The Training Team of the Australian Childhood Foundation
Liz Alexander is a practitioner and trainer with a background in the disability and child welfare fields. She has provided consultancy to organisations on a range of policy and practice issues. She has also developed and facilitated parent support groups in relation to child sexual development and problem sexual behaviour. Liz has extensive experience in the delivery of training on a range of children’s issues including the impact of homelessness. Liz is the Training Event Coordinator within the Training and Professional Development program.
Caroline Brown is a psychologist with over 20 years experience working with or managing services to support, children, young people and their families across both government and non-government sectors. She has a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and experience working in child and adolescent mental health, child protection, disability and justice services. Currently Caroline is the state manager of the Australian Childhood Foundation’s Child Trauma Service in Tasmania.
Megan Brown is a social worker with experience working with children, young people and families who have experienced abuse related trauma. She has worked with families in a range of settings including statutory child protection and community organisations both in Australia and in the United Kingdom. She is currently employed as a Senior Practice Consultant in the Child and Family Counselling Program at the Foundation.
Chris Cussen is a psychologist who works across the Child and Family Counselling and Training and Professional Development programs of the Australian Childhood Foundation. She holds a masters degree in Creative Art Therapy and has a particular interest in the application of experiential therapeutic approaches when working with those who have experienced trauma. Chris has previously worked in a variety of areas including education, early intervention and clinical settings.
Mary-Ann Delaney is a social worker with experience in working with children, young people and families who have experienced abuse related trauma. She has provided training, supervision and consultancy to a range of professionals, and has a background in statutory child protection and home based care. Mary-Ann is currently employed as a Senior Practice Consultant in the Child and Family Counselling Program, where she has a number of roles including group program facilitation.
Marina Dickson is a social worker and educator with previous clinical experience working with vulnerable and abused children in a range of school settings. She has trained extensively across the welfare and education sectors with a focus on the neurobiology of trauma, trauma-based interventions and loss and grief. As the Program Manager of the Training and Professional Development pprogram, Marina oversees much of the Foundation’s training activity. She is also responsible for the development and facilitation of a number of training initiatives including the SMART program - a statewide training program for school welfare personnel in South Australia.
Catherine Ensor is a psychologist with a strong interest in the provision of services for children who have experienced abuse and neglect. Catherine has a range of previous experience in providing therapy to children who have experienced abuse related trauma, specifically in the areas of sexual abuse and problem sexual behaviour. Having worked with children and young people directly within the statutory system, advocacy for the best outcomes for children is paramount in her work. Catherine is currently employed within the Child and Family Counselling Program at the Foundation.
Cyra Fernandes is a social worker and family therapist with experience in working with families, children and young people who have experienced trauma and abuse. Cyra has run a number of training programs with young people and teachers focussing on developing mediation and support skills. She is currently employed as a Team Leader in the Child and Family Counselling Program at the Australian Childhood Foundation and is responsible for implementing the Foundation’s intervention program for children who have engaged in problem sexual behaviour.
Beth Guy is a teacher, trainer, practitioner and psycho dramatist with experience in the education, health and welfare sectors. She has a background working with children and adolescents at risk within the education sector, and the alcohol and other drug field as well as working with children and families within the child protection and welfare systems. She has a history of developing high quality training programs and is a keen advocate for experiential group work and creative therapies. Beth has worked in a variety of government and non government settings both in Australia and overseas with a consistent focus on education, supervision and professional development. Beth is team leader of the Training and Professional Development Program.
Vanessa Kearney is a social worker with experience working with children, young people and families who have experienced abuse related trauma. She has a background working across various roles within domestic violence services. She has a particular interest in the development of counselling approaches in her work with children and families who have experienced domestic violence. Vanessa is currently employed as a senior practitioner within the Child and Family Counselling Program.
Barbara Kolembus is a social worker currently employed in the Therapeutic Care Program with the Australian Childhood Foundation. She has extensive experience working with vulnerable young people and their families in a variety of settings, including community, mental health, hospital, child protection and out of home care. She has lived and worked as a social worker in United Kingdom. Barbara has also trained carers and volunteers in a variety of settings.
Karen Landgren has extensive experience in working with traumatised young people. She is currently a therapeutic specialist within the Therapeutic Residential Care Program. She is a psychiatric nurse and psychotherapist who has specialised in child and adolescent mental health. Karen has undertaken individual, group and family work with vulnerable children and young people. She has a particular interest in working with victims of family violence, and is passionate about improving the lives of children and young people who have experienced abuse related trauma.
Carrie Maclure is a social worker who works as a Senior Practice Consultant within the Child and Family Counselling program. Previously Carrie worked in the Therapeutic Care Program at the Australian Childhood Foundation advocating for children and providing training about the impacts of trauma. She has extensive experience as a senior practitioner in the United Kingdom working with traumatized children in foster care and adoption. Carrie has a particular interest in Theraplay and creative ways of working with children who have experienced abuse and trauma.
Noel MacNamara is the Manager of Therapeutic Care at the Australian Childhood Foundation. He has been a social worker for nearly 30 years and has worked extensively in the areas of vulnerable families, child abuse, couple counselling and family violence in the UK and Australia. Noel has regularly presented at national and international conferences. He has published a number of articles in the areas of child abuse, domestic violence and collaboration within a child abuse context.
Blythe McAuley has a background in psychology and family therapy. She is currently employed in the Therapeutic Care Program and is a keen advocate for the rights of children in care. She has extensive experience working with children living in out of home care including statutory child protection, kinship care and in reunification programs. Blythe is passionate about working towards better outcomes for children who have suffered abuse related trauma.
Deborah McKenzie is a teacher, counsellor and adult educator with twenty-five years experience in varied educational settings. She particularly brings extensive experience working with adolescents “at risk” who have suffered from trauma, abuse and neglect, family discord, family violence, drug, alcohol and sexual issues. Deborah has an academic background in child and adolescent welfare and a Masters Degree in Social Science with a focus on family, children, youth and social welfare policy. She has also worked on many prevention, intervention and post- intervention wellbeing programs within the secondary school setting. Deborah is employed as a Senior Training Consultant in the Training and Professional Development Program.
Jeanette Miller has a background in teaching and primary health care, with additional qualifications in Infant Mental Health. With extensive experience in the education and health sectors, as lecturer, teacher, trainer, parent educator and practitioner, she has a special interest in prevention and early intervention to improve outcomes for children, and especially enjoys working with parents and carers of children in the first years of life. Jeanette is a Senior Training Consultant in the Training and Professional Development Program.
Janise Mitchell is a social worker and National Manager of Education, Prevention and Therapeutic Care Programs at the Australian Childhood Foundation. She has experience in child protection, high risk adolescents, public policy analysis, program development and evaluation. Janise has extensive experience in the development of innovative therapeutic programs for traumatised children. She is responsible for the development and implementation of a number of national and state-wide child abuse prevention and training programs. She has recently completed a Masters degree examining the policy underpinning of therapeutic care initiatives in Australia.
Dr Neerosh Mudaly is a child and family therapist experienced in working with children and young people who have experienced abuse and trauma. She completed a PhD exploring children’s experiences of abuse-related trauma and the child protection system. Neerosh is experienced in the provision of clinical supervision, training and consultancy, including legal advocacy as an expert court witness. Her book, ‘The truth is longer than a lie’ was published in 2006. Neerosh is currently employed as a Team Leader within the Therapeutic Care Programs.
Dr Jessica Murphy is a clinical psychologist, and works as a Senior Practice Consultant in the Child and Family Counselling Program. She has experience across a range of settings, including child and adolescent mental health, and residential and foster care settings. Jessica has completed extensive research in the area of residential care and has completed a Doctorate in Clinical Child Psychology. She has a keen interest and passion for working with children in the out-of-home care sector, and high-risk adolescents.
Maria Murray has a background in social sciences, children’s services and pre and post natal family support. She has worked in generalist children’s services as well as more specialist roles across the AOD sector. Maria also brings experience as a Mother craft Nurse in public hospitals providing specialist support to high risk infants and their families. Maria is currently a Senior Training Consultant with the Training and Professional Development program.
Lisa Ranahan is a social worker and Team Leader of the Therapeutic Care Programs. She has assisted in the development of programs of therapeutic care for children at the Australian Childhood Foundation. She has previously worked in a range of settings including child protection and residential care services in Australia and the United Kingdom. She has been responsible for the development of innovative projects to better respond to the needs of children experiencing homelessness.
Lauren Short works in the Therapeutic Care program at the Australian Childhood Foundation. She has extensive understanding and knowledge of the out of home care system due to her previous work in this field. Lauren also has a background and passion for work within the disability field and in particular working with children in the out of home care system who have a disability. Lauren is currently completing her Masters degree in counselling psychology.
Lauren Thomas is a counsellor, teacher and trainer with experience facilitating therapeutic and educational groups, as well as working with individually children and young people, adults and families across a range of settings. She has provided consultancy to organisations on a range of policy and practice issues around mental health, responding to crisis, and crisis counselling. Lauren has a keen interest in the area of family violence, abuse and neglect and is passionate about increasing awareness, understanding and prevention of the impacts of trauma on children. She works as a Senior Training Consultant in the Training and Professional Development program.
Dr Joe Tucci is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Childhood Foundation, a social worker and psychologist. He has completed a PhD in emotional abuse and uses post-modern and narrative ideas in research, counselling and training. He has a particular interest in the impact of abuse related trauma on brain development and the implications for practice. Joe has extensive experience in the provision of consultancy, clinical supervision and program development and evaluation.
Angela Weller is a social worker and family therapist with a background in statutory child protection, child and adolescent mental health, and children’s counselling services. She has a particular interest in using narrative approaches in her work with children and families. Her current role is Program Manager of the Child and Family Counselling Program in which she oversees the trauma focussed assessment and intervention model of counselling provided to children and families.
