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(This may take a few moments, depending on your Internet connection, as the podcasts are quite large in size.) Once downloaded, the podcast should play in your computer’s media/audio player.
LOOKOUT Centres supporting kinship carers
Podcast 40
For many kinship carers, one of the biggest challenges is supporting a child’s education. Navigating enrolments, dealing with schools or early childhood services, managing transitions and making sure the right supports are in place can feel overwhelming.
In this episode, we speak with Murray Geddes, Executive Principal of the South-East Victoria LOOKOUT Centre. LOOKOUT Centres were established by the Victorian Government to improve educational outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care.
Murray explains how the LOOKOUT Centres work and what support they can offer kinship carers.
Government schools need our support
Podcast 33
In this podcast, Director of Grandparents Victoria and Kinship Carers Victoria Anne McLeish speaks with Trevor Cobbold, national convener of Save our Schools. Before retiring, Trevor was an economist with the Australian Government’s Productivity Commission and its predecessors for over 30 years. Trevor talks us through the economic and structural inequality in our education system, in particular the under-funding of public schools in Victoria.
MORE INFORMATION
– KCV’s ‘Improving education for all’ campaign
– KCV campaign paper – ‘The facts about school funding in Victoria’
– Download the ‘Education’ resource booklet
– Download the ‘Let Us Learn’ report by the Victorian Commissioner for Children and Young People
– Download letter to Victorian MPs on “Exposure of shocking shortcomings in education in Victoria
Family reunification and the law
Podcast 32
In this video/podcast Director of Kinship Carers Victoria, Anne McLeish, and lawyer Fleur Ward talk about the complex and vexed issue of family reunification for carer families.
They speak in detail about the reunification provisions in the Children, Youth and Families Act (Vic) and how the current one-size-fits-all foundation of these provisions could mean that they are not serving their intended purpose. The rights of carers to access information contained in children’s court orders is also clarified.
MORE INFORMATION
Cyber safety for children and young people
Podcast 31
In this podcast Susan McLean of Cybersafety Solutions answers many questions around helping children and young people to navigate the online world safely. Susan is acknowledged as Australia’s foremost expert in the area of cyber safety and young people.
MORE INFORMATIONIssues with Education for Children and Young People in Out-of-Home Care
Podcast 29
Victoria’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, Liana Buchanan, talks about her report ‘Let Us Learn’, tabled in the Victorian parliament in November 2023. The report shows that the education engagement and outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care trail significantly behind those of their peers. Liana outlines reaction to the findings and discusses the recommendations.
LOOKOUT centres
Podcast 5
In this podcast Director of Kinship Carers Victoria (KCV) Anne McLeish discusses how education is a key factor in ensuring positive outcomes for children as they mature into adults. Murray Geddes, Principal of the LOOKOUT Centre for the South Eastern Victoria Region, also explains the role the centres play and how kinship carers and the children in their care can benefit.
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