Kai & Kōrero: Learning over lunch
Increasingly community services are engaging their staff and volunteers in regular child protection training to develop practice skills and ensure appropriate responses. Child protection training is often grounded in western models of “best practice.” These approaches risk reinforcing colonial practice and Eurocentric bias in recognising and responding to harm within whānau Māori and Pacific families.
This presentation will share a social worker's journey in developing community child protection training to align with social work ethics of rangatiratanga, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, kotahitanga and mātātoa. The concept of wise practice rather than best practice will be discussed along with reflections on the challenges and successes of developing this work in partnership with communities.
Ruth Browning
Ruth is a fully registered Social Worker with a current practicing certificate. She has been a social worker for 25 years and has a wide range of experience working with children, youth and their families in both non-government and government agencies. Ruth advocates for equity and social justice in her current work training in effective responses to violence and abuse.
Ruth has a Bachelors in Sociology and Criminal Justice, a Masters in Social Research and a Post Graduate Diploma in Social and Community Work and a Post Graduate Certificate in Professional Supervision. She is know working as a family violence co-ordinator and social worker for Te Whatu Ora.
