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DEIRDRE CHEERS
MPubAdmin MSW(Research) GradDip (Counselling) BSocStud (Honors)
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
CHAIRPERSON ACWA 2011 - current
The Association of Children's Welfare Agencies (ACWA) is the NSW peak body for non-government community service organizations delivering services to vulnerable children, young people and their families. With over 100 member agencies, core activities revolve around advocacy, policy development, research, consultation, member support, publications, training (including sector conferences and seminars), special projects, partnerships and sector development. ACWA also operates a learning and development division, the Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT), which is the largest non-government, not-for-profit training provider in NSW.As a Board member for 8 years including Deputy Chair 2010-2012 and Chair since 2012 I work closely with ACWA CEO and Deputy in addition to chairing Board and Board Executive meetings
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (CEO) CatholicCare Diocese of Broken Bay 2007 - current
CatholicCare is the professional community services agency of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Broken Bay, and a leading human services non-government organization (NGO) in NSW. With 500+ staff and volunteers, direct services are provided to almost 30,000 childrenand families each year in focused program areas which includeearly childhood education and care,family support and referral, intensive support for vulnerable families, domestic violence including court support, out-of-home care for at risk children and young people (foster care and residential care),family law,special homelessness services, health related support (including hospital chaplaincy),and all ages disability support and care. CatholicCare is in current partnership with Barnardos providing the NSW Health funded Family Referral Service for Northern Sydney, and is in particular a recognized NSW leader in provision of therapeutic residential care for disturbed adolescents.
Key Achievements in this current role include:
- Achievement of in excess of 150% growth in agency revenue over the 8 year period 2007-2015 (increase from $12M to $32M per annum) via targeted strategic planning for diversification of income streams
- Successful strategic restructuring in response to changing government funding forOOHC and also Disability Services,including moving the organization to a more sustainable and viable financial platform in a wide range of strengthened service areas
- Changed culture to enhance staff effectiveness and excellence in service delivery
- Effective leadership of a senior executive team comprising operations, corporate and finance, research and strategy, legal counsel, quality assurance and compliance, with associatedhigh level assessment and management of all aspects of business risk
- Development and maintenance of relevant partnerships and networks including government (executive and political/legislative), non-government, private and corporate (including philanthropic) and within the wider environment of the Catholic Church in Australia
- Invited participant 1st Royal Commission Round Table on Preventing Sexual Abuse in OOHC,as NGO expert representative
- Principal Author Truth Justice & Healing Submission Royal Commission Issues paper 4: Preventing Sexual Abuse of Children in OOHC
- Initiator (September 2014) of a comprehensive 2-day training program for 200+ participants from Catholic sector agencies on NSW child protection legislation, policy and practice reforms -Safe Home for Life
- Partner Investigator in the current Australian Research Council funded Australian Longitudinal Study of Outcomes for Forgotten Australians (LOFA) launched 18 February 2015 (Principal Investigator Dr Elizabeth Fernandez UNSW)
SENIOR EXECUTIVE Barnardos Australia 1994 - 2006
Reporting directly to the CEO Louise Voigt, during this 13 year period undertook the role of Acting CEO on numerous occasions, represented the agency in relation to child and family consultations and initiatives on a regular basis at NSW state government, Australian government, and international levels
Discrete positions and responsibilities during this period:
- Senior Manager South East Sydney (includes establishment of Redfern Indigenous programs and teams with funding successfully achieved from NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet)
- Senior Manager Research and Business Development
- Senior Manager Looking After Children (LAC) Project Australia
- Senior Manager South Coast Children's Family Centre
- Senior Manager Eastern and Southern Sydney
Directly responsible for introducing and adapting the UK Looking After Children (LAC) system to Australia commencing in 1999 and for the national roll-out of this award winning best practice case management system. This entailed close liaison with government and non-government agencies in all Australian States and Territories throughout the seven year period 2000-2006, and precipitated Barnardos subsequent and current position as a recognized provider of best practice case management systems for children and families including establishment of the Barnardos Practice Development Centre. Subsequent development of the LACES, eSCARF (Supporting Children and Responding to Families) and MyStory electronic case management systems is directly attributable to this initial research and development work.Primary liason throughout this project with UNSW research team
2003 coordination of the successful Barnardos bid for the Redfern-Waterloo Partnership Project Intensive Family Support Service established Barnardos first Aboriginal staff team. The subsequent assertive outreach connection to local Redfern-Waterloo agencies (including Aboriginal Women’s Centre Mudgingal) led directly to increased agency commitment to a strategic planning for active partnerships with Aboriginal agencies. This commitment lives on and has been strengthened over the subsequent ten year period such that Barnardos is now well recognized as one of the foremost NGO leaders in NSW in this crucial continuing area
MEMBERSHIPS & AWARDS
Member Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD)
Member Australian Association of Social Workers (MAASW)
Recipient Katherine O’Gilvie Award for postgraduate social work research University of Sydney 2004, facilitating Canadian and UK study of vulnerable (including Indigenous) children and families
Recipient NSW Premiers Department NGO Scholarship University ofSydney2009, Faculty of Economics and Business (Graduate School of Government)
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QUALIFICATIONS
Master of Public Administration 2011: University of Sydney, Graduate School of Government
Master of Social Work (Research) 2007: University of Sydney, Faculty of Education and Social Work
Research Thesis: Evidence Based Practice in Out-of-Home Care
Graduate Diploma in Counselling 1988:Charles Sturt University
Bachelor of Social Studies (Honours) 1980: University of Sydney,Faculty of Education and Social Work
PUBLICATIONS
Ainsworth, F. & Cheers, D. (2013). Commentary on Holmes, L. and Beecham, J.: Calculating costs accurately in therapeutic residential care; challenges for policy, research and practice. In Whittaker, J., Fernandez del Valle, J. & Holmes, L. ,Therapeutic residential care with children and youth identifying promising pathways to evidence-based international practice. Jessica Kingsley Publishers: London and Philadelphia.
Cheers, D., Fernandez, E., Morwitzer, J. & Tregeagle, S. (2011). Guided Practice in Australia: research, implementation, and child and family perspectives on Looking after Children and the Assessment Framework. In Kufeldt, K. & McKenzie, B. Child Welfare: Connecting Research, Policy and Practice (Second Edition). Wilfrid Laurier University Press: Canada.
Cheers, D. & Mondy, S. (2009). Enhancing placement stability via a continuum-of-care approach: Reflections from the Australian context. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, 4(2), 148-153.
Cheers, D. & Mondy, S. (2008). Enhancing placement stability via a continuum of care approach: reflections from the Australian context. Digest of Papers, Care Matters: Transforming Lives – Improving Outcomes. Incorporating the 8th International Looking After Children Conference. Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University UK.
Cheers, D., Kufeldt, K., Klein, R. & Rideout, S. (2007). Comparing Caring: preliminary findings of an international research project based on the use of the Looking after Children system in Canada and Australia. Children Australia, 32(2), 21-28.
Kufeldt, K., Cheers, D., Klein, R. & Rideout, S. (2007). Looking After Children in Government Care in Australia and Canada. Final Report to Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. University of New Brunswick: Muriel McQueen Fergusson Family Violence Research Centre; Barnardos Australia; Memorial University Newfoundland Canada.
Cheers, D. (2006). Evidence-Based Practice in Out-of-Home Care (MSW thesis). University of Sydney: Faculty of Education and Social Work.
Cheers, D. & Morwitzer, J. (2006). Promoting resilient outcomes in Australia with the Looking after Children Electronic System (LACES). In Flynn, R. J., Dudding, P. M. & Barber, J. G. Promoting resilience in child welfare. University of Ottawa Press: Canada.
Cheers, D. (2005). Review of Fostering Now: Messages from Research by Ian Sinclair (Jessica Kingsley: UK 2005). Developing practice. 14, 72-73.
Clark, K. & Cheers. D. (2005). Designing evaluations that fit with families-getting it right and getting results! Developing practice. 14, 30-37.
Cheers, D. (2005). Review of Healthy Care-Building an evidence base for promoting the health and well-being of looked after children and young people by Helen Chambers (National Children’s Bureau:UK 2002). Developing practice. 12, 73-75.
Cheers, D. (2002). Looking After Children (and their parents!) in Australia. Developing practice. 4, 54-59.
Cheers, D. (on behalf of Barnardos Staff). (2002).The UK Looking after Children System in Australia: Thoughts and Experiences of Barnardos Australia LAC Implementation.Barnardos Australia. Monograph
Cheers, D. (2001). The Looking after Children (LAC) case management system: what does it have to offer? Developing practice. 2, 39-40. (Summer 2001-2002).
Dixon*, D. (2001). Looking after Children in Barnardos Australia - managing children’s lives in out-of-home care. Children Australia, 26(3), 27-32.
Dixon*, D. (2001). Kinship care: support and assistance or scrutinizing families?Barnardos Australia.
Dixon*, D. (2001). Where are the children? The context of out-of-home care in NSW. Barnardos Australia.
Dixon*, D. (1999). Use of Looking after Children (LAC) Assessment and Action Records in case management for out-of-home care. Proceedings of Taking Children Seriously. National Workshop 12-13 July 1999, convened by the Childhood and Youth Policy Research Unit, University of Western Sydney Macarthur.
*previous surname
INVITED AND CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Invited Panel Speaker: Challenges and Opportunities facing the NSW child and family welfare sector,ACWANSW State Pre-Election Forum, February 2015
Invited Panel Speaker: Working with NGOs & DFaCS in Care & Protection Proceedings, NSW Legal Aid Care and Protection Conference, August 2014
Choices and Chances – Maximizing good outcomes in the NSW systemic reform environment for children and young people in out-of-home care, 13thAustralian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne Victoria, July-August 2014
Invited Keynote: How can we make a difference? Identifying gaps and opportunities to improve national policy and service provision for Australia’s families and children, Families Australia National Policy Forum, Sydney NSW, February 2014
Invited Keynote: Differential Placement Impact in a Systemic Reform Environment, A Systemic Approach to Admission to Care: Getting it right upfront for children - University of New South Wales Practice Symposium, Sydney NSW, March 2013
Invited Keynote: Social Inclusion and the Non-Government Sector, Social Work & Social Inclusion Conference, University of Newcastle, October 2009
Sharing Skills - Managing effectively: multidisciplinary challenges in child protection, NSW Ombudsman Symposium, Working Together: Advancing Child Protection in the Workplace, May 2009
Enhancing placement stability via a continuum of care approach - reflections from the Australian context, Care Matters: Transforming Lives - Improving Outcomes Conference (Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University), Keble College Oxford UK, July 2008
Invited Keynote: Social Work in the Non-Government Sector-current issues and opportunities, Australian Catholic University, February 2008
Comparing Caring - reporting outcomes for Australian and Canadian children and young people in care, 11th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect (ACCAN), Brisbane, November 2007
Invited Keynote: Changing Practice with Vulnerable Australian Children, ICS (Integrated Children’s System) International Conference, and London UK, March 2007
Looking After Children in the Looking Glass: matched sample issues Canada and Australia, NSW Association of Children's Welfare Agencies (ACWA) Conference, incorporating the 7th International Looking After Children Conference, Sydney, August 2006
Fostering international research relationships to assist children in care - a case example using Looking after Children in Canada and Australia, International Foster Care Organisation (IFCO) 14th Biennial Conference, Madison Wisconsin USA, August 2005
How do we know what works? Translating evidence into practice for social workers and managers working with foster children and youth in care, International Foster Care Organisation (IFCO) 14th Biennial Conference, Madison Wisconsin USA, August 2005
Looking After Children - a Trans Pacific partnership and research in action, 15th International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN), Brisbane, September 2004
The sky’s the limit……using Looking After Children in Australia to assist caseworkers enhance resilient outcomes for children in care via the use of new information technology, 6th International Looking After Children Conference, 5th National Child Welfare Symposium-Promoting Resilient Development in Children Receiving Care, Ottawa Canada, August 2004
When the issues aren’t simply black and white - lessons learned in working together to provide aboriginal family support, 6th International Looking after Children Conference, 5th National Child Welfare Symposium-Promoting Resilient Development in Children Receiving Care, Ottawa Canada, August 2004
The Rules of the Game and How to Play - successfully or not! Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) Biennial Conference, Sydney, August 2004
Looking after Children as an integrated service system: a case example of non-government agency innovation resulting in whole of service system improvement, 9th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse & Neglect, Sydney, 2003
Invited Keynote: The Looking After Children case management system - integrating casework and placement support, Peakcare Queensland Biennial Practice Symposium, Brisbane, October 2003
Achieving stability in treatment foster care: permanency and stability as treatment plans for children and young people in out-of-home care, Child and Family Welfare Association of Australia (CAFWAA) Practice Symposium, ACT, 2003
Invited Keynote: Children in Care and Out: Australian systems for children who cannot live at home, St. Thomas University: Centre for Research on Youth at Risk and University of New Brunswick: Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research, Canada, March 2003
Invited Keynote: Looking After Children in Australia: out-of-home care and the LAC System in Australian States and Territories, University of New Brunswick: Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research, Canada, March 2003
What’s in a name? What out-of-home care managers think ‘evidence-based practice’ really means, Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) Biennial Conference, August 2002
Looking After Children World Wide (co-written paper presented by Dr Kathleen Kufeldt University of New Brunswick Canada), 14th International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) Denver USA, July 2002
Looking After Children - it’s your job already, so what’s the difference with using Looking after Children? National Foster Care Conference Homebush Bay NSW, May 2002
Evidence-based Practice in Out-of-Home Care - presenting new solutions or resurrecting age old dilemmas, 8th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse & Neglect, Melbourne, 2001
Guided Practice in Social Work Intervention - opportunity for improved outcomes or oppressive agent of the welfare state? 27th Australian Association of Social Workers National Conference, Melbourne, 2001
Invited Keynote: Pitfalls, Not Just Positives in using the Looking After Children system, National Forum on Quality Improvement in Out-of-Home Care, UNSW 2001
Together in Looking After Children - partnerships in care, 11th Biennial International Foster Care Organisation (IFCO) Conference, Melbourne, 1999
What makes it residential? Barnardos Stansfield House Program, Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) Biennial Conference, Sydney, 1998