1 Family and Child Connect Service - a strategic and practical perspective Presenter: Erica Russ QCEC Student Protection In-Service Day, Friday 15 May.

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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

Transition to independence for young people in care

Introduction of Family and Child Connect

Strengthening Families Protecting Children Framework for Practice

Introduction and expansion of intensive family support services

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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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• 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

Family and Child Connect

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Family and Child Connect catchments

July 2015

• Browns Plains/Beaudesert

• Rockhampton/Gladstone/Emerald

• Moreton Bay• Ipswich• Maryborough/

Bundaberg• Kingaroy

Jan 2015

• Toowoomba• Roma• Sunshine Coast

(incl Gympie)• Townsville• Gold Coast• Logan• Beenleigh/

Bayside

2016

• 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

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Referrals to Family and Child Connect 19 Jan – 31 Mar 2015

FaCC

Source

Child Safety –

RIS

Child Safety –

CSSCEducation Health Police Other

Other govt

agency

Self-referral Total

Beenleigh Bayside 17 8 2 11 2 2 1 10 53

Gold Coast 141 18 11 28 10 14 0 3 225

Logan 0 0 1 6 1 3 1 5 17Roma 0 2 1 2 5 2 0 2 14

Sunshine Coast 63 1 21 25 34 7 4 13 168

Toowoomba 4 5 24 16 31 7 2 8 97

Townsville 9 10 15 10 15 3 2 7 71

Total 234 44 75 98 98 38 10 48 645

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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

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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

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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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Referrals to intensive family support

services 19 Jan – 31 Mar 2015

IFS service

Source

Child Safety – RIS

Child Safety –

CSSC

FaCC

Education

Health Police

DFV servic

e

Other govt or

NGO agenc

y

Self-referr

alTotal

Beenleigh Bayside 49 17

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13 22 7 1 16 22 166

Gold Coast 71 42 24 21 47 2 4 52 77 340

Logan 78 9 10 8 14 1 1 18 14 153

Roma 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7

Sunshine Coast 11 7 15 3 3 5 0 5 1 50

Toowoomba 17 33 2 4 10 0 0 9 2 77

Townsville 18 13 10 6 7 0 2 7 10 73

Total 245 127 80 55 103 15 8 107 126 866

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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 independenceNext Step After Care services• Supporting young people transitioning

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