Family and Child Connect Service - a strategic and practical perspective

Presenter: Erica Russ

QCEC Student Protection In-Service Day, Friday 15 May 2015

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Agenda

Introduction of Family and Child Connect Introduction and expansion of intensive family support services Strengthening Families Protecting Children Framework for Practice Transition to independence for young people in care

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Stronger Families Reform Program

aims to build a new child and family support system that will have a greater focus on supporting families to provide a safe and secure home for their children.

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Family and Child Connect

• 19 January 2015 - amendments to

Child Protection Act 1999

(Qld) came into force, allowing

particular prescribed entities

to share information about children with service providers • 19 January 2015 - first seven Family and Child Connect services commenced operations • Expanded intensive family support services to support roll out of Family and Child Connect 4

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Family and Child Connect catchments

Jan 2015 July 2015 2016

• • • • • • • Toowoomba Roma Sunshine Coast (incl Gympie) Townsville Gold Coast Logan Beenleigh/ Bayside • • • • • • Browns Plains/ Beaudesert Rockhampton/ Gladstone/ Emerald Moreton Bay Ipswich Maryborough/ Bundaberg Kingaroy • • • • • • • Mackay Cairns Mt Isa/Gulf Cape York/ Torres Strait Brisbane North Brisbane South Brisbane South West

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Local level alliances (LLA)

• Family and Child Connect also leads local-level alliances of government and non government services within the community to ensure vulnerable children and their families receive the right mix of services at the right time.

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Implementation of reforms – Family and Child Connect, and legislative changes • Information sessions delivered with external stakeholders (including education) • Train-the-trainer sessions delivered to partner agencies – key staff then trained internally • Online and hard copy resources developed to inform the general public and professionals of this new pathway 7

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Referrals to Family and Child Connect 19 Jan – 31 Mar 2015 Source FaCC Beenleigh Bayside Gold Coast Logan Roma Sunshine Coast Toowoomba Townsville Total

17 141 0 0 63 4 9 234 5 10 44 8 18 0 2 1 24 15 75 2 11 1 1 21 16 10 98 11 28 6 2 25 31 15 98 2 10 1 5 34 7 3 38 2 14 3 2 7 2 2 10 1 0 1 0 4 8 7 48 10 3 5 2 13 53 225 17 14 168 97 71 645

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Early learnings from Family and Child Connect referrals

• Referrals and referrer behaviour

– Concept of multiple and/or complex needs – Information sharing – Enabling referrers – Understanding of ‘new’ service 9

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Impact of implementation on education

• Target audience: • 515 501 students enrolled in state schools • 257 808 students enrolled in non-state schools • 77,482 teaching and non-teaching staff in state schools • 17 634 teaching staff in non-state schools.

• Positive feedback • Issues arising • Meeting program intent of Family and Child Connect and expanded intensive family support services 10

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Intensive secondary family support services

• Significant investment in 2014-15 to roll out improved and expanded family support and domestic and family violence services state-wide • Aimed at families who are likely to require statutory involvement if support is not provided • Reduced demand for statutory child protection services will be seen in approximately five years

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Beenleigh Bayside Gold Coast Logan Roma Sunshine Coast Toowoomba Townsville Total

Referrals to intensive family support services

19 Jan – 31 Mar 2015 Source IFS service

19 49 17 17 18 245 71 78 1 11 33 13 127 42 9 6 7 24 10 0 15 2 10 80 13 22 21 8 0 3 4 6 55 10 7 103 47 14 0 3 7 2 1 0 5 0 0 15 1 16 22 4 1 0 0 0 2 8 9 7 107 52 18 0 5 2 10 126 77 14 0 1 166 340 153 7 50 77 73 866

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How things are working on the ground?

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Strengthening Families Protecting Children Framework for Practice

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Transitioning to independence

Next Step After Care services

• Supporting young people transitioning to independence from care week, by calling or texting – able to be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a

1800 NextStep

(1800 639 878), or visiting the Next Step After Care website

Sortli

• a free mobile app for young people to help them with their transition to independence.

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Resources

• http://www.communities.qld.gov.au/gateway/stronger families/resources • www.communities.qld.gov.au

http://www.communities.qld.gov.au/childsafety/protecting children/how-to-prevent-abuse/family-and-child-connect • https://www.communities.qld.gov.au/childsafety/partners/our -government-partners/queensland-child-protection-guide

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