Finding places where parents can be reunited with their children and demonstrate they are good parents is a challenge that local charity Caspa’s chief executive Naarah Rodwell has taken on gladly.

Recently, Naarah was excited to announce the opening of Alaia’s Place - a new therapeutic accommodation place for families working towards restoration.

Read more news: Lismore businesses called to get flood ready with a $25K grant

The North Lismore house is a family home - with bedrooms, a kitchen and a family contact room for groups. Here, family support workers trained in developmental trauma support positive and therapeutic contact between children and families.

It is the first of its kind in this region and Naarah said it was due to the good will of the property owner who offered their home for the organisation to rent.

“We are a charity doing grass roots, high needs work with children and families and our work is often hidden away in the background,” she said.

“When the owner of this property approached us and said we love what you do, please use this house, it was amazing and we hope it happens more and more as people hear how important our work is.”

Naarah said the house provides a natural, relaxed environment where parents who are working toward getting their children back from foster care can show the justice system that they are developing parenting skills and are ready to look after their children again.

“By providing a home like environment, we allow parents to showcase their parenting skills in a realistic setting,” she said. “At Alaia’s Place, parents can work at maintaining a routine for young children, cook a meal together, relax and watch a movie.

Traumatic time

“Families have a time limited stay here – maybe a night or a weekend,” she said.

“These parents work really hard to get their children back.

“It’s such a traumatic rime to have the child removed and those parents are often suffering from all sorts of disadvantages - homelessness, addiction and domestic violence.

“Some parents have to travel up here where their children are in care. They might have to do an overnight stay here on the weekend.

“So, this is an environment where the parents can come and put into practice the parenting techniques they have been learning - and we can evidence this back to the court that they gave been able to do it.

Read about Naarah Rodwell: SUNDAY PROFILE: CASPA chief executive Naarah Rodwell

“Before, they would have stayed in a motel and that can be difficult for them in trying to facilitate time with their child. Here, they are in a community setting, not being watched by other people in a playground or a hotel.

“They get to put their children to bed - it’s a natural, hands on way of being with their children and we see that.

“They will experience challenges in parenting their children, but the beauty of this model of restoration is that our staff are trained to support them through those challenges.

“We can evidence strengths and identify gaps where further support is needed and this results in a faster and safer reunification.

“A mother recently in the final stages of restoration stayed for a week. She was finally able to put parenting into practice in an environment where she was in control of the process and she loved it.”

Demand

Naarah said Caspa’s goal is to get children back home to their parents.

“That is where they belong, where they will thrive,’ she said. “The number of children in care in catastrophically high, but our goal is to help as many families as we can.

“Demand is getting bigger because we are pushing harder to get those children home with their families.

Evidence

“It’s hard for parents with a child in care – they do parenting courses and work on themselves, but to be able to evidence they have changed is difficult. So, our staff report on observations that align with how the court assesses progress.”

Caspa now has 27 properties in total – including in Coffs Harbour and they are now expanding into the Northern Territory after winning a contract for intensive therapeutic residential care.

“We constantly put the child at the centre and we push boundaries - if it’s difficult to make it happen, we always find a way.”

To find out more about Caspa, visit https://www.caspa.asn.au/