A former Goulburn resident and psychologist is holding a talk in Goulburn next week on working together to protect vulnerable children.
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The free talk is being held at "Liminis", the former St Joseph's orphanage, on Monday, July 15 at 7pm.
Dr Caitlin Lance Hope and her husband, English social worker, Dan Hope, said they want to provide a safe opportunity to address some of the complexities underlying how we can all be involved in improving the care of children here and overseas at a Q & A panel discussion.
They have both volunteered in orphanages in the past and now work for UK based charity, SFAC.
"SFAC is a charity working for children rather than with them, SFAC's multi-disciplinary team has worked with hundreds of organisations in nearly 40 countries," Ms Lance said.
"They provide high-quality training and mentoring to thousands of adults who work with, care for, or make decisions about vulnerable children. SFAC has worked with everyone from orphanage directors and carers in remote Myanmar, Zimbabwe and India to the governments and judiciaries of Sri Lanka and Brazil."
Ms Lance said Australia has a complex history when it comes to protecting children.
"The recently passed Modern Slavery Act is leading the way in safeguarding children from the harms associated with orphanage tourism, but refugee families continue to experience family separation and our own care and protection systems have room for improvement," she said.
"First Nations Peoples are still reeling from the lasting effects of the Stolen Generation and surrounding trauma."
They have invited Wakka Wakka woman and Aboriginal Christian leader, Brooke Prentis, to join them for the evening.
She is a speaker, writer, advocate and regular on national television and radio broadcasts.
"You may have come across Brooke on ABC's The Drum, Soul Search with Dr Meredith Lake, God Forbid with James Carleton or Sunday Nights with John Cleary," Ms Lance said.
She is the coordinator of the Grasstree Gathering and also a 2019 Anglican Deaconess Ministries Senior Fellow.
"Appropriately the evening is being held at "Liminis", the former St Joseph's orphanage, a place where, in decades past, some children found refuge and others further trauma and pain," Ms Lance said.
"Liminis founders, Maggie and Daryl Patterson have worked hard to reconnect with former residents, offering a safe place for healing and reconciliation - an opportunity to bear witness to both the fond memories and the traumatic ones."
"This free event is for anyone with an interest in learning more about how we can work together to protect vulnerable children and turn our good intentions into good practice."
There is no charge for the evening but there will be opportunities to make a donation. For more information call 0451 072 890.