Berry Street and Yooralla have merged! These are two of Australia’s longest-serving and most respected social service providers.

So many people living with disability are also experiencing the effects of trauma. So the union is historic and necessary when you consider just two of the many statistics that ring alarm bells.

• At least 50% of young people coming into out-of-home care have a visible or unseen disability

• Women with a disability are more likely to be impacted by family violence, typically experience more severe forms of violence and face greater barriers to accessing support.

Host Richelle Hunt is talking to the newly named CEO of Berry Street Yooralla, Terry Symonds, and Deputy CEO Jenny McNaughton, who we spoke to in episode one.

This really is a full circle episode because it demonstrates Berry’s Street’s hard work, innovation and commitment to openly discussing the needs of children and families facing harm and family violence, but also taking steps to make change, and being willing to make significant change.

It’s an obvious union when you consider that at least 50% of young people coming into out-of-home care have a visible or unseen disability. Women with a disability are more likely to be impacted by family violence, experience more severe forms of violence and face greater barriers to accessing support to better meet a range of intersecting needs.

KEY STATISTICS

• At least 50% of young people coming into out-of-home care have a visible or unseen disability

• Children in out of home care with a disability are amongst the most vulnerable populations in Australia. As at 30 June 2023 45,300 children were in out-of-home care in Australia. Disability status was known for 72% (32,500) of children in care, of whom 21% (9,700) had a disability. Many more have undiagnosed disability.

• 26% of adults with a disability are victims of intimate partner violence.

• Women with a disability are more likely to be impacted by family violence, typically experience more severe forms of violence and face greater barriers to accessing support.

Stories from Berry Street is produced for Berry Street by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Children exposed to early trauma - such as abuse or family violence - are 3.6 times more likely to have a mental health or substance use disorder, and are up to 7 times more likely to have both, compared to those without trauma.*

The impact on the formative years and development of these children can be profound, and it takes relationships with safe, predictable carers and ongoing therapy to help them recover.

Berry Street provides this through Take Two, its therapeutic service for children. To learn about the incredible work being done to help kids heal, join podcast host Richelle Hunt as she talks to the Director of Take Two, Dr Allison Cox, and Clinical Team Leader at Take Two, Bodhi Priti.

*University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health - Revealing the hidden epidemic of child and adolescent trauma in Australia.

Stories from Berry Street is produced for Berry Street by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Education is key to breaking the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage, and every young person should be able to access education that meets their needs.

Across Australia, we are seeing an increase in school refusal and the number of children disengaged from mainstream education.

Berry Street isn’t often thought of as an education provider. Still, as one of their core service offerings, they take education incredibly seriously and are always investing in new and innovative programs to meet young people where they’re at.

In this episode, Podcast Host Richelle Hunt talks to Tom Brunzell, Director of Education at Berry Street. He manages trauma-informed education through the Berry Street School, an independent specialist secondary school, and the Berry Street Education Model.

Richelle also meets Louise Childs, Lead Teacher at the Berry Street School. She provides great insight into how different the Berry Street School operates compared to mainstream schools, and what they’re learning from this model.

Stories from Berry Street is produced for Berry Street by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.