Working in Child Protection can be incredibly difficult at times. Carmen Bonner, our Director of People and Practice, was reflecting on this just recently. She noted how, when friends or family ask, “How was your day?”, it can be difficult to describe what we have done or experienced across the day or week. When these same family and friends ask, “Why do you keep doing this?”, she shared how she “can answer strongly and with conviction, I am passionate and enthusiastic about ensuring children are safe and remain safe through lasting change!”
Social Care Solutions completes work in the child protection sector to a very high standard as the entire team are passionate and enthusiastic about the work we do. At times, the differences we make are not the differences we set out to make. There is no one approach or perfect solution, each situation is unique. Supporting families and children means we need to listen; their voice needs to be front and centre in everything we do as they are the expert in their own lives. It is our job to gain the knowledge, resources, and required information to support a family to make and sustain change. If one team member doesn’t know the answer, another will.
Social Care Solutions are incredibly lucky to have a team which spans across most states in Australia and New Zealand, and has practitioners with backgrounds in child protection, disability, mental health, domestic violence, policy, development, training and family support. Carmen shared, “I know I could call any one of them and they would drop what they are doing and assist me to come up with a creative solution for a family, child or carer. This team drive, team knowledge, team commitment ensures I remain passionate and enthusiastic, as I am learning from our team every day”.
We feel privileged to be invited into a child’s, carer’s or family’s home. These families are often at crisis point or recovering from a recent crisis, they are often at their weakest, their most vulnerable and at times their most desperate. To walk beside these families is a privilege. To learn about their family culture, their values and what makes them unique is a privilege. To watch them move through the crisis and out the other side is a privilege. It keeps our passion and enthusiasm for the work alive.
Passion and Enthusiasm are two of our fundamental values. We spent time together to discuss our company’s values, what they are and why they are important. The team determined Passion and Enthusiasm are values we all shared and ones we are proud to see demonstrated in each and every one of our team members and the work they do every day.