July 2004

From Professor Ewan Anderson,
President of FICE-England and Wales / Caring for Children

AUSTRALIA
July 2004

In Australia, boarding and residential education and care is in an initial stage of organisation. Practice appears very good and thoughtful and staff are dealing successfully with several unique problems. Most important, there is an opportunity to bring all the strands of boarding and residence together so that the transfer of practice, research and even personnel can be effectively managed.

Having just returned from Australia where I conducted symposia for Bernie Dean at Rostrevor College (Adelaide) and for Bjorn Christie Johnson at Kormilda College (Darwin), I can vouch for the enthusiasm of staff. It is important that good practice developed in Australia can be considered by UK practitioners.

However, one subject of particular interest which exercises staff, is the residential education of Aboriginal young people. At present most in the Northern Territory gravitate to the Darwin region where they attend schools with boarding, such as Kormilda. There, they are integrated with other Australians. The latest idea is that there should be residential schools nearer their home areas and a visit was made to the first of these, an establishment for forty-eight Aboriginal young people in four house units. The effectiveness of this school is being evaluated. The fundamental goal is to balance the need for specialised education and the ability to operate in the world of modern Australia against the importance of retaining Aboriginal culture.

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Ewan Anderson (MA, MA, PhD, MEd, PhD, DPhil. Emeritus Professor University of Durham, Honorary Professor Social Work Research and Development Unit, University of York) a former housemaster and resident tutor, holds a doctorate in residential education and established the PGCE boarding/residential education courses at the universities of Newcastle and Durham. He has been on most of the government and non-governmental organisation committees concerned with residential child care over the past 15 years, including the Wagner Development Group and the Department of Health's Advisory Group on Caring for Children Away from Home. He is a Fellow of Dartington and a member of the Residential Forum and the Boarding Schools Association. Professor Anderson is a member of the National Standards Committees for Boarding Schools, Children's Homes, the Custodial Care sector and of the TOPSS (Training Organisation for Personal Social Services) Steering Group for National Occupational Standards for Registered Managers in Residential Child Care.

Two little children, a boy and a girl, walked hand-in-hand to a neighbour's house. The little girl stood on her tiptoes and was just able to reach the doorbell. Then, an elderly lady greeted them at the front door.

"Good morning, children," she said. "What can I do for you?"

"We're playing house," the little girl answered. "This is my husband and I'm his wife. Can we come in?"

Thoroughly enchanted by the scene confronting her, the elderly lady replied, "By all means, do come in."

Once inside, she offered the children lemonade and cookies, which they graciously accepted.

When a second tall glass of lemonade was offered, the little girl remarked, "No thank you. We have to go now. My husband just wet his pants."