All of Me; Frame of Reference
Rosie’s Place has developed the All of Me; Frame of Reference as part of its work with children and young people.™ The Frame of Reference is based on four concepts that encompass the critical rights of children and young people.
Although graphically separated and described individually, the four elements of this Frame of Reference are entwined, complement one another, and overlap. This will be evident in their descriptions, but the purpose is not to blur definitional boundaries. Instead, they should be woven together as a single relational entity.
Safeguarding the rights of children and young people relies on the adults around them to recognise them, listen to them, connect with them, and uphold their dignity. This signifies the coexistence of rights and responses, the reciprocal alliance that needs to occur among children, young people, and adults collectively to ensure that their lived experiences foster safety and well-being.
Rosie’s Place adheres to a strong advocacy model, recognising that families under stress who are then further burdened with experiences of violence and abuse require ongoing support to navigate the different system responses they may experience (child protection, police, legal, as well as housing, financial, medical and therapeutic support).
At all times in our work, we must continue to make visible all forms of violence, both interpersonal and systemic, and continue to advocate and find ways for the voices of our clients, from children to our elders, to be ‘SEEN, KNOWN, STAYED WITH and ACCEPTED’.
Actions that result in children and young people feeling disregarded and disrespected diminish their feelings of who they are, what they believe, and how they deserve to be treated.
Many children and young people may not receive the responses they deserve from adults. They do not always have all the people, institutions, and services to convey appropriate messages. However, they can and often scavenge through the debris and find people and places that acknowledge their worth. Some people will advocate for restoring their rights when they are violated or removed from them.
The All of Me Frame of Reference can be used as a tool when working with and supporting children and young people impacted by violence and abuse. It ensures the child or young person is seen as separate from what they have experienced or been harmed by.