‘it takes a village..’ Innovative, early intervention cross sector collaboration.

1. ‘it takes a village..’Innovative, early intervention cross sector collaboration. Kerry Thomas Gateway Family Services Blue Mountains, NSW

2. Background • Local Answers funding stream- FAHCSIA • Early Intervention focus • Innovation & Research

3. The Evidence.. 1. The quality of Children’s relationships with their parents and caregivers plays a vital role in their development and well-being. Research indicates that Early Childhood Education plays a significant role in providing caring and stimulating environments for young children. In addition, Early Childhood Services play a significant support and information role for parents of young children. Nepean Families First Network Report “Understanding Needs of Parents and Carers” 2002

4. 2. Early experience is all about relationships. ¨ Nurturing & responsive relationships build healthy brains. ¨ It is the relationship that the young child has with their caregiver(s) that literally sculpts the brain and determines future development ¨ When protective relationships are not provided for children, this can interfere with their social, emotional and cognitive development. ¨ When children are provided with loving & caring experiences the connections in the brain for feeling good and learning are strengthened. Professor Frank Oberklaid, Director, Centre for Community Child Health Early Brain Development: Implications for community development work with families The Australian Childhood Foundation

5. 3. What Directors and workers in early childhood services told us about their interactions with parents and children.

6. Whatwe did.. ‘it takes a village’ provides a workable model that: • builds the capacity of workers in early childhood services to recognize and respond more effectively to the needs of vulnerable children & families. • promotes an efficient & personalized interface between Families, Early Childhood Services, Health & Community Services • facilitates a smooth entry to the range of services in the community that provide extra, specialized support for vulnerable children and families

7. How did we do this • Step 1 Talk to early childhood services • Step 2 Spend a quality amount of time with Early Childhood services • Step 3 Partner with early childhood services • Step 4 Plan with Early childhood services

8. Recognizing the strengths of each sector

9. Time Community Strengths Social justice Professional Development Sharing skills & resources Links with community Listening Time Responding to needs Advocacy Creating networks Teaching Listening Skills Hugs It takes a village Early Childhood Centre Strengths Having fun time Healthy food Practice wisdom Safety Playing games Positive relationships with children & parents Comfort Family Strengths Boundaries Trust Safety Praise Sharing stories Love

10. ITAV builds ‘Villages of Care’ And no villages looked exactly the same..

11. Family Support Services DoCS Brighter Futures Early Intervention Program • Emergency Relief • Financial • Assistance ‘it takes a village’ • On site staff training • Referrals • Parent groups • Staff & parent information evenings Generalist Family Support Work • On-site • counselling & support • Mentoring • Information • Professional Development Families ‘Jigsaw” Kids Counselling Early Childhood Services • Worker “drop-in” visits at children’s services • “Kids Skills” workshops • Parents newsletter Family Links Project Parent Groups/Workshops Mobile Hub Project Early Intervention Family Support Work Project

12. New resources • Noticing Change in Children • Good Starts Can Last a Lifetime

13. Outcomes • Significant in the skills and confidence of EC workers in noticing and responding to vulnerable children and their families • in workers understanding of the local service network and how to access it • in parents accessing parenting support and allied services

14. What Changed for workers • 80% of staff reported a significant increase in confidence and esteem in approaching parents about issues relating to their child • 100%of staff reported improved access to professional development opportunities and learning • 70%of staff reported increased access to and knowledge of referral pathways for vulnerable families • 75%reported increased access to other health and community services.

15. this project provided affordable and accessible training to staff at convenient times and locations. Staff and families know that helpful advice and support is only a phone call away” (OOSH Director) • ‘”TAV has given us a support service and worker to call upon; a person whom we know and trust, who can support us in our work with vulnerable families.” (Pre School Director)

16. Critical factors to success • Solid research base leading to reasonable hypothesis of what could work • Action Research • Knowledge of the local service sector • Respect for the skills of EC sector • Understanding of & respect for the constraints facing the EC sector • Building relationships of trust with EC workers • Continually reviewing project outcomes & achievements • Adapting practice

17. Broad application... • for collaborative partnerships in early intervention • to early childhood sector • to early school years sector

18. Beyond the pilot • Testing transferability of model • Embedding Noticing Change in Children modules in EC training