Event Details

Join FCAV for this Therapeutic Group exploring grief & loss and carer self-care & wellbeing.

This Therapeutic Group is for Accredited Foster Carers, Statutory Kinship Carers and Permament Carers.

It will run over four weekly sessions.  These 2 hr sessions are held ONLINE via Zoom.  It is encouraged that you attend all four sessions.

Disenfranchised grief, also known as hidden grief or sorrow, refers to any grief that goes unacknowledged or unvalidated. This is often the experience of carers who have invited children into their hearts and homes and often when children are reunified with birth parents, transitioned to other placements, or removed suddenly, it leaves carers with feelings of deep sadness, loss and isolation.

Each weekly session will explore a theme and provide an opportunity for discussion and allow carers to explore grief and loss within the safety of a group environment while connecting with other carers with shared lived experiences.  Each session will also delve into carer self-care and wellbeing.

Session 1: What is disenfranchised grief?

• What is disenfranchised grief?
• Explore disenfranchised grief within the context of carers
• Identifying what grief and loss ‘looks like’ in the context of out of home care e.g.placement termination, loss of parenting role, sudden removal (CIMS)
• Exploring Mindfulness/Mindfulness practice

Session 2: Personal impact on wellbeing

• Explore the personal impact on wellbeing e.g. what it ‘feels like’; anxiety & mental health
• Explore the systems response
• Mindfulness practice

Session 3: Navigating the challenges/hurdles

• Navigating the challenges/hurdles
• Strategies for coping
• Mindfulness practice

Session 4: Looking forward & self-care

• Explore hopefulness/reframing/new stories
• Self care – what does this mean?
• Mindfulness practice

FCAV Group Facilitators:

Tonya Bavaro has extensive experience in delivering therapeutic counselling and has significant working knowledge and expertise of issues impacting the out of home care sector. Tonya is currently the FCAV’s CAP counsellor and has been instrumental in the programs, design, development and delivery. Tonya will continue to coordinate CAP’s therapeutic support to carers in 2022, as the service extends its offerings to Permanent Carers.

Tessa Hughes, FCAV’s CISS Manager and former meditation teacher ran a Mediation business for 5 years offering a variety of opportunities in a range of settings including schools, hospitals, and corporate organisation prior to coming to lead the support team at FCAV. Tessa has experience working for DHHS and the non-government sector for over 20 years prior to joining the FCAV team.

Please ignore the date noted in the registration calendar.  We do not currently have any session dates scheduled but you can register your Expression of Interest and wil be notifed when a Group is scheduled.

As this is an online group, both Metro and Regional Carers are encouraged to attend.  

Please note that Carer KaFÉ can cover the cost of babysitting while you attend a Carer KaFÉ training session.  You need to organise for an approved babysitter via your agency.  This needs to be organised and approved by Carer KaFÉ at least one week prior to the training session.

* This Group is for Accredited Foster Carers only.  We are planning on running a group for Stautory Kinship Carers & Permanent Carers at a later date.  If you would like to register your interest for this please email us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Presented by: Foster Care Association of Victoria