someone we are working with.

Actor and Activist Farah Mak talks to Matt Hooey, Barnardos Head of Practice and Impact, about looking beneath the surface with children's behaviour and recognising the impact that domestic and family violence has on their lives. Hear the full conversation about Farah's DFV experience and how we can focus on healing here: https://bit.ly/3Bn5u3z

Children don’t have to see domestic and family violence to be affected by it. Nor are they ‘witnesses’ to the violent or coercive attacks. The emotional and psychological toll is immeasurable, with repercussions that can last a lifetime. We asked adults who had experienced domestic violence as children about their experiences and these are some of the things they told us. Trigger warning: the following quotes contain distressing content. #16Days #16DaysOfActivism

At Barnardos, we believe that every child has the right to grow up in a home free from violence and abuse. Our research report, Truth is the abuse never stopped, shows the majority of DFV child victim-survivors have suffered lifelong psychological distress and low self-esteem as a result of their experiences. The pain these children endure is real, and their voices must be heard. While recent government actions, such as new funding for child specialist workers and laws criminalising coercive control, mark important progress, they are just the start of addressing the complex needs of child survivors. Tailored, age-appropriate support for these children is urgently needed. We are committed to advocating for and with these children and young people. We continue to call on the Government to improve the policies, laws, and practices that affect their lives. To get involved, please read our latest Snapshot Report, Making Children Visible: Changing the Future for Children Impacted by Domestic and Family Violence in the following link: https://bit.ly/3BgYyVI #16DaysofActivism #16Days Respect Victoria Safe & Together Institute Domestic Violence NSW Safe and Equal

Aboriginal women face disproportionately high rates of domestic violence and they are 33 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence than non-Indigenous women. At Barnardos, we are committed to supporting Aboriginal families and communities and believe every woman and child deserves to live free from violence. #EndViolence #IndigenousRights #SupportSurvivors #16Days #16DaysOfActivism

Today we celebrate International Day of People with Disability. It’s a day to raise awareness and acceptance for the 5.5 million Australians with disabilities. As this day falls during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gendered Based Violence, we acknowledge that women living with disability are nearly twice as likely as women without disability to have experienced violence by a partner over a 12-month period.*(ABS) All people have the right to live in safety and without violence. Together, let’s build a community where every person is valued. Learn more at idpwd.com.au. #IDPwD #IDPwD2024 #16 Days #16DaysofActivism barnardos.org.au/stopDV