Adela Holmes is a passionate advocate for children and young people in the child protection system, having 51 years of experience in the field (so far). Adela has worked with some of the most vulnerable young people in Victoria, centring her work on those residing in out-of-home care. She wrote the Berry Street submission for Take-two (a therapeutic outreach service) and the model for Hustrbridge Farm (the Victorian government's flagship model of therapeutic residential care) and was the founding manager of both.
In this episode, Adela shares how she started in youth work, reading Summerhill by A.S Neill and feeling deeply inspired to one day work with young people. Adela studied an Associate Diploma in Social Welfare and then began working as a case planner in Child Protection. She explains the approach in her early career was around “good relationships” and” responding to children's emotions”, yet there was a lack of evidence or scientific understanding of what really worked. Adela's passion for seeing better outcomes for young people saw her take on big projects and managerial roles and staying in the field all these years.
Megan and Adela discuss how trauma-informed practice is effective when applied properly, yet can be misunderstood or lost in some systems. They talk about the importance of long-term relationships with those who have experienced complex trauma and ways in which the workforce needs to be trained and supported to ensure longevity is possible.
Connect with Adela on Linked In.
Adela mentions the book, The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog by Bruce Perry and Maia Szalavitz
Adela speaks about visiting Mulberry Bush School in the UK watching the documentary Hold me tight, let me go.
Host: Megan Corcoran, Wagtail Institute, https://wagtailinstitute.com/
Wagtail Institute empowers schools and complex settings to become trauma-informed wellbeing communities of practice where everyone can thrive. We work alongside leaders, educators, and practitioners to respond to wellbeing challenges, enhance trauma-informed practice, and navigate pathways to healing. If you would like to work with Megan, head to our website or send an email: [email protected]
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The episode is brought to you by our sponsor, Teachers' Well. You can learn more about their work or purchase a compass journal here: https://www.teacherswell.com/
Music by Kabbilistic Village https://kabbalisticvillage.com/