1. Non-engagement in Integrated Family Services

3. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 3 Why is tackling non-engagement important?  Families who do not engage with services are often the ones most needing support.  Issues may deteriorate further if not addressed.  Early engagement benefits vulnerable children. G

4. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 4 Previous Research  Very little has been undertaken.  The little research available has been focused on mental health and substance abuse.  Further research was required to uncover issues relating to Family Services. G

5. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 5 Objectives  Discover why clients disengage from Family Services and isolate similarities or patterns.  Create a tool to guide case workers to applicable alternative practices.  Create a tool for feedback from non-engaged clients.  Review current practice in line with new findings. G

6. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 6 Methods  15 months’ worth of Windermere’s non-engaged cases were compared to an engaged control group.  Information was collected via client files, feedback forms and telephone surveys.  Data was categorised into subgroups based on issues faced and demographics. K

7. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 7 Results – issues The non-engaged group vs. engaged group was:  2x as likely to have learning difficulties in the family  3x more likely to be living in a neglected environment  2x less likely to have issues surrounding children’s behaviour, school absenteeism, social isolation and severe financial distress K

8. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 8 Results – demographics The non-engaged group vs. engaged group was:  significantly younger; the mode for non-engaged is 33 years old while engaged clients’ mode is 45 years old  >4x less likely to self-refer  >3x more likely to have been referred by Child Protection/Department of Human Services (DHS)  nearly 2.5x more likely to be from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background K

9. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 9 Tool #1 Worker completes  The tool, completed by a worker, identifies a client’s specific area of non-engagement.  The objective is to assist workers by creating practice guidelines tailored to specific outcomes.  The tool assesses client: availability level of active participation ability to seek help ability to stay on track K

10. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 10 Tool #2 Client completes A second tool was created to collect feedback from non- engaged clients and is administered by a third party.  This tool questions whether it was an  assumption of service inadequacy  no longer requiring the service  external reasons  lack of motivation  or other factors that hindered engagement.  Responses would assist effective change. K

11. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 11 Wait-list  Nearly 50% of non-engaged cases disengaged while in holding between the intake agency (who takes the referral details) and Windermere’s Family Services team. G

12. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 12 Wait-list “I wanted help straight away. Instead, I had to go to the doctor then wait for a nurse to do a care-plan. After that I had to see an assessor before joining the waiting list for a case worker. By then I had pretty much lost any desire to change. When the case worker finally called I told her I wasn’t interested anymore...” G

13. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 13 Wait-list  To combat wait-list disengagement, Windermere plans to pilot a short-term variation of case management for clients with basic, lower-risk needs.  The aim of this pilot is to decrease waiting times and provide lower-risk clients with timely and effective service. G

14. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 14 Recommendations  Implement the tools devised.  Continue to strengthen bonds with Child Protection and work together on improving referral processes.  Ongoing research to enhance applicability of services to CALD and Indigenous families.  Trial different models of care. G

15. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 15 Progress  New-hires are forming a multi-disciplinary team to provide a more holistic and flexible service.  A current Communities for Children Plus program in a family hub form has provided learnings for Family Services’ delivery.  A short-term case management pilot plan has been drafted in response to initial consultations with relevant services. G

16. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 16 Conclusion  It is important to address the timeliness in which families receive services.  Investigating reasons for non-engagement benefits organisations by encouraging active and positive service improvement.  Finding solutions to enhance the chances of ‘hard to reach’ families interacting with human services will give children in these families a chance to thrive. K

17. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 17 References Coulson C, Ng F, Geertsema M, Dodd S, Berk M (2009) Client-reported reasons for non-engagement in drug and alcohol treatment Drug Alcohol Review 28 (4): 372–378 Holzer P & Bromfield L (2010) Australian Legal Definitions: When is a child in need of protection? National Child Protection Clearinghouse, AIFS McDonald M (2010) Are disadvantaged families ‘hard to reach’? Communities and Families Clearinghouse, AIFS Tait L, Birchwood M, Trower P (2002) A new scale (SES) to measure engagement with community mental health services Journal of Mental Health 11 (2): 191-198

18. Copyright Windermere Child and Family Services - Phone +613 9705 3200 Page 18 Contact details Please visit Windermere’s website to view the full report http://windermere.org.au/news-events/research-reports Lisa Gort lisa.gort@windermere.org.au Leanne Kelly leanne.kelly@windermere.org.au