1993: Social conscience

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Tags: SBS, social work, winter-2011

Rob Ryan in New York

Rob Ryan, Bachelor of Social Work, Graduate Certificate in Management

Rob Ryan spent three months last year travelling between London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver and San Francisco – not to see the sights, but to help advance the protection of Australia’s children.

A 2010 Churchill Fellow, Mr Ryan is the President of the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), and Assistant Regional Director for the South East region at the Department of Communities in Child Safety Services.

While on his fellowship, he met with experts at the London School of Economics, lectured students at the University of Bangor in Northern Wales, attended a symposium on fairness and equity in child protection in California, and learnt about the “Be a Witness” campaign developed by the First Nations Children’s Society in Ottawa, Canada.

“Over the course of three months, I had the opportunity to meet with hundreds of experts in the field of child protection and to share in their approaches to training, learning and development,” Mr Ryan said.

“In most jurisdictions we are struggling with the same challenges in creating systems and models that work; the variance is usually legislation and local policy and procedure.”

Mr Ryan said he was impressed with the program ChildStat – an accountability tool used in New York to assess and strengthen child welfare case practice. The program brings together child protective leaders from around the city to discuss practice, performance, issues and review cases.

“The model of ChildStat is an excellent example of proactive learning and quality assurance and should be trialled in Australia,” Mr Ryan said.

Mr Ryan also found great value in the National Child Protection Training Center at Winona State University in Minnesota, which offers training courses in how to better recognise, react and respond to children who are being abused.

The centre includes practice courtrooms, forensic training facilities, and a “mock house”, which simulates child abuse investigations.

“All jurisdictions involved with training staff to work in child protection should consider the implementation and use of mock court rooms and a mock house,” Mr Ryan said.

While in Ottawa, he learnt about monitoring the accountability of the government and its treatment of First Nation children.

Upon his return, Mr Ryan presented his findings and recommendations to the board and staff of NAPCAN and the Department of Communities, in addition to vocational institutions and academics.

By Allison Rock

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