SELF Cultural Framework: Keeping Children in Foster Care Connected to Their Cultures in Australia

Kathy Karatasas, Founder and CEO of CulturalWorks and 2023 Churchill Fellow, will discuss her research on responding to the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse children in out-of-home care in Australia. For over four decades, Ms. Karatasas has been a strong advocate for improving outcomes for children by keeping them safe, connected to family, community and culture. Her educational background is in Social Work and Management and her experiences include direct service delivery and management services. She has been a leading advocate for all the 46,000 children in out-of-home care in Australia, including the 40% of First Nations children and those from diverse multi-cultural backgrounds, which data indicates is up to 30% of children in care. A discussion will follow on tools that help youth strengthen their cultural connections.