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Brighter Futures

Brighter Futures. A presentation for services and community groups working with Aboriginal children, families and communities. What is this presentation about?. Provide information about Brighter Futures Look at what Brighter Futures can offer to Aboriginal families and communities. Apology.

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Brighter Futures

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  1. Brighter Futures A presentation for services and community groups working with Aboriginal children, families and communities

  2. What is this presentation about? Provide information about Brighter Futures Look at what Brighter Futures can offer to Aboriginal families and communities

  3. Apology We are deeply sorry for the pain and suffering separating children from their families has caused, and the Department’s involvement in these separations.As a department we have a significant role in protecting children and young people and we are committed to doing our very best to influence and improve the long-term outcomes for Aboriginal children in NSW. Jennifer Mason, Director-General Department of Community Services May 2008

  4. What is Brighter Futures? • early intervention program • voluntary participation • services & supports tailored to meet the needs of each family • focus on what’s good for children by supporting families • support provided early in a child’s life • aims to keep children out of the child protection system

  5. What is different about Brighter Futures? • Focuses on what parents themselves want to achieve for their children • Works ‘with’ parents and families, looking at family strengths not just needs • Supports parents to use their strengths to overcome their problems • Provides practical supports

  6. What is different about Brighter Futures? (cont) • Focus on delivering appropriate services to a diverse range of people in our community • Centrally coordinated service delivery • Learning and developing • Long term

  7. Why Early Intervention? • Research evidence of the benefits of early intervention is increasingly recognised • Increased demand for services in NSW – more families are needing more support • Cost effective

  8. Research evidence shows the benefits of early intervention • Builds on and reinforces family relationships • Increases resilience – the ability of families to adapt to meet new challenges in life • Promotes healthy child development • Prevents children from being abused and neglected • Breaks intergenerational cycles of disadvantage

  9. Increased demand for child protection services 29% increase in number of children involved in child protection reports since 2001/02 42.5% increase in number of reports of children under 12 months old 9% of children reported in 2005/06 were under 12 months old

  10. Information on Aboriginal children In 2006 4.09% of the population aged 0-14 in NSW identified as Aboriginal • One in five reports to DoCS involved an Aboriginal child or young person in 2004/05 • Over the past three years, almost 27% of all children and young people in OOHC were Aboriginal

  11. Cost benefits of early intervention • For every $1 invested in early intervention to help families with young children the savings on child protection, health, education and justice costs: • $4 within 3 years • $7 by the time children reach adulthood • up to $17 can be saved over a lifetime

  12. Who is Brighter Futures for – Case study Penny’s family

  13. Who is Brighter Futures for? Families with: • children 0-8 years • priority given to families with children under 3 years and AMIHS referred families Families experiencing a problem that, if not addressed, is likely to escalate and impact negatively on: • capacity to parent adequately and/or • the wellbeing of child/ren

  14. Who is Brighter Futures for – Family problems Families with problems around: • Domestic violence • Parental drug and alcohol issues • Parental mental health issues • Lack of extended family or social supports • Parents with significant learning difficulties • Child behaviour management problems • Lack of parenting skills/adequate supervision

  15. Families must be likely to require case management plus one or more of the following service types: home visiting and/or parenting groups and/or quality children’s services (child care) An intervention of approximately 2 years Who is Brighter Futures for – services needed

  16. How Brighter Futures works – Referral pathways Pathways into Brighter Futures • DoCS Helpline report • Community referral (through Lead Agency and partner agencies) • Direct referral by an Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Strategy (AMIHS) service provider

  17. How Brighter Futures works – Lead agencies and the community pathway • Direct referral of families to the local Lead Agency • Lead Agencies and community partner agencies provide Brighter Futures services • Aboriginal Lead Agencies and Aboriginal workers • Lead Agency case management places reserved for Aboriginal families

  18. How Brighter Futures Works – AMIHS pathway • Families referred directly to the EI Team in the local DoCS Community Service Centre • Priority of access to AMIHS referred families • Transitional period where both AMIHS and Brighter Futures workers involved with the family

  19. How Brighter Futures works – following referral DoCS determines whether families meet the criteria to be eligible for the program A Brighter Futures worker visits each eligible family and assesses the suitability of the program for the family If the program is suitable for the family, the family is then offered a place in Brighter Futures

  20. Brighter Futures provides: • Collaborative assessment of family’s needs & strengths to identify & support families to achieve their goals • Services & other supports to help parents to provide a safe environment and to help their children grow • case management home visiting parenting programs and quality child care services

  21. Services provided to Penny’s family • Parenting program • Child care and after school care • Nurse home visitor • Link-Up • Victims compensation • Counselling • Housing

  22. Outcomes of Penny’s family’s involvement in Brighter Futures • Penny and Harry are able to focus appropriately on their children’s needs and on their role as parents • Hailey now has a good sleeping routine • Bradley has stopped bed wetting and is less anxious • Sarah is now regularly attending school and Penny can better manage Sarah’s behaviour

  23. How can communities support Brighter Futures? Supporting the workers Encouraging families to participate and stay involved Advocating for and promoting the program Being a key contact in your organisation or area for workers from the program Working together with us

  24. Supporting Good Practice: Resources for Agencies Procedures, guidelines and tools on the internet • Brighter Futures Service Provision Guidelines • Brighter Futures Caseworker Manual • Practice resources to support caseworkers Communication resources • Fact sheets for families and agencies • DoCS website for the public • “Being a parent can be tough” brochure • Area specific Aboriginal Parenting Books

  25. Where to from here – working together Acknowledge the facts of the past Work together in the present Focus together on possibilities for the future

  26. Who to contact General information • Website: www.community.nsw.gov.au Specific / operational queries • DoCS Brighter Futures Policy: email EI Policy & Procedures at eipolproc@community.nsw.go.au

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