Our purpose is to:

• Share knowledge and experiences across disciplines.
• Build strong, respectful relationships that support collaboration.
• Value and support staff and carers so they feel recognised and empowered.
• Promote robust recruitment and retention of carers
• Advocate for systemic change that leads to better outcomes for children, families, and service users.
• Champion ethical and trauma-informed practice across all areas of the system.
• Support Frontline Social Work and Social Care Staff to promote staff retention and job satisfaction

The Caring Across the System Initiative will develop projects and action groups that embody these values. The first of these will be:

• The RESPECT Project
• The Staff Wellbeing Forum,
• Caring for Carers Together Initiative
• The Advocacy Collective.
• Working Toward a Kinder Court System
• The Knowledge Exchange
• The Participation Programme

1. The RESPECT Project

Purpose

The RESPECT Project is an initiative of the Caring Across the System Initiative. It invites organisations and professionals across the care sector to commit to embedding respect, kindness, and trauma-informed practice into everyday work.

Organisational Commitment

• Organisations are invited to sign up to The RESPECT Project.
• Each organisation agrees to adopt the RESPECT values:

R – Relationship-focused
E – Ethical practice
S – Sharing knowledge and experiences
P – Professionalism
E – Empathy
C – Collaboration
T – Transformation

• Signing up means becoming part of a wider movement to strengthen care practice and systemic culture.

Culture Change in Action

By signing up, organisations show that they:
• Value their staff and carers.
• Are committed to trauma-informed, ethical practice.
• Place relationships and empathy at the heart of their work.
• Want to be part of a collective effort to transform the care system for children, families, and service users.

✨ The RESPECT Project is both a badge of commitment and a practical tool. It helps organisations embed values of respect and kindness into everyday meetings and practice, building a culture of care across the system.

2. The Staff Wellbeing Forum

This forum will provide a dedicated space for staff working in the care system to support one another's emotional and physical well-being. Monthly sessions will be offered, led voluntarily by professionals who can share practices such as mindfulness, breathwork, or creative expression. The focus is on fostering resilience, connection, and mutual care. The first of these will take place on 30th October from 9-10am.

3. Caring for Carers Together Initiative

This subgroup will unite voices from across fostering, including representatives from the Irish Foster Care Association, independent fostering agencies, and Tusla fostering management. The focus will be on improving support for foster carers, strengthening recruitment and retention, and enhancing placement stability through systemic collaboration and trauma-informed approaches.

4. The Advocacy Collective

This subgroup will focus on engaging with policymakers, government departments, media and public bodies to advocate for ethical, trauma-informed policies and systemic change across the care system. Activities may include drafting policy proposals, writing open letters, and representing the initiative in consultations and forums.

5. Working Towards a Kinder Court System

This subgroup will bring together stakeholders from legal, social work, and advocacy backgrounds to explore how the court system can be made more child- centered and trauma-informed. The group will identify barriers to compassionate practice within court proceedings and propose ways to introduce greater kindness, understanding and cooperation into the process.

6. The Knowledge Exchange

The Knowledge Exchange is a space for professionals across the system to share practice wisdom, research, and lived experiences. Its aim is to strengthen collective learning and to build a culture where knowledge flows freely between disciplines, services, and roles.

Focus Areas

• Creating opportunities for professionals to share experiences of what works in practice.
• Building bridges between research evidence, professional expertise, and lived experience.
• Hosting forums, workshops, and reflective spaces where ideas and challenges can be openly discussed.
• Developing practical resources, toolkits, or guides that capture shared learning.
• Supporting a culture of continuous professional development that is grounded in real-world practice and collaboration.

7. Participation Programme

This subgroup focuses on promoting participation with the initiative from all areas of the child protection/ child welfare system and among professionals and carers of all levels of experience.

How to Get Involved

The Caring Across the System Initiative meets as a wider group regularly online and invite all professionals and organisations involved in the sector to volunteer to participate in one or two of these subgroups.

Please email info@catsi.ie to be added to the mailing list or to join a group.