South Australian Social Worker AASW Establishe Winter Australian Association of From the President’s desk... Social Workers Thanks to all who have made At the national level we have these events happen. The farewelled Kandie Allen-Kelly AASW SA Branch Association grows through the as CEO and welcomed the Incorporated in the A.C.T. collegial activities of its members inauguration of the College of ACN 008 576 010 and we are grateful to those who Social Work. There will be an contribute their time and effort to opportunity later this year to Correspondence to : create these opportunities. learn more about this important The Branch Manager The months since our last news- innovation in our profession The CPE committee is working AASW SA Branch letter have been full of activities and we will advise you of ar- actively on our upcoming events 4 Milner Street and developments in our Branch rangements as they are con- and at national level. including: firmed. [email protected] * Sharing parenting time, post Highlights since April include: Sue King parental separation: Research * Two energetic gatherings about and Developmental perspectives private practice. The first of (a full day CPE event presented these provided members who by Jen McIntosh on 15 th July) are interested in becoming private practitioners with an * Learning from Consumers and Leonard King AC QC opportunity to learn about the Service Users (presented by nd processes involved and to hear Maria Harries on 22 July) On behalf of the social work President from practitioners operating in a * Alone in a Crowd: What can we community in south Austra- Dr Sue King variety of settings how they have do about Loneliness and Older lia, we would like to extend aaswsapresident developed and managed their people (presented by Mandy our sympathy to AASWSA @internode.on.net private practice. The second Stanley on 9 th August) president Sue King on the was for our members who are recent death of her father, already in private practice to hear * Reconciliation Action Plan for Len King AC QC. Vice President from Deb Lee, National AASW the AASW and the Pendulum of Marion Croser South Australian Premier Mike Board member, an update on Practice with Indigenous people Rann said Mr King, who died funding developments. Thanks (presented by Christine King on th peacefully on Thursday 23rd Newsletter to Robyn Lingard and Mary Hood 9 September). June, aged 86, was a man of Kathy Inverarity/ for their organisation of these two Please mark your diaries now for great ability. "Len King was a Sally McMichael significantly appreciated events; the AGM and Dinner . We are man of exceptional ability who

* Well attended CPE events on delighted to announce that Sena- excelled in his professional life Professional Education telephone supervision (presented tor Nick Xenophon will be the as a barrister, parliamentarian, Sally Watson by Margaret Morrell) and Mindful- guest speaker and you are cabinet minister and judge," he guaranteed a companionable and said in a statement on Friday. ness for Moving through Depression (presented by thought provoking evening on 27 Mr Rann said Mr King, who Ethics Maxine Longford); October at the Hackney Hotel. served as state attorney- Tricia Munn Feel free to gather up a table of general from 1970 to 1975 as

* Networking breakfasts in the your colleagues. This is an well as holding a number of City, Southern (little venue glitch opportunity to showcase the other portfolios including social Student Representative here) and Northern regions; results of our collective actions welfare and Aboriginal affairs, Mark Wilson was a devoted husband. "Len * High levels of participation in during the year. is regarded as having been the Evidence based practice Non members are welcome at the Branch Manager one of 's pre-eminent group and the Peer skill share dinner. Kathy Baklan jurists and a person who main- group. tained a strong connection Page 2 Newsletter Winter 2011 Historic Decision by Federal Industrial Relations Commission

Fair Work Australia, the body that deter- eligible social work degree) and as mines federal industry pay awards has being payed at a rate between found that many social workers, youth $10,000 and $15,000 less than a workers and welfare workers in the government sector worker with less community sector are under-paid. responsibilities.

The finding was: She said she will leave her position for higher pay. She described the - that their work was under-valued and; be decided for 6 months, as the process complaint – of clients and of staff, of - That there is a gender component to from now involves the Unions and Com- constantly working with new faces in this pay inequality. monwealth government making submis- front line community work. sions to Fair Work Australia and then This was found to be partly because of Editors others have the opportunity to make the caring factor, that much of this work submissions. Increases will probably be involves nurturing, and that this is seen phased in over 5 years. as less skilled. When this was reported on the ABC a Between 150.000 and 200,000 workers community worker called Matilda was in Australia will be affected by this interviewed. decision. She described herself as having four The amounts of the pay increase will not qualifications (although not an AASW

Leonard King AC Breaking new ground in Mental Health QC cont .. general practitioners, connect and collaborate with psychiatrists, psychologists, other mental health mental health nurses, professionals. with the community," he consumers and carers. said. The webinars make this much Recordings of all previous easier, whether a clinician is "Len was also known for webinars are available on based in a rural or remote his devotion to his wife, The success of the Mental MHPN’s website for those location, or simply a busy Sheila and to his family." Health Professionals Network’s unable to attend the live event urban professional. For many, In 1975, Mr King was free webinar program, which online, and again, their the webinars also offer the appointed to the Supreme addresses clinical issues in massive uptake has surprised opportunity to earn CPD Court of South Australia mental health, has exceeded even the organisation. MHPN points. and he served as chief all expectations. Communications Manager, MHPN itself is gaining justice from 1978 until he Tanya Reardon, says “The The webinars (web-based experience with each webinar retired in 1995. technology is a relatively new seminars, viewable through a it stages, and there are hopes phenomenon in the delivery of normal browser) have been to expand both access and “He will be honoured with professional development consistently oversubscribed, frequency. While the a state funeral” activities and he demand has with 1,100 clinicians alone technology has matured, there exceeded all expectations. registering for the most recent. are still improvements being With that in mind, we are work- Source: Media Statement made. Participants currently Mike Rann Friday 24 June Being online, MHPN is able to ing to improve the accessibility require a hard-wired internet 2011 pull in expert interdisciplinary of the webinars to more people connection, as wireless panels of speakers from across and to enhance the viewer’s connections can be too the country to share their experience. insights on particular topics. unstable. What it indicates – and what Notwithstanding the Subjects addressed have detailed user feedback challenges, use of the technol- included adolescent mental confirms - is the absolute ogy will undoubtedly continue health, borderline personality hunger amongst clinicians to gain traction within the disorder, and grief, trauma and across Australia for easy, free health profession. anxiety.The panelists have access to professional devel- Continued page 3.. included opment activities, and to Page 3 Newsletter Winter 2011

Breaking new ground Project Update - Australian Social Work in Mental Health cont.. Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS) Review A further three MHPN webinars are scheduled for July 2011, with more In 2008 a new ASWEAS document was developed to replace the preceding standards in the pipeline. document ‘Policy and Procedures for Establishing Eligibility for Membership of AASW’(2000). Since 2008 the AASW has used this new ASWEAS document for How they work accreditation of all University Social Work study programs.

MHPN webinars usually run for 1 - A review of the ASWEAS is now underway, and importantly, this process includes a full 1.5 hours and are facilitated by one and lengthy process of consultation with AASW members, Branches and Committees, or more presenters who are mental Schools of Social Work, the Australian Council of Heads of Schools of Social Work, health professionals with expertise and a range of government and non-government stakeholders. in the topic. The AASW has recently engaged a consultant to undertake a Literature Review in MHPN staff are on hand to ensure relation to current national and international evidence in social work education and the webinars run smoothly and to accreditation standards. The Literature Review will be available on the AASW website help with any troubleshooting at as soon as it is completed. The consultant will then be developing a Discussion questions. Paper and focus questions, which will guide and inform the first round of public Visit the MHPN website for more consultation that will take place during July 2011. information. For further updates, progress and preliminary findings please refer to the ASWEAS Review webpage .

The Future of Social Work in Private Practice - A Review

Our speaker, AASW National Board mem- The first Medicare Locals will be Deb Lee also invited any present to ber Deb Lee, updated us on the submis- announced soon and Deb hopes become involved as SA reps on the sion the AASW will put to the government there may be two in SA to start. Even- National AASW Private Practice Sub about changes to the Better Access pro- tually the plan is one for Country -Committee. A number of people put gram; the main argument focusing on North, Country South, Central, North- forward their names and they have clients’ need to have enough sessions for ern and Southern Metro. They are been passed onto Deb. “significant improvement”. mandated to provide health care It seemed those present would ap- collaboration and inclusion for a preciate the SA Branch AASW to In general terms Deb was suggesting with region. They will be run by a board source and distribute more informa- the additional funding for mental health made up of members with certain skill tion on a number of subjects; announced in the budget, the Better sets; financial, legal medical, clinical ATAPS – how it works Access program is being scaled back to etc. All allied health and medical * Medicare Locals – announcement provide the initial intentions of the professions should have equal of SA sites, who the key players in program. Clients with more complex inclusion in what happens there. Deb development will be for contacts needs would be able to seek services suggested it would be strategic for * Division of Gen Pract – where are through expanded ATAPS programs. She SWs (individuals or task groups, they currently? Who are the people also made the point that there will be a regionally or state wide) to make to talk to to ensure MH SWs are negative impact on clients currently in the themselves known to the Medicare included as service providers. Better Access Program and new clients as Locals as they are announced. a result of the session cutbacks and that The branch could also support a the paper was being drafted to reflect this Divisions of General Practice, in those task group to advocate on these impact and propose solutions for transition, areas where Medicare Locals start, issues in SA. until additional services and programs will lose any National funding to

were fully accessible and available. Deb co-ordinate health care in that region. For more information please contact suggested that private practice social work- They will probably revert to their Robyn at: ers should seek diversity and not be totally original function of support group for [email protected] or reliant on Better Access. That AMHSWs GPs, or may tender, along with other Mary at: could provide services through Medicare groups, to provide services to the [email protected] . Locals as contractors or employees. Medicare Local. Page 4 Newsletter Winter 2011 Rural News

Good news for Social after the first get-together. When: Friday 15 July 2011 Workers in Mount Gambier The breakfasts have been Where: Sorrentos Cafe, 6 and surrounding areas as happening in metro Ade- Bay Road, Mount Gambier you can now join your col- laide and has been a great Time: From 8am leagues for coffee and way to catch up with col- breakfast. leagues to bounce ideas off Contact Dolly Poole on each other, discuss issues 0428 137 445, or register It is envisaged that it will be you may have, or just catch your interest an ongoing event and fur- up with others in your field. at [email protected] ther details will be provided

Film Review “Oranges and Sunshine”

Stars at Palace & Nova Cinemas Sally and I went to see this one together, intrigued both by what we had heard of the story, and of the portrayal of the British social worker , played by Emily Watson. We were warned it was a heart-wrencher and so it proved to be. Margaret is going about her job as Local Council Authority social worker in , UK in the 1980’s operating at the sharp end of child protection and running a therapy group for adult survivors of foster care. She is approached by an Australian woman visiting Britain to try to track down her origins. When the woman tells Margaret that she was sent from a Nottingham orphanage to Australia as a young child on a ship, along with many other unaccompanied children, Margaret rejects this as a preposterously illegal act that simply couldn’t have occurred. Her fight to establish that it did indeed happen, and to provide assistance, recognition and redress for these suffering adults is the story of the film. Her leads take her quickly to Australia where she meets many other victims (specifically, two male adults played beautifully by David Wenham and ) and hears their stories with increasing outrage and sadness. This is a systematised export of children ultimately in the care of the British state but shuffled through various voluntary systems of “care” to reach a final destination on the other side of the world where further systematised abuse occurs behind a shroud of State sanction. The people that she meets each have their own heartbreaking narrative in which lies, denial, cruelty and self-justification have all played their part. There are many victims, both children and their lost parents who were blatantly denied their rights as parents to consent to or even to know about this modern-day form of transportation. The film sets Margaret’s story in the context of her working life as a social worker and also as a mother of two young children and wife of a concerned husband. He quickly becomes aware of the emotional impact on Margaret herself and steadfastly supports her through it with both sensitivity and legal know-how as she confronts the home authorities who allowed this scheme to continue up until the 1970’s. The stories of each childhood which set the agenda for adult psychological suffering and screwed up relationships are clear illustrations of attachment theory, loss and grief theory and personal identity pathology and as such provide hot learning for those embarking on a career in human services. Less clear-cut are the strategies to address remedies at a policy level. In this age of over-stretched and inadequate foster care services for Australian children needing nurturing, and newly arrived war-traumatised children of international refugees, we are far from being able to say that past mistakes are not being repeated. The vigilance and passion for social justice in social workers is just as much needed as it ever was, and if you want some inspiration and a wonderfully vivid example of professional integrity, go and see this film. Kathy Inverarity

Become a member today…visit www.aasw.asn.au Page 5 Newsletter Winter 2011

Profile – Helen Carrig

Helen Inglish came to Australia with her parents and younger sister, Christine, when she was four and a half years old. Her family had lived in Essex which, being between London and Europe, bore the brunt of very heavy bombing during the war, and her parents decided that they would be better off if they left. Mrs Inglish had a penfriend in Gumeracha in South Australia and so it was to Gumeracha that they first went after their arrival. Their first year was spent living in a cowshed. They moved to Bridgewater and Helen started school at Bridgewater Primary School, which was housed in two rooms. She found the Grade 3 work more interesting than what she was supposed to learn in Grade 1, which was rather disruptive to the class. She recalls that there was a great influx of migrants living wherever they could find shelter in the Adelaide Hills, but that the older community did not make them welcome. When she was sent in Grade 2 to the convent school at Mt Lofty she found that there were plenty of migrants there, and it was much more friendly. At the age of seven she was responsible for seeing that five younger children caught the train home from school and got off at the right stops.

The family moved to Blackwood and Helen started at Cabra Convent in Grade 5. She left school not knowing what she wanted to do, except that she did not want to be a teacher. She started work as a clerical officer in the Taxation Department and then went to work in the Barr Smith Library at the University of Adelaide, while enrolling for an Arts degree part-time. As a member of the campus Student Christian Movement she was involved in a scheme to take children from the Glandore Children’s Home out at weekends and in contrasting their difficult lives with her own happy childhood she decided she wanted to do something to help. She was encouraged by her mother who had been a volunteer in London’s East End before World War 11.

A cadetship with the then Children’s Welfare and Public Relief Department paid her University fees and gave her a living allowance, which allowed her to complete her Diploma of Social Studies. Christine also did Social Work. On graduating Helen worked for two years with the Department as a Welfare Officer, and then she moved to Mental Health Services at the Prospect Child Guidance Clinic. She had married Ian Carrig by this time and remembers how easy it was then to tell parents how to manage their children (not having any experience herself. she recalls with a laugh telling them they “must be consistent…”) Helen left this position when she had children, and over the next few years did some part time work at the Family Planning Association and the Queen Victoria Hospital Family Planning Clinic. She also joined the committee of St Mary’s Home for Children, of which she was President for some time. She was part of the work which saw St Mary’s join the other Anglican Children’s Homes to form Anglican Child Care Services, which became a part of Anglicare. This was the beginning of her ongoing use of her professional training and experience in a voluntary capacity.

When her youngest child went to school Helen was offered a locum position at Catholic Family Welfare, in the Marriage Counselling section. The intention was for her just to be there while the regular incumbent was away, but she stayed for eight years. She moved to the Early Childhood Clinic at CAFHS for four years, and then worked as a Clinical Supervisor at Anglicare for a further four years. The most rewarding part of this position she remembers as developing and co-managing the Intensive Families Preservation Program (“Keeping Families Together”), which was successful in its aim to keep children from moving into care, but ceased when it was no longer funded.

She was invited to go to Relationships Australia to start the Gambling Service there, and remembers this as a good service and a very satisfying job, where she had autonomy and worked with an outstanding team. The then CEO Graham Wilkes encouraged Helen to develop the community’s awareness of the impact of problem gambling and to see it as a societal issue as well as a personal problem. The focus of her community education work was on making the private pain of her clients into a public issue. Helen and the Relationships Australia team addressed their clients’ gambling problems within the context of their lives and so found themselves responding to depression, social isolation, relationship problems as well as financial problems and addressing the gambling behaviour. Their strength was in addressing issues systemically, not just dealing with individual issues. ”. In a world first, she worked with the Professor of Nursing at UniSA, Philip Derbyshire, on a research project to find out the effect on children of parents’ problem gambling. They interviewed the children, with their parents’ permission, and were able to bring the children’s’ distress to public attention, thus producing information which had not been revealed before. Continued page 6...

Page 6 Newsletter Winter 2011 Profile—Helen Carrig Cont..

Working in this service involved attending and presenting papers at conferences in Australia (including the AASW conference in Brisbane) and overseas, and she remembers – still with amazement – the “appalling” impression left on her by Las Vegas, where poker machines were installed on the airport concourse.

Helen was then asked by the Archbishop of Adelaide to be the first Director of Professional Standards for the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide, which had been badly shaken by revelations of sexual abuse of children by clergy and senior laypeople. She continues in a voluntary position as a member of the national Anglican Professional Standards Commission. This has involved consulting with clergy and laity all over Australia, both metropolitan and rural, about appropriate codes of conduct for clergy and people in authority in the Church. This she considered to be a form of community development. Proposals were modified in response to feedback, and when the Code was presenting to the General Synod in 2004 it was passed unanimously. Helen’s voluntary work continues on the Professional Standards Commission and as Chair of the South Australian Heads of Churches Gambling Task Force, which was started in 1999. Because this group does not have external funding, its independence provides another opportunity for the community to express its concerns about gambling issues. It has made submissions to gambling enquiries and the Independent Gambling Authority. Its outspoken comments have drawn threats from the industry.

In her private life Helen continues her interest in singing in choirs; she is active in parish and diocesan affairs and she is actively interested in current affairs and politics. She is happily involved with grandchildren, both here and interstate.

She considers that social work courses provide excellent training, leading to a profession that has a chance of making genuine differences in the lives of individuals and communities. Social workers can look at the connections between people and have great potential to be agents of change. She repeats the view that the profession has a responsibility to turn private pain into public issues, working constructively and ethically with individuals to make public what has been learnt. This means naming issues, not speaking for clients. She laments the fact that non-government agencies are so dependent on government funding that they cannot speak out on the issues with which they are concerned.

Elizabeth Bleby Media Echoes - ABC Radio National “The Spirit of things”

Couples: In the Light of Love - spiritofthings/ Dave and Bess Nungarrayi Price Have your details changed? First heard Sunday 03 July 2011

The issue of “white guilt” frequently For over thirty years, Dave, an comes up when social workers are Have you changed your Irish Catholic from Newcastle and working with indigenous people and Bess, a Walpiri woman from address or communities. Often it is expressed as Yuendumu, have been married, “I feel bad about imposing my values raising a family, and working for on this person or in this community. the betterment of Aboriginal What right do I have to do this when home phone number Australians in the Northern so much damage has been done in Territory. Bess is the Chair of the in the past few months the past...... ?” Northern Territory Indigenous or perhaps changed your job? Affairs Advisory Council.

This interview, with Dave and Bess Nungarrayi Price, which you can read Their bi-cultural marriage has online as a transcript or listen to as a Got a new email address been a learning curve from both podcast, from the link below, recently? sides, but one they both feel proud addresses this issue head-on with and grateful to have taken. great clarity and a lot of sense as well as sensitivity. If so, you can now change these details Their story is about how they live Their home in Alice Springs is on the AASW website in the Members area now. There ʼs even a “bouquet” for their sanctuary, and their faith has an unnamed social worker back in moved on from their traditional www.aasw.asn.au origins to encompassing Dave ʼs past, at the Women ʼs & Childrens Hospital. Buddhism. http://www.abc.net.au/rn/ Page 7 Newsletter Winter 2011

Private Practice

CONSULTING ROOM FOR LEASE

Multi-disciplinary Mental Health Practice

320 Glen Osmond Road Myrtle Bank SA 5064

Appealing Facilities Furnished Group/ meeting room (also available for separate hire) Rear car parking Tel: Heather Warne 0407 188 760 Page 8 Newsletter Winter 2011 Committees

AASW (SA BRANCH) Sub Committee Contacts The SA Branch Office Address Branch Management Committee Ethics and Professional Standards Education Development Centre President: Sue King Trish Munn 4 Milner Street Home: 8390 1203 Work: 8647 6071 Hindmarsh SA 5007 Work: 8302 4316 Email: [email protected] Phone: (08) 8463 5911 Email: [email protected]. Fax: (08) 8463 5981 net (Tues & Thur 9.30 a.m.–4.30 p.m.) Vice President: Marion Croser Continuing Professional Email: [email protected] Mob: 0409 096 101 Development Committee Email: [email protected] Sally Watson AASW National Office COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2011 Office: 0411 377 347 PO Box 4956 Kingston ACT 2604 Diana Awarau Email: [email protected] Ph: 1800 630 124 Mob: 0426 207 711 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Mary Hood Private Practice Working Group AASW Website www.aasw.asn.au Home: 8342 6748 Don Piro Mob: 0427 716 938 Mob: 0419 863 124 AASW SA Branch website

Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Advertising Rates Janet Kelly

Work: 8338 0872 Email: [email protected] Student–New Graduate Reference (A LL PRICES ARE PLUS GST ) Group Robyn Lingard Adverts: Mark Wilson Mob: 0412 844 278 Full page: $220 Home: 8172 0939 Email: [email protected] Half Page: $110 Work: 8277 3366 Peter Munn Quarter page $60 Email: [email protected] Work:8644 2021 Inserts

Email: [email protected] Pre printed Standard A4 sheets: $50 Newsletter Committee Editors Trish Munn Pre printed pamphlets on non standard Work: 8647 6071 Sally McMichael: paper:- $55.00 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Discounts where 2+ inserts distributed Patricia Senior-Karl 2nd A4 sheet $35 Kathy Inverarity: 3rd or more $30 Mob: 0402 133 356 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] E-news inclusion to members $60 Charlotte Trenter (appears in 2 fortnightly editions) Please send all newsletter Mob: 0422 805 224 contributions to the editorial This edition was printed by: Email: committee. Eureka Corporate Group [email protected] Sally Watson Newsletter deadline dates: Issue Deadline Mob: 0411 377 347 September 31 August Email: [email protected] December 30 November

Mark Wilson Work: 8277 3366 The next edition is September 2011 Email: [email protected]

Page 9 Newsletter Winter 2011 For your diary

Alone in a crowd Sthn Breakfast Networking Nthn Breakfast Networking

Date: 9 August Date: 10 August Date: 17 August Time: 9am - 11am Time: 7.15am for 7.30am Time: 7.15am for 7.30am Venue: EDC Venue: New Venue TBA Venue: Bakehouse Café - Elizabeth

Presenter: Mandy Stanley Contact: Refer e-news for update Contact: [email protected] Peer Skill Group City Breakfast Networking Evidence Based Practice Group

Date: 9 September Date: 21 September Date: 26 September Time: 3.30pm - 5.30pm Time: 7.15am for 7.30am Time: 5.30pm for 6pm Venue: EDC Venue: La Piazza, Hindmarsh Sq Venue: EDC Contact: [email protected] Contact: [email protected] Presenter: Cheryl Staples

Sthn Breakfast Networking Maintaining your accreditation Supervision 1 Course

Date: 12 October Date: 13 October Date: 17 - 19 October t ou Time: 7.15am for 7.30am Time: 5.30pm for 6pm Time: 9am - 3.30pm d ke oo Venue: New Venue TBA Venue: EDC Venue: EDC B Contact: Refer e-news for update www.aasw.asn.au/events Presenter: Margaret Morrell

Nthn Breakfast Networking Student - Being a Supervisee AASW SA AGM

Date: 19 October Date: 21 October Date: 27 October Time: 7.15am for 7.30pm Time: 9am - 5pm Time: 5.30pm for 6pm, Dinner 7pm Venue: Bakehouse Café - Elizabeth Venue: EDC Venue: Hackney Hotel Contact: [email protected] Presenter: Margaret Morrell Speaker: Senator Nick Xenophon

Meditation for Social Workers Peer Skills Group City Breakfast Networking

Date: 3 November Date: 11 November Date: 16 November Time: 5.30pm - 7.30pm Time: 3.30pm - 5.30pm Time: 7.15am for 7.30pm Venue: EDC Venue: EDC Venue: EDC Presenter: Mark O’Donoghue Presenter: Briony Barton Contact: La Piazza, Hindmarsh Sq

Evidence Based Practice Group

Date: 28 November For the full listing of events Time: 5.30pm for 6pm

Venue: EDC Visit aasw.asn.au Contact: [email protected] Disclaimer

The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the AASW SA Branch. Acceptance of any advertising does not necessarily include endorsement of the advertised products or services.