Australian Childhood Foundation

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 Lauren Thomas is a qualified counsellor, teacher and trainer and the team leader of the Education program for the Australian Childhood Foundation, a national charity that works to put a stop to child abuse and give children a life free of neglect and trauma. It aims to strengthen community responsibility for promoting the wellbeing and protection of all children throughout Australia.

In the year 2009-10 there were a staggering 285,437 reports of child abuse or children in danger throughout Australia which clearly establishes it as a major problem of concern for all of society to act on and correct. The Australian Childhood Foundation works in a number of ways to make children’s safety and welfare a priority.

  • Counselling: provide a range of specialist counselling services for children and young people affected by abuse, and for their families.Advocacy for children: speak out for effective protective and support services for children and young people. All programs affirm the importance of children.
  • Education: provide community and professional education, consultancy and debriefing programs. These programs aim to improve responses to children and young people who have experienced or are at risk of abuse, family violence and neglect.
  • Child abuse prevention programs: run nationally recognised child abuse prevention programs that seek to decrease the incidence of child abuse and raise awareness about how to stop it even before it starts.
  • Inspiring and supporting parents: provide ongoing parenting education seminars and easily accessible resources to strengthen the ability of parents to raise happy and confident children.
  • Research: in partnership with Monash University, the Australian Childhood Foundation has established the National Research Centre for the Prevention of Child Abuse to research the problem of child abuse and identify constructive solutions.

In 1989, and under the advice and guidance of PDG David Rosback, our club began to assist with addressing this national problem when the organisation was known as Australians against Child Abuse. In one working bee the Rotary Club of Hawthorn the counselling rooms of the charity and have continued to give financial support. The Foundation will be one of the charities that will benefit from the finances generated by our upcoming AussieFootyTips competition.

In her address to the club, Lauren told and showed us many of the drawings and written statements by these children clearly showing the extent of the psychological damage they suffer and the results achieved by counselling and care from the Foundation. This was an inspiring address that will surely strengthen our resolve to give all the assistance we can to the Foundation to give abused children a chance in life.