COMMUNITY SERVICES – Our role, responsibilities and processes

CENTRAL COAST STRUCTURE There are 4 CSC’s on the Central Coast: Peninsula CSC Gosford CSC Wyong CSC Lakes CSC All CSC’s have: 1 Triage Assessment Team 2 Child Protection Teams 1 Out of Home Care Team 1 Strengthening Families Team There are District JIRT, ISS, Adolescent & C&FRU teams.

KEEP THEM SAFE : WHAT DID IT MEAN TO CS? Community Services is part of the Department of Family and Community Services. Family and Community Services is comprised of: –Community Services –ADHC –Housing –Aboriginal Housing Office –Women NSW

KEEP THEM SAFE : WHAT DID IT MEAN TO CS? Threshold changed to ‘Risk Of Significant Harm’ (ROSH) This resulted in a decrease in the number of reports received at a CSC. This has not altered the fact that Community Services will need to unallocate/close matters.

KEEP THEM SAFE : WHAT DID IT MEAN TO CS? Introduction of Structured Decision Making (SDM) SDM is used at the Helpline to determine if a report meets the Risk of Significant Harm (ROSH) threshold.

KEEP THEM SAFE : WHAT DID IT MEAN TO CS? Information Sharing Laws changed to enable better communication between all agencies. S16A was proclaimed – this allows agencies to share information about the safety, welfare & wellbeing of a child WITHOUT CS involvement.

KTS – WHAT DOES IT MEAN Agencies/NGOs are responsible for assisting families that do not meet the ROSH threshold. Agencies have Child Wellbeing Units to assist in determining if a family should be reported to the Helpline Family Referral Services exist for non- Government Services

TRIAGE ASSESSMENT Number of reports have decreased by approx. 40% since 26 Jan 2010 Number of reports responded to has not changed – high risk matters remain unallocated Central Coast received 1720 reports July-Sept 2013 Police, DEC and Health largest reporters

TRIAGE ASSESSMENT Severity of reported risk/harm Co-existing factors Vulnerability of the child/young person CS history, criminal history, health history Involvement of other services and their ability to decrease risk

TRIAGE ASSESSMENT Factors present for a Field Response: –Extreme/High Risk –Multiple co-existing child protection factors –No protective adult for the child –CS/Police history –Little/no contact with other services Teams respond to crisis reports – a daily roster exists for these matters.

CHILD PROTECTION STATISTICS The Central Coast is currently managing 74 Children’s Court matters, 3 District Court matters, 1 Supreme Court and 6 Family Law Court matters. Children’s Court matters take an average of 9 months to complete. Parent’s can appeal a Children’s Court order via a S90 application to the court / via District Court / via Supreme Court.

TRANSFER OF OOHC TO NGOs OOHC REFORM

OUT OF HOME CARE Provides case management to children and young people in the long term parental responsibility of the Minister. There children can be placed in: –Kinship/Relative care –CS Foster Care –Agency Foster Care –Residential Settings –Independent Living –Self placed young people/homeless/refuges

DESIGNATED OOHC AGENCIES Statutory care placements can be case managed by CS OOHC CWs or designated agencies who have case management. A designated agency is an NGO service provider who has met the Children’s Guardian guidelines for accreditation.

OUT OF HOME CARE STATISTICS The Central Coast has 1868 And young people in statutory OOHC. The Central Coast has establishment of 23 OOHC Caseworkers.