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Broadway star files for divorce amid Hugh Jackman rumour

<p>Broadway star Sutton Foster has filed for divorce from her screenwriter husband, Ted Griffin, after ten years of marriage. </p> <p>The 49-year-old actress filed for uncontested divorce in New York County Supreme Court on Tuesday, according to <em>Page Six</em>. </p> <p>The pair got married in Santa Barbara in 2014, and adopted their daughter Emily three years later. </p> <p>Page Six reports that rumours about Foster's marriage being on the rocks began circulating in Broadway circles when she starred in The Music Man alongside Hugh Jackman. They also said that multiple sources have claimed the pair have fallen in love. </p> <p>“They are 100 per cent together and are in love and want to spend the rest of their lives together,” a source previously told <em>Page Six</em>.</p> <p>The publication claims that their relationship is going strong, but they have been staying out of the public eye and keeping it under wraps. </p> <p>“They are still together,” a source told <em>Page Six</em>. </p> <p>“They go out of their way to hide it, but it’s common knowledge.”</p> <p>Jackman filed for divorce from Deborra-Lee Furness, after 27 years of marriage, in September 2023. </p> <p>Furness and Jackman released a joint statement at the time, saying: “We have been blessed to share almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage. Our journey now is shifting, and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth.”</p> <p>Neither Jackman or Foster have commented on the reports. </p> <p><em>Image: Lev Radin/Pacific Press/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Relationships

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"Police have done nothing": William Tyrrell's foster mother speaks out

<p>William Tyrrell's foster mother has issued a rare statement, slamming the police investigation into the disappearance of the toddler. </p> <p>In her first public comments in two years, the woman - who cannot be identified - has been insistent on denying any involvement in William's disappearance despite being at the centre of a dedicated Strike Force team.</p> <p>She claimed police had “gone to great lengths to blacken my character in the media” as they built a case against her, since she was publicly outed as the current person of interest for Strike Force Rosann detectives in 2021.</p> <p>As <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/done-nothing-william-tyrrells-foster-mother-issues-statement/news-story/0503f8940a3bad2bb2648c38bc44e288" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a> continue their investigative podcast into William's disappearance and the subsequent investigation, the foster mother has slammed the authorities for the way they have handled the high-profile case. </p> <p>She said, “I believe that if the police had properly investigated this case, instead of persecuting me, they may well have found the person responsible for William’s disappearance.”</p> <p>She went on to reiterate she believes the three-year-old was taken from her mother’s yard in Kendall in September of 2014 and that she has “no idea who took William, or what happened to him”.</p> <p>“For the past five years, the police have done nothing to try to discover who took William, and what has happened to him," she said.</p> <p>“Instead, they have concentrated all their efforts on trying to build a case that I was in some way to blame for his death, and the disposal of his precious little body."</p> <p>“They have gone to great lengths to blacken my character in the media.”</p> <p>She went on to say she loved William “as much as any mother could love her child … if not more”.</p> <p>She said, “It did not matter one bit that he was not connected to us biologically. William made my life complete; I loved him fiercely. I just loved being his ‘mummy’.”</p> <p>“Never ever for a moment did I regret becoming a foster mother”, she said, adding the family was “and still are … connected as one”.</p> <p>“It’s challenging to have hope and build plans for the future when our hearts remain shattered and in pieces,” she said. “All I can hope for is that some person who knows something comes forward.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: NSW Police</em></p>

Legal

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Why we need to stop being so judgemental – and the 4 steps to do it

<p>As a society, we've become increasingly judgmental. We tend to judge not only others but ourselves as well. From a person's physical appearance to their actions, we criticise and judge everything. Everyone is too fat, too thin, too old, or too young, creating an environment where nothing seems to be good enough. This constant pattern of judgment is now harming our mental, emotional, and physical well-being.</p> <p>When we judge, we compare ourselves to others, leaving us emotionally vulnerable. Through this judgement, we seek to establish a sense of security and control over our lives and surroundings, often without even realising it. However, by increasing our emotional resilience and sense of control, we become consciously aware of this behaviour and can take steps to change it. So, is it possible to become less judgemental? </p> <p>As an educator and researcher, I developed an Emotional Resilience language (ER). It introduces simple changes that can reduce judgment, foster empathy, compassion, and personal responsibility, and bolster emotional intelligence and resilience when integrated into everyday life. Using a driving metaphor, ER simplifies the intricate world of emotions, providing an innovative way to integrate emotional vocabulary into daily life. It enhances understanding and establishes new neural pathways and healthier thought patterns.</p> <p>The following outlines the initial steps of ER, which can effectively manage judgement towards yourself and others. Though the changes may appear simplistic, they are instrumental in establishing lasting transformation.</p> <p><strong>1. Removing judgement towards how you or others may feel:</strong> Instead of labelling emotions as good or bad, view them as rough or smooth emotional roads. Just as roads serve different purposes, so do emotions. Rough emotions build resilience, while smooth emotions promote well-being, removing the need to lift everyone off a rough road. This makes it easier to recognise and accept emotions without feeling like a failure when things aren't going smoothly. You don’t know why someone is on a rough road, so resist the temptation to judge them.</p> <p><strong>2: The metaphorical steering wheel</strong> in ER represents emotional control and the power of choice in navigating life's challenges. As in a car, you should be the only one controlling your emotional steering wheel. Rather than judging yourself and others, this logical approach empowers you to regain control over your focus, emotions, and destination. Just because someone else is on a rough road doesn’t mean you must join them, fostering resilience and responsibility. </p> <p><strong>3. Shifting judgement and blame to responsibility</strong> involves removing phrases such as "You are making me angry, " which inadvertently hands your emotional steering wheel to others. Replace it with, "I am choosing to feel angry in response to this situation." This subtle alteration, substituting "making" with "choosing," helps reclaim ownership of your steering wheel rather than relinquishing control to external factors. Assigning blame—"It's your fault, it's the government's fault, it's my partner’s fault"— leaves you feeling like a victim, and you then resort to judgement and retaliation to regain control. </p> <p><strong>4. The importance of taking control:</strong> Understanding that judgement cannot be contained nor emotional resilience built when you are out of control on either road is crucial. Out-of-control scenarios activate the amygdala, the brain's fight, flight or freeze mode, disabling the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for thinking and creativity. It is only possible to discuss a situation once the involved parties have regained control and can access the thinking part of their brain. Therefore, regaining control is essential for reducing judgement, as then you can have productive discussions that help maintain emotional well-being. This includes your conversations with yourself, which can often be the harshest!</p> <p>ER helps reduce judgement by developing your emotional resilience. Awareness of the emotional state of yourself and others fosters emotional intelligence, while learning to regain control builds resilience. Recognising that navigating rough emotions is crucial for growth alleviates the pressure from always needing to be on a smooth road and judging yourself and others if they aren’t. It shifts focus from dwelling on challenges and comparing yourself to others to being able to understand and manage your responses. Incorporating language changes into daily life builds new neural pathways, creating new thought patterns that reduce judgment and blame. </p> <p>By avoiding the tendency to judge yourself or others, you take back control of your reactions to people and circumstances. This leads to better mental and emotional well-being and fosters positive relationships with yourself and others. Does this mean you will never judge again? Of course not. You’re human. It’s what you do with the judgment that can make all the difference. </p> <p><strong>Dr Jane Foster is a leading educator, researcher, presenter and author of <em>It’s In Your Hands; Your Steering Wheel, Your Choice</em>. Combining her educational skills with neuroscience and positive psychology, Jane equips people with strategies to help build emotional resilience and manage their daily stresses, successfully changing perspective and creating new neural pathways. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.emotionalresiliencetraining.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.emotionalresiliencetraining.com.au</a></strong></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Mind

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Update on Hamish and Zoe Foster Blake's terrifying break-in

<p>Hamish and Zoe Foster Blake have revealed details of the terrifying break-in at their rental home in Woollahra, while the couple and their two children, Rudy and Sonny, slept. </p> <p>The thief, identified as Daniel Booth, broke into the couple's  four-bedroom home in December 2021 and stole the keys to their Land Rover and Zoe's bag which contained the keys to her Tesla, $1000 in cash, and her designer wallet. </p> <p>Booth was arrested hours later, with the help of a tracking device installed in the stolen Land Rover, and faced  Sydney Downing Centre District Court on Tuesday. </p> <p>He pleaded guilty to a raft of charges related to a crime spree which occurred at the time, including a few other stolen vehicles and bags. </p> <p>Booth also admitted to groping a female Corrective Services officer while in custody before telling her: "Sorry miss."</p> <p>In 2018, Booth was serving a jail sentence for robbery with a serious weapon, and was released on parole in late 2021 before committing his Sydney-wide crime spree only weeks later, before getting arrested again after stealing from the Blakes. </p> <p>Crown prosecutor Maeve Curry revealed that the thief has been complaining of "paranoia and delusional thoughts" over the past 18 months, so the sentencing judge would have to balance "the community's interest in protection and also in punishment being imposed' against the difficulty of 'his personal circumstances'."</p> <p>Judge Donna Woodburne will sentence Booth in February 2024.</p> <p>He will remain behind bars until he returns to court. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Legal

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William Tyrrell's foster mother pleads guilty to assault

<p>William Tyrrell's foster mother has been found guilty of assaulting a child. </p> <p>The 58-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in Parramatta’s Local Court on Monday morning alongside her husband. </p> <p>She entered guilty pleas to two counts of common assault relating to a child, who is not William. </p> <p>Despite her plea, she plans to fight the charges after also pleading not guilty to two counts of intimidation. </p> <p>Her husband, 56, has pleaded not guilty to one count of common assault and one count of intimidation.</p> <p>The court heard details of the incidents that took place between January and August 2021, with the foster mother previously trying to have the charges in question withdrawn on mental health grounds. </p> <p>The couple will face a contested hearing before Magistrate Susan McIntyre, with the hearing expected to last five days.</p> <p>William was only three years old when he vanished from his foster grandmother’s house at Kendall on the NSW mid North Coast on September 12th 2014.</p> <p>The case attracted national attention and has become one of the state’s most notable cold cases.</p> <p>No one has been charged over William’s disappearance and suspected death, and his foster parents have continued to deny any wrongdoing.</p> <p><em>Image credits: NSW Police</em></p> <div class="media image" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 24px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 705.202209px;"> </div>

Legal

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Socceroos legend slams Prince William's "patronising" Matildas remark

<p>Craig Foster has slammed Prince William's "patronising pat on the head" for the Matildas after their defeat in the England v. Australia Women's World Cup semi-finals. </p> <p>Foster, a Socceroos legend and staunch supporter of Australia becoming a republic, reacted angrily to Prince William’s attempt to congratulate the Matildas in the wake of their 3-1 defeat against the Lionesses.</p> <p>Shortly after the game, Prince William sent a message to both teams.</p> <p>“What a phenomenal performance from the Lionesses — on to the final!” William wrote to the official Prince and Princess of Wales Twitter account after the tense semi-final came to a close.</p> <p>“Commiserations to the Matildas, you’ve played brilliantly and been fantastic co-hosts of this World Cup. W”</p> <p>King Charles also chimed in on the messages of support, and was full of praise for both teams.</p> <p>“My wife and I join all our family in sending the mighty Lionesses our warmest congratulations on reaching the final of the World Cup, and in sharing our very best wishes for Sunday’s match,” he said.</p> <p>“While your victory may have cost the magnificent Matildas their chance for the greatest prize in the game, both teams have been an inspiration on and off the pitch – and, for that, both nations are united in pride, admiration and respect.” </p> <p>But Foster, who is the co-chair of the Australian Republican Movement, saw through the royal family's messages and didn't want to hear their condescending messages of support and praise. </p> <p>“You’ve been proudly supporting England all tournament. Not a word for Australia. Not that we expect it. We prefer the honesty. Without the patronising pat on the head in defeat,” Foster tweeted.</p> <p>“Support the Lionesses &amp; let us get on with our business, mate.”</p> <p>Foster's message welcomed a mixed reaction, with many agreeing with his sentiment and reinforcing the notion of Australia becoming a republic, while others thought it was obvious that William would be barracking for England, as he is president of Britain’s Football Association.</p> <p>One person simply added to Craig's tweet saying, "What a weird take on a quite gracious sentiment."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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Police recommend charges against William Tyrrell's foster mother

<p>Detectives believe they have gathered enough evidence to bring charges against William Tyrrell's foster mother after his disappearance nine years ago. </p> <p>Reports from 9News shared that detectives handed a brief to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) earlier this month with evidence against William's foster mother, who cannot be named, recommending she be charged with perverting the course of justice and interfering with a corpse.</p> <p>Police have ben investigating the potential cause of William's disappearance in 2014, with allegations there was a deadly accident at their family home in Kendall on the NSW Mid North Coast, and the then-three-year-old's body was disposed of by his foster mother.</p> <p>The 58-year-old has long denied any involvement with William's disappearance. </p> <p>It now remains up to the DPP to give advice on whether the woman should go before a court, with any charges beginning a lengthy legal process. </p> <p>A judge or jury would then need to decide whether the evidence was sufficient to prove any charges.</p> <p>William Tyrrell was last seen alive at his foster family's home in Kendall in September 2014, with last Tuesday marking what would've been his 12th birthday. </p> <p>Since his disappearance, there have been many theories over the past nine years with suspects targeted then cleared, and an inquest put on hold.</p> <p>A new team of homicide detectives reviewed the case in 2020, but found no new evidence or remains. </p> <p>Since then, police have quietly been building evidence in support of allegations that William's foster mother covered up his accidental death and disposed of his body.</p> <p>The potential charges include perverting the course of justice and interfering with a corpse, with the latter charge carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years behind bars.</p> <p><em>Image credits: NSW Police</em></p>

News

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ChatGPT and other generative AI could foster science denial and misunderstanding – here’s how you can be on alert

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gale-sinatra-1234776">Gale Sinatra</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-california-1265">University of Southern California</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/barbara-k-hofer-1231530">Barbara K. Hofer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/middlebury-1247">Middlebury</a></em></p> <p>Until very recently, if you wanted to know more about a controversial scientific topic – stem cell research, the safety of nuclear energy, climate change – you probably did a Google search. Presented with multiple sources, you chose what to read, selecting which sites or authorities to trust.</p> <p>Now you have another option: You can pose your question to ChatGPT or another generative artificial intelligence platform and quickly receive a succinct response in paragraph form.</p> <p>ChatGPT does not search the internet the way Google does. Instead, it generates responses to queries by <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/05/07/ai-beginners-guide/">predicting likely word combinations</a> from a massive amalgam of available online information.</p> <p>Although it has the potential for <a href="https://hbr.org/podcast/2023/05/how-generative-ai-changes-productivity">enhancing productivity</a>, generative AI has been shown to have some major faults. It can <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ai-platforms-like-chatgpt-are-easy-to-use-but-also-potentially-dangerous/">produce misinformation</a>. It can create “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/business/ai-chatbots-hallucination.html">hallucinations</a>” – a benign term for making things up. And it doesn’t always accurately solve reasoning problems. For example, when asked if both a car and a tank can fit through a doorway, it <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/14/technology/openai-new-gpt4.html">failed to consider both width and height</a>. Nevertheless, it is already being used to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2023/01/17/cnet-ai-articles-journalism-corrections/">produce articles</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/technology/ai-generated-content-discovered-on-news-sites-content-farms-and-product-reviews.html">website content</a> you may have encountered, or <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/21/opinion/chatgpt-journalism.html">as a tool</a> in the writing process. Yet you are unlikely to know if what you’re reading was created by AI.</p> <p>As the authors of “<a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/science-denial-9780197683330">Science Denial: Why It Happens and What to Do About It</a>,” we are concerned about how generative AI may blur the boundaries between truth and fiction for those seeking authoritative scientific information.</p> <p>Every media consumer needs to be more vigilant than ever in verifying scientific accuracy in what they read. Here’s how you can stay on your toes in this new information landscape.</p> <h2>How generative AI could promote science denial</h2> <p><strong>Erosion of epistemic trust</strong>. All consumers of science information depend on judgments of scientific and medical experts. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02691728.2014.971907">Epistemic trust</a> is the process of trusting knowledge you get from others. It is fundamental to the understanding and use of scientific information. Whether someone is seeking information about a health concern or trying to understand solutions to climate change, they often have limited scientific understanding and little access to firsthand evidence. With a rapidly growing body of information online, people must make frequent decisions about what and whom to trust. With the increased use of generative AI and the potential for manipulation, we believe trust is likely to erode further than <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2022/02/15/americans-trust-in-scientists-other-groups-declines/">it already has</a>.</p> <p><strong>Misleading or just plain wrong</strong>. If there are errors or biases in the data on which AI platforms are trained, that <a href="https://theconversation.com/ai-information-retrieval-a-search-engine-researcher-explains-the-promise-and-peril-of-letting-chatgpt-and-its-cousins-search-the-web-for-you-200875">can be reflected in the results</a>. In our own searches, when we have asked ChatGPT to regenerate multiple answers to the same question, we have gotten conflicting answers. Asked why, it responded, “Sometimes I make mistakes.” Perhaps the trickiest issue with AI-generated content is knowing when it is wrong.</p> <p><strong>Disinformation spread intentionally</strong>. AI can be used to generate compelling disinformation as text as well as deepfake images and videos. When we asked ChatGPT to “<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ai-platforms-like-chatgpt-are-easy-to-use-but-also-potentially-dangerous/">write about vaccines in the style of disinformation</a>,” it produced a nonexistent citation with fake data. Geoffrey Hinton, former head of AI development at Google, quit to be free to sound the alarm, saying, “It is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/technology/ai-google-chatbot-engineer-quits-hinton.html">using it for bad things</a>.” The potential to create and spread deliberately incorrect information about science already existed, but it is now dangerously easy.</p> <p><strong>Fabricated sources</strong>. ChatGPT provides responses with no sources at all, or if asked for sources, may present <a href="https://economistwritingeveryday.com/2023/01/21/chatgpt-cites-economics-papers-that-do-not-exist/">ones it made up</a>. We both asked ChatGPT to generate a list of our own publications. We each identified a few correct sources. More were hallucinations, yet seemingly reputable and mostly plausible, with actual previous co-authors, in similar sounding journals. This inventiveness is a big problem if a list of a scholar’s publications conveys authority to a reader who doesn’t take time to verify them.</p> <p><strong>Dated knowledge</strong>. ChatGPT doesn’t know what happened in the world after its training concluded. A query on what percentage of the world has had COVID-19 returned an answer prefaced by “as of my knowledge cutoff date of September 2021.” Given how rapidly knowledge advances in some areas, this limitation could mean readers get erroneous outdated information. If you’re seeking recent research on a personal health issue, for instance, beware.</p> <p><strong>Rapid advancement and poor transparency</strong>. AI systems continue to become <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/technology/ai-google-chatbot-engineer-quits-hinton.html">more powerful and learn faster</a>, and they may learn more science misinformation along the way. Google recently announced <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/10/technology/google-ai-products.html">25 new embedded uses of AI in its services</a>. At this point, <a href="https://theconversation.com/regulating-ai-3-experts-explain-why-its-difficult-to-do-and-important-to-get-right-198868">insufficient guardrails are in place</a> to assure that generative AI will become a more accurate purveyor of scientific information over time.</p> <h2>What can you do?</h2> <p>If you use ChatGPT or other AI platforms, recognize that they might not be completely accurate. The burden falls to the user to discern accuracy.</p> <p><strong>Increase your vigilance</strong>. <a href="https://www.niemanlab.org/2022/12/ai-will-start-fact-checking-we-may-not-like-the-results/">AI fact-checking apps may be available soon</a>, but for now, users must serve as their own fact-checkers. <a href="https://www.nsta.org/science-teacher/science-teacher-januaryfebruary-2023/plausible">There are steps we recommend</a>. The first is: Be vigilant. People often reflexively share information found from searches on social media with little or no vetting. Know when to become more deliberately thoughtful and when it’s worth identifying and evaluating sources of information. If you’re trying to decide how to manage a serious illness or to understand the best steps for addressing climate change, take time to vet the sources.</p> <p><strong>Improve your fact-checking</strong>. A second step is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000740">lateral reading</a>, a process professional fact-checkers use. Open a new window and search for <a href="https://www.nsta.org/science-teacher/science-teacher-mayjune-2023/marginalizing-misinformation">information about the sources</a>, if provided. Is the source credible? Does the author have relevant expertise? And what is the consensus of experts? If no sources are provided or you don’t know if they are valid, use a traditional search engine to find and evaluate experts on the topic.</p> <p><strong>Evaluate the evidence</strong>. Next, take a look at the evidence and its connection to the claim. Is there evidence that genetically modified foods are safe? Is there evidence that they are not? What is the scientific consensus? Evaluating the claims will take effort beyond a quick query to ChatGPT.</p> <p><strong>If you begin with AI, don’t stop there</strong>. Exercise caution in using it as the sole authority on any scientific issue. You might see what ChatGPT has to say about genetically modified organisms or vaccine safety, but also follow up with a more diligent search using traditional search engines before you draw conclusions.</p> <p><strong>Assess plausibility</strong>. Judge whether the claim is plausible. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2013.03.001">Is it likely to be true</a>? If AI makes an implausible (and inaccurate) statement like “<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2022/12/23/fact-check-false-claim-covid-19-vaccines-caused-1-1-million-deaths/10929679002/">1 million deaths were caused by vaccines, not COVID-19</a>,” consider if it even makes sense. Make a tentative judgment and then be open to revising your thinking once you have checked the evidence.</p> <p><strong>Promote digital literacy in yourself and others</strong>. Everyone needs to up their game. <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-be-a-good-digital-citizen-during-the-election-and-its-aftermath-148974">Improve your own digital literacy</a>, and if you are a parent, teacher, mentor or community leader, promote digital literacy in others. The American Psychological Association provides guidance on <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/social-media-internet/social-media-literacy-teens">fact-checking online information</a> and recommends teens be <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/social-media-internet/health-advisory-adolescent-social-media-use">trained in social media skills</a> to minimize risks to health and well-being. <a href="https://newslit.org/">The News Literacy Project</a> provides helpful tools for improving and supporting digital literacy.</p> <p>Arm yourself with the skills you need to navigate the new AI information landscape. Even if you don’t use generative AI, it is likely you have already read articles created by it or developed from it. It can take time and effort to find and evaluate reliable information about science online – but it is worth it.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/204897/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gale-sinatra-1234776">Gale Sinatra</a>, Professor of Education and Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-california-1265">University of Southern California</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/barbara-k-hofer-1231530">Barbara K. Hofer</a>, Professor of Psychology Emerita, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/middlebury-1247">Middlebury</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/chatgpt-and-other-generative-ai-could-foster-science-denial-and-misunderstanding-heres-how-you-can-be-on-alert-204897">original article</a>.</em></p>

Technology

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5 reasons why you should consider fostering a pet

<p>Becoming an animal foster carer is one of the most selfless and rewarding things you can do in life. Usually through no fault of their own, some pets find themselves in dire need of a home, and if you have room in your house (and in your heart), here are five reasons why you should help them out.</p> <p><strong>1. You’re saving a life and offering a second chance</strong></p> <p>Part of the reason why shelters rely on foster care so much is that they simply don’t have the space to provide a temporary home for the pet themselves. By taking in downtrodden four-legged friends, you’re easing the strain on local rescues, saving a life and giving animals a second chance.</p> <p><strong>2. You’re helping prepare the pet for its new home</strong></p> <p>Many shelter animals have had rough lives and potentially spent time living on the streets. You have the opportunity to help them adapt to life at home, where they’ll be fed, exercised, socialised and loved.</p> <p><strong>3. There’s no commitment</strong></p> <p>If you like the idea of having a pet but can’t commit to owning one long-term, fostering is a great way to still have them in your life. It’s also a fantastic first option for people who have never owned a pet but always wanted to. After all, you need to make sure you can handle it before you jump right in! There’s also a lot less of a financial commitment. Generally, the rescue group will cover vet costs and all you need to provide is food and lots of love.</p> <p><strong>4. It’s good for your health</strong></p> <p>Countless studies have proven that pet ownership (particularly dogs) can significantly improve both your physical and mental health. Knowing they’re relying on you to maintain their own health is the best motivation to look after your own.</p> <p><strong>5. It’s good for your social life</strong></p> <p>Want to make new friends? Foster a dog! Not only will you gain a four-legged friend, but any dog owner will attest to the fact that people love stopping to gush over your canine pal. You can also attend meet-ups with other pet owners or make new friends at dog-friendly beaches and parks.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Our Berty boy has died": Zoe and Hamish mourn the passing of beloved cat

<p dir="ltr">Zoe and Hamish Blake are mourning the death of their beloved cat just days after their <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/inside-hamish-and-zoe-foster-blake-s-insane-10th-wedding-anniversary-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10th wedding anniversary</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The skincare mogul shared the devastating news to Instagram with a series of photos with their pet cat, Meowbert.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our Berty boy has died. In his sleep, on his favourite chair. How fortunate we were to share his life, to have his company, his affection, his energy and presence with us every day,” her caption began.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sixteen years of exquisite companionship, affection, sweet little paw pads and the specific and lovely knowledge that the smallest heartbeat in our family was always nearby.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Zoe then revealed that she and Meowbert fell in love with Hamish at the same time, making his passing more difficult.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh, I will miss him deeply! He sat on my desk as I wrote, he moved around from apartment to apartment with me in my twenties,” she continued.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CmIs04tPrIV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CmIs04tPrIV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ZOË FOSTER BLAKE (@zotheysay)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“He fell in love with Hamish at the same time I did, he permitted our babies to pat and tug and chase him, he allowed me to cuddle his soft, arthritis-riddled body every morning...There was no finer feline, no cuter face, no better friend.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Vale Meowbert.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Several of the couple’s friends and followers offered their condolences following Meowbert’s death.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m so sorry to hear this news, what a lovely companion,” one wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh Zoe.I’m so sorry. What a wonderful friend he was to you. I’m so glad I met him !! He had the BEST life. Sending big love,” another commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh Zo, I’m so sorry. What a beautiful Berry boy he was. Sending love!” someone else wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Inside Hamish and Zoe Foster Blake's insane 10th wedding anniversary party

<p dir="ltr">Hamish and Zoe Foster Blake have celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in style.</p> <p dir="ltr">The power couple threw a Swinging Sixties-inspired party with the theme “1964 wedding” at their stunning $9 million mansion in Sydney.</p> <p dir="ltr">With a guest list of high profile celebrities including comedian Andy Lee and radio host Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli, the party sure was a banger.</p> <p dir="ltr">The loved up couple dressed up as newlyweds with Hamish donning a light blue suit with a cigar and Zoe in a mini sleeveless wedding dress.</p> <p dir="ltr">It seems like no expenses were spared either with the party featuring a tiered wedding cake, as well as authentic table settings, glassware and décor.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hamish took to Instagram to share a glimpse of the fun party, joking that he and Zoe got married in 1964.</p> <p dir="ltr">“58 years ago in 1964 my trillion carat wife @zotheysay and I tied the knot but I swear to god babe, it only feels like 10. xx 😘 (PS heckava night),” his caption read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our 10-year wedding anniversary party. The theme was ‘1964 Wedding’ for no other reason than it seemed very fun, and we love Mad Men. (Also, each other! Very much!),” Zoe’s caption read.</p> <p dir="ltr">She included another post revealing who was there: “Our party theme of ‘1964 Wedding’ left it wide open: we had six brides and grooms, two priests, wedding singers, numerous bridesmaids, and several drunk uncles. And a lot of fake cigarettes.”</p> <p dir="ltr">All their posts were inundated with congratulations from friends and fans.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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William Tyrrell’s foster mother accused of lying

<p dir="ltr">A senior detective has accused the foster mother of missing boy William Tyrrell of lying about his whereabouts. </p> <p dir="ltr">The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in Downing Centre Local Court, accused of lying to the NSW Crime Commission. </p> <p dir="ltr">The charges are not related to William Tyrell who went missing in 2014 from a home on the NSW mid-north coast in 2014.</p> <p dir="ltr">Instead, the woman is being questioned about whether or not she lied about hitting a child in her care with a wooden spoon.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have formed the view (she) knows where William Tyrrell is,” Detective Sergeant Andrew Lonergan told the court, 7News reported.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her Barrister John Stratton SC said the police charged her for allegedly lying to “break her spirit”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Our main objective is to find out where William Tyrrell is,” Lonergan responded.</p> <p dir="ltr">The court heard some audio recordings in which police allege the woman is hitting a child with a wooden spoon. </p> <p dir="ltr">The child can be heard threatening to call the police if the woman didn’t stop hitting them. </p> <p dir="ltr">A woman can be then heard telling the child to “stand up” three times. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Where’d you put the wooden spoon?” the court heard a woman on the recording say.</p> <p dir="ltr">The audio then plays some pleading, screaming and cries from a child before the woman allegedly tells the child to turn around and smacks them. </p> <p dir="ltr">An intercepted phone call later plays and the woman is telling her husband: “She’s still going on about it”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The hearing continues.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Legal

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Homelessness is common for teens leaving out-of-home-care. We need to extend care until they are at least 21

<p>Young people transitioning from out-of-home care – whether it’s foster, kinship or residential care – are disadvantaged in many ways. Many have experienced abuse, neglect, family hardship or illness. They may feel long-term grief due to family separation.</p> <p>And while some enjoy stable placements with committed foster or kinship carers, others – particularly those in residential care, supervised by rostered staff – may experience instability as friends or support workers come and go.</p> <p>Most exit the out-of-home care system at 18, or younger, without ongoing support.</p> <p>Unfortunately, however, many such young people quickly encounter homelessness, unemployment and contact with the criminal justice system soon after leaving out-of-home care. Instead of leaving these people to fend for themselves at age 18 (or younger), we need a nationally consistent model of extended care that supports care leavers until age 21.</p> <p><strong>A tough transition</strong></p> <p>A 2021 study by <a href="https://create.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/CREATE-Post-Care-Report-2021-LR.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the CREATE Foundation</a> (which represents young people who have experienced out-of-home care) found homelessness was common among people exiting the system. Almost 100 of the 325 sampled care leavers aged 18-25 experienced homelessness in the first year after their transition.</p> <p>Another <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/314424" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> found:</p> <blockquote> <p>More than half the 1,848 Victorian care leavers in this study (using data from leavers during 2013 and 2014) accessed homelessness services in the four years after leaving care, while one in three had multiple homeless experiences. Participants with experiences of residential care and multiple foster care placements were more likely to experience housing disruptions.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/child-protection/incomesupport-receipt-oohc/summary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Another national study</a> noted care leavers were three times as likely as other young Australians to have received social security payments.</p> <p>Of course, many care leavers <a href="http://createyourfuture.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Stein-M.-ResearchReview.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">do integrate effectively</a> into the social and economic mainstream. Some have difficult lives but still manage to cope, while others struggle to overcome adversity and social exclusion.</p> <p>In general, those who achieve successful transitions tend to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cfs.12473" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leave care later</a> than 18 years of age and receive ongoing support well into their twenties from, for example</p> <ul> <li> <p>foster or kinship carers</p> </li> <li> <p>extended family members</p> </li> <li> <p>formal mentors or neighbours</p> </li> <li> <p>friends</p> </li> <li> <p>members of sporting, religious, cultural and other community groups.</p> </li> </ul> <p>These supportive relationships, which mirror the assistance that most of their non-care peers naturally access from their parents, provide the social capital needed to acquire housing, food, clothing, a driver’s licence and entry into sustainable education, employment and training.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/314424" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one young person</a> who remained with their foster family in Victoria beyond 18 years:</p> <blockquote> <p>I was in the same home for 11 years, they were like my parents so they didn’t kick me out or anything. It wasn’t like I was in their care; I was like a part of the family.</p> </blockquote> <p>Conversely, those who experience troubled transitions from out-of-home care may experience social isolation, emotional adversity and hardship.</p> <p><a href="https://apo.org.au/node/314424" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One young person from Victoria</a> who was suddenly forced to leave care commented:</p> <blockquote> <p>I mean if you have a kid, you’re not going to kick him out as soon as they turn 16. You’re not going to, you know, tell your kid that ‘oh you have to find your own way to learn how to drive or anything’. You’re going to take them by the hand, you’re going to help them with each of these things. Even after your kid’s left, you’re still going to, you know, check up on them, you’re going to go there make sure they’re eating properly, cleaning the place properly. I had no idea how to clean anything.</p> </blockquote> <p>Young people who have harder transitions often include those in <a href="https://lens.monash.edu/@politics-society/2019/12/13/1378567/from-care-to-custody-the-tragic-trajectory-of-crossover-kids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">youth justice custody</a> when they turn 18 years of age, some <a href="https://www.aracy.org.au/publications-resources/command/download_file/id/465/filename/ARACY_Showing_the_Light_FINAL_20220302.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">young parents</a>, those who have a major <a href="https://daneshyari.com/article/preview/346111.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cognitive disability</a> or <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/314424" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poor mental health</a> and <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/307306" target="_blank" rel="noopener">some Indigenous young people</a> who have been prevented from forming a connection with their culture, identity and community.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459038/original/file-20220421-18-yi1uh7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459038/original/file-20220421-18-yi1uh7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459038/original/file-20220421-18-yi1uh7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=398&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459038/original/file-20220421-18-yi1uh7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=398&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459038/original/file-20220421-18-yi1uh7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=398&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459038/original/file-20220421-18-yi1uh7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=501&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459038/original/file-20220421-18-yi1uh7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=501&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459038/original/file-20220421-18-yi1uh7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=501&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><em><span class="caption">Those who experience troubled transitions from out-of-home care may experience social isolation, emotional adversity and hardship.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Extended care as an early intervention strategy</strong></p> <p>The best way to boost the life chances of all care leavers is to introduce a nationally consistent model of extended out-of-home care from 18 to 21 years. This is the model advocated by the <a href="https://thehomestretch.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Home Stretch campaign</a> led by Anglicare Victoria.</p> <p>Evidence from evaluations of extended care programs in the <a href="https://www.chapinhall.org/research/calyouth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US</a> and <a href="https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/report/Evaluation_of_the_Staying_Put_18_Plus_Family_Placement_Programme_final_report/9580109" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UK</a> confirms providing support until age 21 can improve outcomes for care leavers.</p> <p>As of April 2022, the Home Stretch model has informed the introduction of major extended care safety nets in <a href="https://www.celcis.org/application/files/5716/2263/3274/2021_Vol_20_No_1_Mendes_P_Extending_out-of-home_care_in_the_State_of_Victoria_Australia.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">six out of Australia’s eight</a> states and territories.</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://thehomestretch.org.au/news/the-most-significant-reform-to-child-welfare-in-a-generation-victorian-government-leads-nation-in-announcing-universal-care-for-young-people-to-the-age-of-21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Victoria</a> and <a href="https://www.ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au/2021-22/fact-sheets/communities.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Western Australia</a> offer support to young people leaving all forms of out-of-home care until age 21</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://thehomestretch.org.au/news/foster-care-payments-to-be-extended-until-age-21-by-new-sa-liberal-government" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Australia</a>, <a href="https://thehomestretch.org.au/news/first-state-government-extend-care-21-years-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tasmania</a> and the <a href="https://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/ocyfs/children/child-and-youth-protection-services/a-step-up-for-our-kids/out-of-home-care-strategy-2015-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Capital Territory</a> fund an allowance to foster and kinship carers only until age 21. South Australia has introduced a <a href="https://www.childprotection.sa.gov.au/news/dcp-news/young-people-leaving-residential-care-to-be-better-supported-with-next-steps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trial program</a> for residential care leavers in February 2022 - but it is only funded for two years to support 20 young people</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/community/caring-child/foster-kinship-care/information-for-carers/money-matters/carer-allowances" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queensland</a> offers the same assistance only until 19 years</p> </li> <li> <p>the <a href="https://thehomestretch.org.au/news/push-to-lift-nt-foster-care-age-to-21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Northern Territory</a> has promised to legislate universal extended care soon</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://thehomestretch.org.au/news/nsw-lags-nationally-on-caring-for-most-vulnerable-young-people-as-victoria-surges-ahead/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New South Wales</a> is the outlier in currently providing no form of extended care.</p> </li> </ul> <p>No state or territory allows young people living in residential care to remain in their existing homes beyond 18 years of age.</p> <p>Nor have any of them introduced <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/931987/Staying_Close_Break.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Staying Close</a> programs similar to those trialled in the UK, whereby residential care leavers are supported to live close to their former accommodation and maintain existing relationships with their former carers and support networks.</p> <p>The federal government, via the recently updated <a href="https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/families-and-children/programs-services/protecting-australias-children" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children</a>, should establish a nationally consistent model of extended care that would universally assist all care leavers until age 21.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/181167/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/phillip-mendes-101820" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phillip Mendes</a>, Professor, Director Social Inclusion and Social Policy Research Unit, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/homelessness-is-common-for-teens-leaving-out-of-home-care-we-need-to-extend-care-until-they-are-at-least-21-181167" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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The truth about becoming a foster carer while retired

<p dir="ltr">Foster care is something not many retirees think about or consider due to misunderstandings of how the system works. </p> <p dir="ltr">The rewarding potential of foster care for some of Australia’s most vulnerable kids and young people is endless and can easily fit into your lifestyle.  </p> <p dir="ltr">Susan Barton AM, Founder of Lighthouse Foundation, a Melbourne not-for-profit organisation, says the misconceptions about foster care needs to be cleared up. </p> <p dir="ltr">She spoke to <em>Over60</em> about the benefits and how to become a foster carer.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>What sort of support is available for those wanting to foster while retired?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">I’m very proud of the support Lighthouse Foundation offers to our carers, including those who want to foster while retired. Our carers should never feel alone. There’s always a helping hand nearby or a sympathetic ear ready to listen at the end of the phone.</p> <p dir="ltr">All our carers can use our ‘Hub Home’ – a central place to access support and services for themselves and the children they look after. This ‘Hub Home’ unites foster carers in a local area and is a safe and warm place for children and families to receive therapeutic care and access trauma informed support and advice.</p> <p dir="ltr">As an organisation we place significant importance on the role of community and community support. By creating a central space through our ‘Hub Home’, our aim is to allow carers to develop friendships, build support systems, learn from one another, and interact with those going through the same experiences.</p> <p dir="ltr">The ‘Hub Home’ is also used for respite care. All carers need a break every now and again. A few days off, gives a foster carer the chance to recuperate and return well rested and ready to give their all to the role. In-home carers are another great support system offered by Lighthouse Foundation. This is where someone comes to your home and provides a helping hand - they can demonstrate, or explain, anything from the physical work requirements of the role, to how to go about caring for a young person, and how to respond to certain situations. And, we also have team of psychologists who are on hand for foster carers to lean on for support.</p> <p dir="ltr">We never want our carers to feel isolated or overwhelmed. We think of Lighthouse Foundation as an extended family and our aim is for everybody to feel loved and supported.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>How long is the process to become a foster carer when retired?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The process takes between six to 12 months – depending on the pace you set for yourself. As soon as you begin the process, you’ll be invited to access a number of support groups and training opportunities and receive regular contact from Lighthouse Foundation. So, while it takes time to become a qualified carer, you’ll feel included and part of the Lighthouse Foundation family almost instantly.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>How does the retiree benefit from foster care? </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">There are so many ways to benefit from fostering, and I speak from personal experience! As a carer you’re making a significant difference to the life of a young person but you’re also serving yourself by spending time with a younger generation. Being a positive presence in a young person’s life, especially one who’s had a difficult start to life, is a really beautiful thing and greatly enhances your own life experience. It gives you a greater perspective, a renewed purpose, a sharper focus and really shows how precious life is. It can be truly energising. There are endless ways in which you feel and experience life differently once you’ve fostered a young person. Of course, it’s not always easy, but retirees have so much life experience to share with young people and can be some of the best, most effective carers.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>How many different types of foster care are available? </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Foster care is more varied than people believe.</p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Respite care is where a carer provides a child with regular and/or occasional time away from the primary carer so the primary carer can have a short period of restorative time. As a respite carer you might care for a child on the weekend, or for one week a month, or every couple of months.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Emergency care, on the other hand, may occur in the event of a crisis where a child or sibling group require urgent overnight care. In this type of care, you may have the child for a few days or even a week, but the intended goal is to move the child to a more permanent carer.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Short term care can last from a few weeks to months, with the intention of returning the child to their family of origin as quickly as possible.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Finally, long term care, which is six months or longer, is where you really commit to becoming a stable, loving and nurturing influence in a young person’s life.</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">It’s possible for children to switch between foster care requirements and as you go through training to become a carer, you’ll discover what level of care you’re best suited to. We sometimes encourage new carers to dip their toe in the pool of foster care by starting with shorter placements. This helps carers gain experience before moving on to more permanent care and longer placements.</p> <p>Returning the young person to their family of origin is always the intended goal of foster care – this is something many people don’t realise. Sometimes this happens quickly, and other times children will be with a carer for much longer. As a carer you have agency to choose the type of care that works best for you.</p> <p><strong>How much time do you need to commit to foster care?</strong></p> <p>This varies depending on the type of foster care you decide works best for you. What’s most important is that you’re consistent and flexible in your commitment to caring for a young person.</p> <p>If you choose to become a respite carer, you’ll be paired with a child who you’ll see regularly and repetitively. You’ll become a part of that child’s support network, potentially seeing them once a month over two years, for example. While there’s no set amount of time you need to set aside to foster, carers must be reliable and committed to building both rapport and a long-term relationship with the child they care for.<br /><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/Screen-Shot-2022-04-26-at-3.09.18-pm.png" alt="" width="964" height="1140" /><br /><strong>Will I be rejected as a carer because of my age?</strong></p> <p>I’m 75 and I’d still be considered as a carer so there really isn’t an age limit. Respite care is a great place to start as a retiree – and in some ways it’s a bit like having your grandkids for the weekend. </p> <p dir="ltr">You might find you have a lot of energy and resilience and that the experience is really rewarding. As a retiree you might also have a significant amount of time to commit and be able to offer a young person the long- term stability and relationship they so desperately require. </p> <p dir="ltr">Having an older respite carer is such an amazing opportunity for a young person too. For example, retirees will be able to offer time and support that other longer-term carers can’t. You might be able to guide a child through the process of looking for a job, completing a school project or mastering a hobby they love.</p> <p><strong>Can you foster a child if you’re single?</strong></p> <p>Of course! Your relationship status is part of the assessment when applying to become a carer, along with other factors like how resilient you are as a single parent, whether you’re financially stable and whether you live alone and attend work. Each child and carer will have varied individual needs, which we understand. We try and match you with a child whose requirements fit your lifestyle, and the special characteristics and life experience you have to offer.</p> <p><strong>Do you need a large home to be a foster carer?</strong></p> <p>A spare bedroom is (almost) all you need! We match you based on your individual situation. For example, if you’re really courageous and want to take on a sibling group of three or four children, of course we’d love you to have a fair bit of room. But if you’re caring for an individual young person, perhaps a teenager, who loves to spend time reading or on their computer, there’s less need for big open spaces for them to run around in.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Can you back out of foster care if it’s not the right fit? </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">You can always change your mind. Foster care is a really rewarding experience for the right person, so we’d never put you or the child through something if it wasn’t quite right.</p> <p dir="ltr">We hope that by the time you’ve completed the training you’re well-resourced to make an informed decision about becoming a carer. We guide you along the way and can offer advice on what might fit best with your lifestyle.</p> <p dir="ltr">Even when you have a child in your care, there’s an option to finish your placement. Lighthouse will always support your decision and to help find solutions to challenging situations. We hate to lose loving carers, so we’ll encourage you to consider alternatives. Downshifting from full-time care, to respite care is not uncommon and can enable you to remain in a child’s life in a new capacity</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Can you foster a child on a single income or pension? </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Yes! We’re not concerned about the amount of money you have but we will ask that you’re financially stable and able to meet the needs of the young person in your care. Carers do get a stipend to help support the needs of the young person too.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Can you nominate the age of the child you’d like to foster? </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">You can put forward your preferences, and Lighthouse Foundation will try to match you accordingly. Maintaining flexibility and an open mind are key though. For example, you may have a preference for an older child, but some children are independent and capable beyond their years, and could make for a good match. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Hamish and Zoe Foster Blake snap up stunning natural retreat

<p dir="ltr"><em>Lego Masters Australia</em> host Hamish Blake and author Zoe Foster Blake have jumped on the celebrity bandwagon heading south of Sydney after spending more than $4 million on a scenic home.</p> <p dir="ltr">The celebrity couple are <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/inside-hamish-and-zoe-blakes-43m-new-house-on-the-nsw-south-coast/?rsf=syn:news:nca:news:spa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the latest</a> to buy into the south coast, following on from recent purchases made by Deborah Hutton and Gerry Harvey in the area.</p> <p dir="ltr">Their new six-bedroom, five-bathroom home in Jamberoo - about an hour and a half south of Sydney - was last sold in 1996 for $566,000, but has undergone extensive renovations since.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-jamberoo-137476998" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listing</a>, the home is nestled in “some of the most stunning scenery in Australia”, offering “breathtaking views of verdant valleys and hills to a sparkling seascape beyond”.</p> <p dir="ltr">It also has views of the Pacific Ocean and Lake Illawarra from the outdoor balcony that wraps around the entire house and looks over a croquet lawn.</p> <p dir="ltr">Spread out across just one level, the home’s interiors include an open plan dining room and gourmet kitchen, a lounge room with a stone fireplace, and bedrooms housed within two separate wings that also come with their own en-suites.</p> <p dir="ltr">Outside, the 7.47-acre property also includes an orchard with lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit trees, a herb and vegetable garden, and a double-car garage set up as a teenagers retreat complete with a billiard table and separate sitting area.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home is another large addition to the couple’s real estate portfolio which comes just a year after they dropped a whopping $8.925 million on a home in Vaucluse.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home was sold to the couple by Ray White’s Michelle Lay.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-449b1fd9-7fff-6ad5-9a92-da9790c64205"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @zotheysay (Instagram), Realestate.com.au</em></p>

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Serial conman Peter Foster arrested after six months on the run

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Serial conman Peter Foster has been uncovered hiding out in regional Victoria, bringing his six months on the run to an end. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An arrest warrant in Queensland was issued for the 59-year-old on May 20th, after Peter failed to appear that day in a Sydney court over an alleged multi-million-dollar Bitcoin scam.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His electronic monitoring device, which was a strict condition of his bail, also stopped sending out a signal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Federal police finally caught up with Foster on Tuesday </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">near the Macedon Ranges town of Gisborne, northwest of Melbourne.</span></p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">“The AFP Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team and Queensland Police have worked together for six months to find this man and some dogged detective work has allowed us to make this arrest today,” Australian Federal Police Commissioner Richard Chin said.</p> <p>Foster was initially arrested in Port Douglas in August 2020 on 15 different fraud-related charges in New South Wales. </p> <p>The series of charges were in relation to allegations that he <span>extricated 120 Bitcoin, worth more than $1.7 million at the time, from a Hong Kong man in 2019 and 2020.</span></p> <p><span>After being granted strict bail in March, he failed to show up for court appearances and started his life on the run. </span></p> <p><span>When a new arrest warrant was issued by Queensland police, Foster's lawyer told a Brisbane court that Peter would hand himself in and please not guilty. </span></p> <p><span>According to Peter's lawyer, Chris Hannay, Foster was a “charismatic crook” and a “charismatic good bloke” but “not the villain in this”.</span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Youtube - 7News</em></p>

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