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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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