What’s the “ Intense” in “ Intensive”?

What’s the “ Intense” in “ Intensive”? The experience of Barnardos Australia in establishing Redfern/Waterloo Intensive Family Support Service Presentation by Kathleen Clark and Deirdre Cheers Intensive Family Services - Fifth National Practice Symposium - Bondi Beach - 2004

FAMILY SUPPORT & BARNARDOS • Auburn 1974 • Penrith 1988 • A C T 1998 • South Coast 1999 • Orana Far West 2002 • Tasmania 2003 • Redfern/Waterloo 2003

FAMILY SUPPORT • 1974 - Homebuilders’ Program (US) • 1980’s - Growth and expansion of Barnardos’ Family Support and Temporary Family Care (TFC) programs • 1990 - Community Services Victoria (CSV, now DHS) establishes Families First Reference Group • 1992 - Intensive Family Based Services Innovations Conference, Sydney NSW

“CLASSIC” IFBS FEATURESBased on original US Homebuilders Model • Workers have social work or equivalent qualifications • Low caseloads (2 families per EFT worker) • Families have access to 24 hour support • High supervisor : worker ratio (typically 1 : 2)

“CLASSIC” IFBS FEATURES Cont’d • Referral criteria “imminent risk of placement in out-of-home care” • Only statutory referrals • Time limited duration of support available to families (4 - 12 weeks) • High level commitment to staff training and program evaluation

ANCILLARY FEATURES • Immediate intervention - families visited within 24 hours of referral - no waiting lists • Home-based intervention - not office based • Family focussed intervention • Case planning goals developed with families - not for them

ANCILLARY FEATURES Cont’d • Direct provision of material and practical assistance • Use of theory-based intervention “techniques” - RET, Systems Theory “tools” - crisis cards, strengths cards, signal exercises “tricks” - the teachable moment

LESSONS LEARNED • NSW Experience: Initial IFBS pilots Macarthur and Far North Coast (Report to Minister for Community Services from the IFBS Reference Group, January 1996) • Victoria: Initial Families First Pilot Implementation Evaluation 1993; Evaluation of Strengthening Families Initiative February 2001 • US Homebuilders: Ainsworth, F. “Family Presentation Services: A Cautionary Note”, CHILDREN AUSTRALIA, Vol 18, No 2, 1993

LESSONS LEARNED Cont’d • imprecise definitions of “imminent out-of-home care placement” • time frames • opportunities for change (crisis theory) • ability to provide individually tailored responses to families • importance of follow up in order to maximise short term gains • key importance of brokerage $$$

REDFERN/WATERLOO IFSS -MODELLING A NEW SERVICE • One part of a whole of government initiative, the Redfern/Waterloo Partnership Project (RWPP) • Broader social agenda - not just IFSS • Nature of Redfern/Waterloo (cultural diversity, number of agencies)

REDFERN/WATERLOO IFSS 2003 A service delivery model targeting vulnerable families via assertive outreach, intensive home visiting support, community outreach and interagency links/partnerships combined with flexible use of brokerage funds.

STAFF RECRUITMENT ISSUES • Program Manager leadership • Importance of diversity in professional and cultural backgrounds of staff

DEFINING ROLES -External Factors • Political agenda • Period of funding • Project brief • Many services in area • Historical/cultural factors

DEFINING ROLES -Internal Factors • Project Brief • Cultural Awareness • Diversity of Professional Backgrounds

TENSIONS AND PRESSURES • Whose agenda? • What does Intensive Family Support mean? • “Competing” with other agencies • Developing partnerships • Rumours and innuendo

TENSIONS AND PRESSURES Cont’d • Conflicting aspects of IFSS brief • Broad project goals • Two year timeframe • Staff retention

WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT • Intake • Case Management (SCARF) • Assertive Outreach • Brokerage • Interagency Meetings / Developing Partnerships

WHAT DOES CASE MANAGEMENT MEAN FOR FAMILIES? • Intensive home visiting • Practical in home support • Parent education • Relationship support • Substance abuse issue management • Life skills education • Counselling • Support for mental health issues • Respite care

WHAT DOES CASE MANAGEMENT MEAN FOR WORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES? • Calling and convening meetings for case planning/review • Always having families at meetings: sometimes a challenge! • Making sure agency roles and responsibilities are clear • Agreeing on timeframes and desired outcomes for interventions • Interagency meetings and joint planning

STATISTICS • 39 current families • 89 families assisted since July 2003 • 7 unallocated referrals • 205 children and their families attended Kids Speak since July 2003 • 50/50 client cultural split • multiple referral sources

EVALUATION • Premier’s Department • University of NSW • Human Services Review

What’s the “ Intense” in “ Intensive”?