|
Treatment , Training and Program Development for
Children Youth and Family Services |
Postal address: Box 435 Erindale
Centre, 2903 0415379653 ABN: 5216 7151 162 |
About TWI
Therapeutic
Welfare Interventions Pty Ltd (TWI) was established in 2014 to provide a
structure for the continuation of the specialized services for children, young
people, and family focused organisations and individuals that were
provided by the Thomas Wright Institute (also known as TWI). Marymead Child
and Family Centre, who have sponsored the work of the Thomas Wright Institute
since 1999 decided to close the Institute at the end of 2013. The
new TWI will continue to provide services to the sector and maintain the
relationships with individuals, professional associates, programs and external organsiations that
have been developed over the past 14 years.
The
work of TWI has been dedicated to seeking out, promoting, and if
necessary developing options for children and young people whose behaviours perplex, challenge and
threaten us – and to provide support for organisations and
practitioners who work with them (Howard Bath, the first Director of
TWI on the occasion of its opening in 1999). This continues to be
our mission.
TWI
has three main enterprise areas:
· Assessment, treatment and consultancy
· Training and professional development
· Program development and support
We
provide these services through engaging the skills, knowledge and specialized
experience of our Director and Professional Associates, and through our close
collaboration with outside agencies. In particular, in the areas of
training and program development, we work closely with the Bronfenbrenner Centre
for Translational Research at Cornell University.
TWI
is based in Canberra ACT with professional associates across
Australia. Training, consultancy and program development services
are provided for organisations in the child welfare, education,
disability, juvenile justice and mental health fields in any State or Territory
whereas direct treatment services are provided in the Australian Capital
Territory and surrounding areas of New South Wales.
Principal
Staff
Director
of TWI
Diana
Boswell, BA, MA, PhD, MAPS, MANZATSA
Registered
Psychologist AHPRA PSY0000949670
Dr Boswell
has a first degree from the Australian National University followed by graduate
clinical and research degrees in child and adolescent psychology from the
University of Toronto. In Canada she worked in a Head Start program (early intervention),
the Toronto school system, Thistletown Regional Centre for Child and
Adolescent Mental Health day program, and the Queens Street Mental Health
Centre’s secure forensic unit for adolescents.
On
returning to Australia she worked in a TEACCH program (early intervention for
children with autism or communication handicaps). She joined Marymead Child
and Family Centre in 1992 working as a clinician, manager and CEO working
across out-of-home care, family support and disability programs. In 2000 she
moved to the Thomas Wright Institute and has participated in the research,
program development, assessment, training, staff supervision and university
teaching provided by the Institute. With wide experience as an
academic, practitioner, program manager, and agency director, she has both a
broad theoretical framework and a 'hands-on' and program management
perspective.
Translating
research to inform practice frameworks has always been an interest. Dr Boswell
is co-author of Caring Crisis Management, a crisis management
course for disability service practitioners, and of The Three Pillars
of Transforming Care, a course for foster carers providing a
home for children who have experienced trauma. Both these courses have been
widely adopted by agencies and programs across Australia. She has
presented at numerous workshops in the areas of challenging behaviour; the
effects of trauma on the brain and behaviour of children, and autism
spectrum disorders. She is an accredited Instructor with the Cornell University Therapeutic
Crisis Intervention project and the CARE model for
therapeutic interventions in child and family services; an accredited trainer
with the Life Space Crisis Institute; and an accredited trainer
with Reclaiming Youth International
Program
development has also been an interest throughout her professional
life. Dr Boswell has designed and implemented therapeutic
foster and residential care programs and worked as part of the team developing
and implementing two residential treatment programs for young people with
problematic sexual behaviours. She has been a consultant with education
and juvenile facilities on organisational change. In recent years she
has become part of the Cornell University led teams working to implement the
CARE model for therapeutic services in organisations across
Australia.
TWI
contracts the services of other specially qualified professionals for specific
training or consultancy projects or to provide specialized assessment and
treatment.