Carers who work with children living in isolated and remote areas of Australia met in Townsville from 19-21 October.

Eighteen Frontier Services staff members came together for the workshop, Caring for Children in their Homes and Caring for Ourselves.

The participants came from two Frontier Services programs, In-Home Care and the Remote Family Care Service, which provide care to children in their own homes over long and short term periods.

Because of their isolated location, it is impossible for many of these families to access mainstream services. To have the help and expertise of the Frontier Services carers is a lifeline for many remote families.

The workshop included training and information with speakers from the Queensland Department of Education and Training, Beyond Blue and other Frontier Services programs.

A major focus was the Australian Early Development Index, a measurement for how children are developing, and the Early Years Learning Framework, the national framework for care and education for children up to five years of age.

“This was an opportunity for the teams who care for children in their own homes to review existing skills and to enhance these in a supportive environment with their colleagues,” said Frontier Services Queensland Regional Manager Karen Harvey.

“The timing is important with the move to the use of the Early Years Learning Framework across childcare services nationwide.”

A session presented by Beyond Blue built on the capacity of the carers to respond to issues such as grief and loss with a focus on the experience of children and young people during major events such as flooding.

The carers really enjoyed the time spent together and felt they had gained a lot from the sessions.