The Home Stretch Symposium will bring together policy developers, stakeholders and implementers to explore and discuss the challenges and complexities associated with introducing the policy of extending care to 21 years. These discussions will be informed by international and national experts in this policy area.
The two day program will be a mix of keynote presentations, panel and Q&A sessions. The program has been structured to engage the audience and provide an opportunity for an informed discussion.
The program will include:
- A focus on young people and carer’s perspectives on care past 18 years
- A closer look at implementation and evaluation of extended care in the US and UK
- The legislative and policy developments in New Zealand
- Policy progress in extending care by governments in Australia
- The challenges, enablers and experience of implementation
- The social and economic costs and benefits in the Australian context
- The different methods used to evaluate Extended Care and how to develop a robust evaluation.
To access Presentations, click on ‘Presentation’ in the program schedule for each session.
Check out the Symposium photos.
See the Highlights Video of the Symposium here.
Day 1: Tuesday 27th August
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 8.30 | Registrations Open |
| 9.00 | Opening |
| 9.10 | Welcome to Country |
| 9.30 | Opening Address: ‘Extending Care to 21 years in Australia’ Paul McDonald, Chair Home Stretch, CEO Anglicare Victoria |
| 10.00 | Keynote: International Perspectives ‘Evidence from the United States’ Mark Courtney, Samuel Deutsch Professor in the School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago (US) Presentation |
| 10.45 | Morning Tea |
| 11.15 | Panel: ‘Reality Check: The experience of leaving care’ A CREATE Foundation panel chaired by Eleni Hale, author & former foster child |
| 12.00 | ‘The Carer Perspective: National Survey Findings, 2019’ Presented by Samantha Hague, CEO Foster Care Association of Victoria Presentation |
| 12.15 | ‘Young People Transitioning from care: Australian research on outcomes’ Philip Mendes, Associate Professor, Director Social Inclusion and Social Policy Research Unit, Monash University Presentation |
| 12.45 | Lunch |
| 13.45 | Keynote: International Perspectives ‘Evidence from the United Kingdom’ Steve Walker, Director of Children and Families at Leeds City Council (UK) Presentation |
| ‘Evidence from New Zealand’ Sarah Ashton, Service Manager – Transition to Adulthood, Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children (NZ) Presentation |
|
| 15.05 | Afternoon Tea |
| 15.35 | Panel: ‘Implementation of Extended Care to 21 in Australia’ Facilitated by Julie Alexander Panel members: Beth Allen, A/Director, Children and Families Policy Department of Health and Human Services (VIC) Mathew Healey, Executive Director, Engagement and Innovation, Department of Communities (TAS) Karen Lacy, Manager, Children, Policy and Service Design, department of Communities (WA). Jodie Robinson, Senior Executive Branch Manager, Children, Youth and Families, Community Services Directorate (ACT) Fiona Ward, Deputy Chief Executive, Department of Child Protection (SA) |
| 16.30 | Network drinks |
| 18.30 | Symposium Dinner. Please register http://thehomestretch.org.au/symposium/registration/ |
Day 2: Wednesday 28th August
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 9.00 | Welcome to Day Two |
| 9.10 | Opening Address: ‘Extending Care to 21 years, as an early intervention’ Justin Mohamed, Victorian Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People |
| 9.25 | Keynote: International Perspectives ‘Evaluating Staying Put in the UK’ Emily Munro, Goldberg Professor of Social Work Research, Director Institute of Applied Social Research, Director Tilda Goldberg Centre for Social Work and Social Care, University of Bedfordshire (UK) Presentation |
| 10.10 | ‘The South Australian Experience: initial findings’ Joseph McDowall, Executive Director of Research, CREATE Foundation Presentation |
| 10.30 | Morning Tea |
| 11.00 | ‘The Economics of Extended Care’ Lynne Pezzullo, Partner, Deloitte Access Economics Presentation |
| 11.30 | Panel: ‘Extended care pathways for young people living in Residential Care’ Facilitated by Paul McDonald Panel members: Mark Courtney, Samuel Deutsch Professor in the School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago (US) Steve Walker, Director of Children and Families at Leeds City Council (UK) Sarah Ashton, Service Manager – Transition to Adulthood, Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children (NZ) Catherine Gibson, Manager, Youth Team, Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services (VIC) |
| 12.15 | Lunch |
| 13.15 | Keynote: International Perspectives ‘The International Experience on formal and informal Extended Care’ Iain Matheson, Director, Research Centre for Better Outcomes from Fostering and Residential Care (NZ) Presentation |
| 14.00 | Interactive Panel: Questions & Emerging Themes Facilitated by Julie Alexander Panel members: Mark Courtney, Samuel Deutsch Professor in the School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago (US) Emily Munro, Goldberg Professor of Social Work Research, Director Institute of Applied Social Research, Director Tilda Goldberg Centre for Social Work and Social Care, University of Bedfordshire (UK) Sarah Ashton, Service Manager, Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children (NZ). Paul McDonald, Chair, National Home Stretch, CEO Anglicare Vic Dylan Langley, Youth Advocate |
| 15.00 | Advancing the universal option of Extended Care to 21 Paul McDonald, Chair, National Home Stretch, CEO Anglicare Vic |
| 15.30 | End of Day 2 |
