Queensland Context

2. “Coming together is a beginning, talking together is a process and working together is a success”Henry Ford

3. Queensland Context • 2002/2003 State Budget announced Future Directions initiative which focused on increased funding for prevention and early intervention – emphasis on reducing the number of families and children from reentering the Child Protection system • 12 month Trial Programs were funded to inform decisions about ‘best ‘ and ‘appropriate’ models for Queensland • Initiative included development of Non-Government Services Directorate – ‘a focal point for promoting partnerships across service delivery system’ – protocol development

4. Intensive Family Based Service • 12 month trial commenced in Anglicare agency in Caboolture and Redcliffe • 30 minutes north of Brisbane • traditionally low rental area • pockets of lower socio-economic families • poor social infrastructure ie public transport • little provision of welfare services • Anglicare TRACC Strengthening Families Program • Foster Care Program • Volunteers Family Support Program • 5 staff which increased to 12 once IFBS commenced

5. Definition of Collaborative Practice Collaborative simply means “working together” In Queensland – as a [developing] “partnership formation” p494; Walter and Petr.(2000)

6. Interagency Collaboration Has Been Characterized in Many Ways - • “As a Structure, as well as a process; as a process and attitude; and as a relationship involving formal andinformal components with varying emphases on either aspect”. P494; Walter and Petr (2000)

7. Shared Values Shared resources Shared evaluations Shared rewards Shared structures Shared Values Stakeholder involvement Shared authority Shared goals/tasks Shared responsibilities

8. Values that have been a part of our Trial Period: • Family Centred • Striving to be Transparent – promoting the use of clear and transparent processes in all contacts with families and with the sector. • A desire to be a Learning Organisation

9. Traditional beliefs Vs. Family Preservation Beliefs About Working With Families “When professionals view themselves as experts who know best, they perpetuate approaches in which [services] are applied to people, instead of developed in partnership with people”. Anderson p.492 (2000)

10. We believe: “We have a particular responsibility for developing conceptual models that promote non shaming and nonblaming ways of understanding problems and models that focus particular attention on family strengths, resources and wisdom”. p83 states, (Madsen 1999)

11. Goal setting is not to be anchored in following the workers “expertise”, but needs to be collaboratively developed with the client; utilising language and meaning of the client as well as their own beliefs as a foundation. • What are you like outside the influence of the problem that brought the notification? (David Epston (1996) – p209 Madsen 1999)

12. Action Learning Team • “learning as part of our normal way of doing business, part of our everyday practice – ‘real work in real time’ “ • “an Action Learning approach would be used in the planning, implementation and review of many of the Future Directions initiatives.”

13. Membership • Family Workers and Coordinator of IFBS • Manager TRACC Strengthening Families Service • Team Leaders of Initial Assessment Teams in 2 Area Offices of Department of Families • Central Office representative • Critical Friend (Worker who had previously managed an Intensive Family Based Service interstate)

14. THE ACTION LEARNING CYCLE

15. AN INVITATION Area Managers, Team leaders & Family Service Officers “Joint Workshop” between the Department of Families and TRACC Strengthening Families Program. The workshop will explore “The Intensive Family Based Service” * Lunch included * DATE: Thursday 19/12/02 TIME: 9am for 9:30am start WHERE: Deception Bay Neighbourhood Centre RSVP: On 5495 8718 We are looking forward to meeting with you.

16. It is essential that shared values are therefore operationalised in the way in which statutory and non statutory agencies work together – to become better in what they do. - The simple keys to establishing true collaboration with families and between agencies is by placing equal commitment to trust, time and resources by the involved stakeholders.

17. Report Writing and Recordkeeping File is open to the family/household members. • Contracts – Family Contract and Informed Consent & Department of Communities Contract. • Family is referred by the Dept of Communities • Protocols between agencies is explained and is set up through the consent of the family

18. Every File Consists Of: • Face Sheet • Casework notes, • Goals and Goal Worksheets • Reports – North Carolina Family Assessment Scale Closure Report SFS Reviews Family Meeting Records Case Discussion Records • Dept. of Communities Statistics: Initial Contact Form, Monthly, Closure form • SFS Intake and Referral Form (from Dept. of Communities) • SFS Family Contract and Department of Communities Contract • Expenses and Receipts

19. Files are written to primarily assist the family Outcome measures are explained: • Reviews, • Goal-setting, • 10 point scaling, • Closure report on work with the family, and • the NCFAS

20. The Closure Report • The Closure Report - Written with the participation of the client/family - Not a clinical assessment report - Collaborative report on work with family • The North Carolina Assessment Scale - Can provide clarification on child protection issues and can assist with working together on collaborative solutions - helps to formulate recommendations for the family in the Closure Report

21. Interagency and inter-professional collaboration, co-ordination and communication has been well documented as having the potential to enhance or undermine child protection

22. If we truly commit to working collaboratively with families then we need to exercise collaborative practices at all levels organizationally and throughout the sector