Unity Foundation - Youth Policy

It is our philosophy to contribute to holistic care for children and young people through a co-operative approach. We aim to improve outcomes for children and young people, by focusing on research and evaluation. We are committed to collaborative practice. Unity Foundation staff always consider the best interest of the young person when supporting children, young people and their families. We recognise the effect abuse, disrupted relationships with caregivers and trauma can have on children and young people, and it is our aim to minimise these effects and to improve quality of life.

Unity Foundation staff listen to, and respect, what children and young people have to say.    We focus on a young people's needs, we attempt to view the world from their perspective, and we respect children and young people.   Unity Foundation acknowledges and believes that children and young people are the primary client.  Children and young people are seen as individual people as well as a member of a class, group or family. Our child and young person centred focus is designed to increase the chance of effecting change for children and young people. It is our belief that person has the right to move safely through childhood and to grow in health and safety free from intimidation, degradation, neglect, abuse and violence. The children and young people's needs and welfare are the primary concern and focus of Unity Foundation.

Unity Foundation aims to ensure that the focus of practice intervention is clear and is focused on the child and young people's needs, thus ensuring that the intervention is child and young people driven rather than theoretically driven. We aim to ensure that services are relevant to children and young people, are accessible to children and young people and are child and young person friendly in focus.

At Unity Foundation, a child and young people's needs and strengths are assessed thoroughly with a particular emphasis on the child/young people's own perceptions and expression of his/her needs and strengths. The effectiveness of interventions are examined in terms of the consequences for the child/young person. Outcomes are reviewed in light of the consequences for the child/young person. What is seen as a positive outcome for professionals, parents, family or the State does not necessarily imply a positive outcome for the child/young person.

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What do we offer?

• Life Skills programmes
• Leadership programmes
• Homelessness programmes
• Social and emotional wellbeing  for children/young persons and their non-offending family members 
• Cultural consultancy to non-indigenous organisations. 

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Unity Foundation Staff…

• shape and examine professional knowledge and practice in terms of their potential for furthering the best interest of the individual child/young person and of children/young people generally
• examine the impact of professional practice and knowledge on the lives of children/young people generally and on the individual children/young peoplewho are the subjects of specific intervention
• make explicit the ideological and ethical basis on which decisions regarding children are based 

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Our Clinical staff have been involved in… 

• Accepting that their belief systems, both professional and personal, impacts significantly on their work.
• Exploring and clarifying their current beliefs about children, where and how we have developed these beliefs and what have been the main influences on these beliefs. 
• Exploring and clarifying their own experiences of childhood. 
• Exploring and clarifying their own experiences of being parents. 
• Exploring and clarifying the societal, cultural and organisational belief system in which they work.  

Reference: Gilligan, P., Extract from Journal of Child Centred Practice, (1994), Vol1, No.2, The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, pp 119-124.

For more information contact Peter King (CEO) at peterk@unityfoundation.org.au