NSW Department of Community Services Restoration Initiatives ACWA Reunification Forum 6 December 2007 By Linda Mallett Executive Director Child and Family Welfare Child and Family Welfare

DoCS is committed to improving the range and quality of services for children and young people in OOHC with a focus on Permanency planningPermanency planning Improvements in foster, relative and kinship careImprovements in foster, relative and kinship care Building a robust service systemBuilding a robust service system DoCS commitment

DoCS Corporate plan 2004/ /9 Objectives and results for OOHC 1.Children and young people in permanent placements 2.Children and young people restored to their family 3.Supporting children and young people with high needs 4.Improving the OOHC System

OOHC Major Project Established in June 2006Established in June 2006 Involves cross departmental projects involving:Involves cross departmental projects involving: Research and analysisResearch and analysis Planning and evaluationPlanning and evaluation Funding and Performance MonitoringFunding and Performance Monitoring Policy and service model developmentPolicy and service model development Implementation in RegionsImplementation in Regions

Funding and Performance Monitoring $617 million in OOHC funding$617 million in OOHC funding EOI to be concluded early 2008EOI to be concluded early 2008 Capacity in Aboriginal organisations is being enhancedCapacity in Aboriginal organisations is being enhanced Costing manual producedCosting manual produced Service provision guidelines being developedService provision guidelines being developed Performance Monitoring Framework developedPerformance Monitoring Framework developed OOHC Program Guidelines publishedOOHC Program Guidelines published

Research Agenda Provides the evidence base to inform policy, practice and program development and improvementProvides the evidence base to inform policy, practice and program development and improvement Guided by DoCS Research Advisory CouncilGuided by DoCS Research Advisory Council Overarching focus:Overarching focus: “ what interventions and practice approaches lead to the desired results for clients of DoCS and in what context or circumstances?”

Research Initiatives Research to Practice Seminars eg Life pathways and decision making for very young children in care : Professor Harriet WardResearch to Practice Seminars eg Life pathways and decision making for very young children in care : Professor Harriet Ward Literature Reviews eg Contact between children in OOHC and their birth familiesLiterature Reviews eg Contact between children in OOHC and their birth families Research to Practice UpdatesResearch to Practice Updates Benefit Estimation Database launchedBenefit Estimation Database launched

Policy Initiatives Permanency Planning PolicyPermanency Planning Policy Contact PolicyContact Policy Restoration Decision-Making GuidelinesRestoration Decision-Making Guidelines Parenting Capacity AssessmentParenting Capacity Assessment Our Carers for Our Kids: updated training and assessment package for Aboriginal carersOur Carers for Our Kids: updated training and assessment package for Aboriginal carers

Practice changes: Permanency Planning Project Project goals: Increase capacity of practitioners to make earlier and better decisions about a child’s futureIncrease capacity of practitioners to make earlier and better decisions about a child’s future Decisions about restoration made within 6 months for children under 2 years, within 12 months for older childrenDecisions about restoration made within 6 months for children under 2 years, within 12 months for older children Link to evidence about attachment and placement stabilityLink to evidence about attachment and placement stability Range of permanency options considered, including restoration & adoptionRange of permanency options considered, including restoration & adoption Four stage rollout of the Project is underway with a focus on children 0-2 yearsFour stage rollout of the Project is underway with a focus on children 0-2 years Expansion to include older children and Aboriginal children being plannedExpansion to include older children and Aboriginal children being planned

Family Preservation Model: service elements Intensive support to family member/sIntensive support to family member/s Assistance managing challenging behavioursAssistance managing challenging behaviours Coordination of specialist assessmentsCoordination of specialist assessments Development of practical skills (e.g. budgeting)Development of practical skills (e.g. budgeting) Access to targeted brokerage fundsAccess to targeted brokerage funds Provide or coordinate access to group work and other activities promoting personal developmentProvide or coordinate access to group work and other activities promoting personal development Referral to less intensive intervention servicesReferral to less intensive intervention services

Family Preservation Model: service elements for 12 – 15 year olds Assist in developing living skillsAssist in developing living skills Assist with developing interpersonal skillsAssist with developing interpersonal skills Assist with access to suitable educational, training and/or pre-employment opportunitiesAssist with access to suitable educational, training and/or pre-employment opportunities Provide information, referrals and advocacyProvide information, referrals and advocacy Assist in developing a family reconnection plan to support positive re-integration over timeAssist in developing a family reconnection plan to support positive re-integration over time

Evaluation Ernst and Young have been engaged to conduct the OOHC program evaluationErnst and Young have been engaged to conduct the OOHC program evaluation A performance measure that will be tracked isA performance measure that will be tracked is ‘%of children in OOHC with a case plan goal of restoration who:‘%of children in OOHC with a case plan goal of restoration who: are restored to their parents within 12 months of entering careare restored to their parents within 12 months of entering care do not return to OOHC during the subsequent 12 months’do not return to OOHC during the subsequent 12 months’

Other initiatives Recruitment of additional 300 DoCS OOHC caseworkers to fill new positionsRecruitment of additional 300 DoCS OOHC caseworkers to fill new positions Participation in Children’s Guardian Accreditation and Quality improvement programParticipation in Children’s Guardian Accreditation and Quality improvement program Centralised foster carer recruitment and marketing campaign: 2,000 expressions of interest receivedCentralised foster carer recruitment and marketing campaign: 2,000 expressions of interest received

Restoration is an important strategy in the achievement of OOHC policy goals: To help parents regain care of their childrenTo help parents regain care of their children To provide care in a family-like environment for children who cannot live at homeTo provide care in a family-like environment for children who cannot live at home To maintain the existing ties that children and young people have with their families and communities.To maintain the existing ties that children and young people have with their families and communities.