Child FIRST

1. Child FIRST Child & Family Information Referral Support Team 4 Child FIRST Alliances in the North West Catchment area.

2. Catchment Within N&WRegion

3. Role of Hume Moreland Child FIRST • HM Child FIRST is the central and coordinated intake service for Family Services (DHS funded Family Services program) • Provides Information & advice & initial screening • Receives referrals from Child Protection, professionals, family & friends • Undertakes Initial Assessment to assess level of vulnerability of children and young people & makes a decision about appropriateness for Family Services • Facilitates referrals to other appropriate services

4. Partner Agencies • Registered child and family Services agencies • Kildonan UnitingCare (Facilitating partner) • Anglicare Hume Moreland • UnitingCare Sunshine and Broadmeadows • Merri Community Health Services • Sunbury Community Health Centre • Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) • Other organisations • Department Human Services (Child Protection, Family Services) • Dianella Community Health Centre • Moreland City Council • Hume City Council

5. Vulnerability Factors Level of Basic Care being received Presence of instability Evidence of developmental delay & high needs in children/young people (related to previous present traumatic events/family circumstances & challenging behaviours) Nature of parent/carer capacity to care for children/young people & the extent to which these affect parent’s capacity to act protectively Nature of child-parent relationship Level of social connectedness (level social isolation/lack of support): Evidence of previous reluctance to engage with support services & lack of capacity/motivation to make positive changes as an indicator of potential for cumulative harm – leading to the need for heightened vigilance Anticipated escalation of needs & impacts on children’s wellbeing without timely intervention of service response within casework framework How age stage gender and culture affects impacts of vulnerability in each of the above areas.

6. Community Based Child Protection Workers • Available to support and resource the DHS Funded Family Services sector (HMIFS/HM Child FIRST) • 2 X Full Time CBCPWs • Based part time in the HMIFS agencies and part time at DHS • Collaborative partnership to support vulnerable families • Provide consultation and advice to Child FIRST staff and Local Intake staff, active holding workers & Case Managers • Facilitate Referrals from Child Protection to Child FIRST • Facilitate reports to Child Protection from Child FIRST/Family Services • Facilitate and support the engagement of families known to Child Protection with Family Services • Participation in Community education activities

8. Consent • HM Child FIRST & Family Services embrace good practice information sharing principles for referrals and service provision in accordance with Privacy Act 2000 & CYFA 2005 • The family’s awareness of the referral is highly desirable • The family’s agreement to participate in a service response is essential (active holding & casework) • HM Child FIRST/Family Services embrace a commitment to proactively engage families

9. Making A Referral • Contact the Families Local Child FIRST Intake • Be clear about what your concerns are • What is the impact on the child’s safety, stability and development (refer Vulnerability framework) • What do you want Family Services to do

10. What Happens Next Once CF assessment complete, Weekly Allocation meetings take Place (WAM) Family is allocated to one of the family services agencies in the alliance and a case manager is assigned. Family are contacted and H/V set up

11. What Family Services Do Assist families to develop practical skills in caring for their children. Provide linkages and advocacy to access complementary services in the community such as : family counselling, education support, Mental health services, Medical services etc. Working collaboratively with the family and professionals to provide a care plan.

12. Child Protection If required we have the resource of CBCP where there appear to be significant concerns for the well-being of the families we work with. If CP are already involved we collaboratively work on a care plan to support families.