A two-day Office for Children congress aims to build resilience in children and young people in out-of-home care.

The congress is part of the Office for Children's every child every chance—a good childhood is in everyone's best interests initiative.

It will be held at the Sofitel Melbourne on Monday and Tuesday, August 21 and 22.

The congress acknowledges building resilience in children and young people in out-of-home care requires the combined efforts of carers, parents, residential care staff, placement workers, child protection workers, teachers, principals and student support workers.

It will bring together this range of people and perspectives plus the expertise of international and Australian authorities on resilience.

Presenters will be Raymond Lemay, Executive Director of Prescott-Russell Services for Children and Adults in Ontario, Canada, Professor Harriet Ward, Director of the Centre for Child and Family Research at the University of Loughborough in England and Melbourne-based author, clinical psychologist and family therapist Andrew Fuller.

Mr Lemay has extensive experience in both child protection and disability services as a practitioner, clinician, administrator and practice-based researcher.

He is the head of a Canadian agency that provides a range of community services, including out-of-home care for about 220 children and young people.

Professor Ward is a distinguished social worker, researcher and teacher now based at the University of Loughborough in England.

She has overall responsibility for all the university Centre for Child and Family Research's activities and leads its research program on outcomes for vulnerable children.

Mr Fuller is a Fellow of the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Learning and Educational Development at the University of Melbourne.

He is also author of many books relating to resilience. 

The congress' first day will focus on building resilience through looking after children and day two on building resilience through education.

•          For more information on the congress contact Edith Loch on 9096 8097 or Lisa Rodda on 9096 7199 or visit rsvp.ecec@dhs.vic.gov.au. For more information on the every child every chance initiative visit www.dhs.vic.gov.au/everychildeverychance.