Keep Them Safe. September October Regional Engagement Tour. Crown Copyright 2009 Department of Premier and Cabinet ISBN

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2 Contents 1. Acknowledgements Background Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW The Keep Them Safe Reforms and Keep Them Safe Action Plan Keep Them Safe Budget Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour Project Forum Dates and Venues The Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour Target audience for the forums Overall aims of the forums Location selection The Forums Media Stakeholders Participation By Forum and Sector Attendance by Agency, per Forum Feedback from the Forums Evaluation completion How valuable was the forum for you in your role implementing Keep Them Safe in your agency? In what way was the forum valuable for you in your role implementing KTS in your agency? How could the forum have been improved in providing you with relevant information about Keep Them Safe reforms? What will these reforms mean that your organisation needs to do at a regional/local level to improve outcomes for children, young people and families? Is there any other information that would support you in understanding and implementing Keep Them Safe reforms? Please rank the topics in order of importance and identify your preferred contact method Would you like to share any other comments or feedback about the forum? Issues raised in forum discussion Data tables Conclusion and Future Directions Appendix Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour Information Pack Fact Sheets Media Releases for Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour ACWA s Record of Topics raised during the Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour Narrative from Evaluation Surveys Comments from Julie McCrossin... 63

3 1. Acknowledgements The success of the Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour stemmed from the work and commitment of many. We deeply value the support, assistance, vision and enthusiasm of the following: Ministers on the Leader Panel The Hon. Linda Burney, Minister for Community Services, Minister for Women The Hon. Graham West, Minister for Juvenile Justice, Minister for Volunteering, Minister for Youth, Minister Assisting the Premier on Veteran's Affairs Leader Panel Bill Pritchard, Executive Officer, Aboriginal Child, Family and Community Care Secretariat Andrew McCallum, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies Alison Peters, Director, NSW Council of Social Services Dev Mukherjee, Senior Policy Officer, NSW Council of Social Services Jennifer Mason, Director General, Department of Human Services Annette Gallard, Chief Executive, Community Services Expert Panel Roderick Best, Acting Executive Director Accountability & Review, Community Services Anne Campbell, Director KTS Implementation Unit, Department of Premier and Cabinet Terry Clout, Chief Executive Officer, South East Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service Janet Dawson, Manager Policy, KTS Implementation Unit, Department of Premier and Cabinet Peter De Natris, Executive Director, Community Access, Department of Human Services Ageing Disability and Home Care Maureen Eagles, Director of Children and Youth Services, CatholicCare Sydney Liane Flynn, Acting Director Practice Standards, Community Services Helen Freeland, Acting Head of Operations Division, Community Services Melissa Gibson, Director Policy and Partnerships, Housing NSW Susan Heyman, Area Manager - Violence Prevention & Care, Hunter New England Health Service Steve Larkins, General Manager, Hunter Aboriginal Children s Services Suellen Lembke, Director Programs, Department of Human Services, Juvenile Justice Cathrine Lynch, Director, Primary Health and Community Partnerships, NSW Health David McKie, Director Student Welfare, Department of Education and Training Cath Mullane, Manager Operational Interface, Community Services Nada Nasser, Manager Product Strategy and Development, Housing NSW Jane Thorpe, Director Employee Performance and Conduct, Department of Education and Training Janet Vickers, Regional Director, Hunter/Central Coast, Community Services Maree Walk, General Manager of Operations, The Benevolent Society Michael Waterhouse, Director of Legal Services, Department of Education and Training Sarah Williams, Keep Them Safe Coordinator, Department of Premier and Cabinet Jane Woodruff, Chief Executive Officer, Uniting Care Burnside Facilitator Julie McCrossin Project Coordinator Katerina Lecchi, Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies Thank you to the following Traditional Owners for welcoming us to their country: Allen Madden - Sydney Forum Phyllis Darcy - Newcastle Forum Uncle Barry Hoskins - Coffs Harbour Forum Richard Davis - Wollongong Forum Louise Brown - Queanbeyan Forum Darryl Wright - Campbelltown Forum Bruce Dennison - Armidale Forum Brad Delaney - Penrith Forum Carol Kickit - Broken Hill Forum Isabel Reid - Wagga Wagga Forum 3

4 Thank you to the following individuals and organisations that helped with the logistics of the tour: ACWA Policy Team - Sylvia Ghaly, Manager Policy and Membership - Enis Jusufspahic, Policy/Project Officer - Libby McCalman, Communications Officer - Veronica Olson, Membership Support Officer - Pamela Peters, Student - Lo-Shu Wen, Policy Officer Aboriginal Child, Family and Community Care State Secretariat - Bill Pritchard, Executive Officer Department of Premier and Cabinet - Anne Campbell, Director KTS Implementation Unit - Janet Dawson, Manager Policy, KTS Implementation Unit - Sarah Williams, Keep Them Safe Coordinator Newcastle - Newcastle City Council - Steve Larkins, Coordinator, Hunter Aboriginal Children s Services Coffs Harbour - Coffs Harbour City Council - Gary Matthews Wollongong - Tina McGhie, Coordinator, Myimbarr Aboriginal Family Support Service - Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation - Villa Doro Function Centre Queanbeyan - Queanbeyan City Council Campbelltown - Campellltown City Council Armidale - Alan Brennan, Manager, Armidale Youth Refuge Dubbo - Donna Shadwell, Regional Officer - Dubbo, Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies Broken Hill - Broken Hill Community Inc Wagga Wagga - Virginia Fitzgerald, Regional Officer - Wagga Wagga, Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies Special acknowledgement We extend our special thanks to Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour Project Coordinator Katerina Lecchi and Facilitator Julie McCrossin, whose commitment, energy and enthusiasm ensured the success of the Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour. 4

5 2. Background 2.1 Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW The Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in New South Wales was established on 14 November The New South Wales Governor commissioned the Hon James Wood AO QC to conduct an inquiry to determine what changes within the child protection system are required to cope with future levels of demand once the current reforms to that system are completed. The Report of the Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW was provided to the Governor on 24 November 2008 and was released by the Government on the same day. 2.2 The Keep Them Safe Reforms and Keep Them Safe Action Plan In response to the Wood Report, the NSW Government released a five year Action Plan, on 3 March Keep Them Safe: A shared approach to child wellbeing aims to re-shape the way family and community services are delivered in NSW so that children, young people and their families receive the services they need, sooner. In particular, Keep Them Safe includes actions to: enhance the universal service system and early intervention services, better protect children at risk, support Aboriginal children and families, and strengthen partnership with non government organisations (NGOs) in delivering community services. 2.3 Keep Them Safe Budget Stage One Investment On 3 March 2009, the NSW Government released Keep Them Safe: A shared approach to child wellbeing, with a Stage One investment of $230 million to fund the reforms. Over $100 million of the Stage One investment is to be allocated to the non-government sector. The Stage One investment includes investments over the next five years: $31 million for an expansion of the Brighter Futures program; $27 million for Family Preservation Services; More than $10 million to fund additional Home School Liaison Officers and Out Of Home Care Coordinators for Department of Education and Training; More than $7 million for Aboriginal caseworkers and involving the Aboriginal community in child protection decision making; and $10 million for specialist nurses to provide support at home for vulnerable mothers who are pregnant or have babies or very young children /10 NSW Budget On 16 June 2009, the NSW Government announced a further investment of $520 million, to bring the total Keep Them Safe investment to $750 million over five years. Over 40 per cent of the investment is to be allocated to the non-government sector. Investment additional to Stage 1 includes: $132 million over four years to provide more places for children in out-of-home care; $23.5 million over four years to establish Family Referral Services; $12 million over four years for intensive help for Aboriginal families where children are at risk of serious harm; $14 million over four years for services to support children who have parents with a mental illness; $8 million over four years for children and young people who are at risk because of their parents drug or alcohol abuse; $4 million over four years for Family Case Management; $28 million over four years for a range of other evidence based prevention and early intervention services, such as family support services and sustained health home visiting. 2.4 Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour Project The Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour was a key component of the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet s (DPC) Keep Them Safe Communications Strategy. The initiative was the outcome of advice from the strategic advisory firm Bendelta, which consulted widely with stakeholders in development of the strategy. As part of the communication strategy developed by Bendelta to implement Keep Them Safe, the Department of Premier and Cabinet contracted ACWA to coordinate a six-week regional engagement tour. The organisation appointed a Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour Project Co-ordinator, Katerina Lecchi, for a three-month contract period. In addition, ACWA secured the services of Julie McCrossin as Facilitator of the 11 forums which formed the basis of the tour. 5

6 2.5 Forum Dates and Venues keep them safe Regional Engagement Tour Senior management from government and non-government human service agencies, including health, police and education, are invited to participate in a dialogue about the Keep Them Safe action plan. A series of forums is being held around the state to discuss the impact of the reforms on mandatory reporters, their agencies and communities. Forum Dates This is your opportunity to have your say Facilitated by Julie McCrossin Sept 4 Sydney Wesley Conference Centre 220 Pitt Street, CBD Sept 11 Newcastle Hunter Room, Newcastle City Hall 290 King Street Sept 18 Coffs Harbour Cavanbah Centre 191 Harbour Drive Sept 25 Wollongong Villa Doro Function Centre 9-41 Flinders Street Sept 28 Queanbeyan Queanbeyan Conference Centre 253 Crawford Street Sept 30 Campbelltown Campbelltown Civic Centre 91 Queen Street Oct 2 Armidale Armidale Ex Services Memorial Club 137 Dumaresq Street Oct 6 Penrith Penrith Panthers Cnr Mulgoa & Jamison Road Oct 12 Dubbo Cattleman s Country Motor Inn 8 Whylandra Street Oct 13 Broken Hill Broken Hill Community Inc 200 Beryl Street Oct 16 Wagga Wagga Carriage House Motor Inn Cnr of Sturt Highway & Eunony Bridge Road 1.30pm pm 12.30pm pm 1.00pm pm 11.00am pm 1.00pm pm 1.00pm pm 1.00pm pm 1.00pm pm 1.00pm pm 9.00am pm 11.00am pm RSVP: Enquiries: Katerina Lecchi kts@acwa.asn.au 6

7 3. The Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour 3.1 Target Audience for the Forums The forums were designed for senior managers in the government and non-government sectors who will be responsible for leading and implementing the five-year reform program in the child protection sector in NSW. 3.2 Overall Aims of the Forums To provide an up-to-date, interactive briefing on the latest planning and implementation of the Keep Them Safe reforms. To encourage senior managers to become positive change agents and to contribute their expertise to the implementation of the reforms. To promote the state-wide training, information and communication strategies that will support the structural and behavioural changes that are necessary. To provide an opportunity for questions and discussion about the change management process and the role of senior managers in promoting the new culture of shared responsibility. 3.3 Location selection As part of the Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour, forums were held in the following 11 locations: Sydney (Metro Central), Campbelltown (Metro South West), Penrith (Metro West), Newcastle (Hunter/Central Coast), Armidale (North West), Coffs Harbour (Mid North Coast), Wollongong (South Coast), Queanbeyan (South East ), Dubbo (Central West), Wagga Wagga (South West) and Broken Hill (Far West). These sites were selected because of their geographical capacity to draw and engage region-wide audiences, therefore ensuring strong coverage for agencies and organisations operating in those areas. In addition, many of these locations had previously been visited by the Wood Inquiry during a series of public forums held between February and May Sydney Forum: Maree Walk, Benevolent Society; David McKai, Dept Education and Training; Rod Best, Community Services (left to right) Queanbeyan Forum: Andrew McCallum, Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies Sydney Forum 7

8 4. The Forums 4.1 Media ACWA worked in close partnership with the Office of the NSW Minister for Community Services to manage the media strategy surrounding the Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour. The forums attracted extensive print, radio and television media coverage, particularly in regional areas. The centrepiece of the strategy was a joint media release (see Appendix 8.2), produced by ACWA in consultation with the Minister s Office. The media release was adapted according to the location of each of the 11 forums and distributed to print, radio and television media outlets in the target areas prior to the event. Media representatives were given the opportunity to attend the forum venue 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the program to interview key Government and non-government participants. In line with Ministerial protocol, the Minister s Office was responsible for distributing the media releases relating to the five forums attended by Minister Burney, while ACWA was responsible for distributing media releases to the other six forum locations. 4.2 Stakeholders The forums brought together many different stakeholders from both Government and non-government agencies. It provided a unique opportunity for these agencies to be together at the same place and at the same time. This enabled the agencies to start forging stronger working relationships through discussion and a mutual understanding of each others role in their shared responsibility for child wellbeing. The Department of Premier and Cabinet played a pivotal role in coordinating the various Government stakeholders to be a part of the expert panel, and they disseminated information about the forums to senior managers in those Government agencies. This ensured that there was a broad and balanced representation from Government stakeholders in the spirit of shared responsibility. The stakeholders included: Department of Premier and Cabinet Department of Human Services - Community Services - Juvenile Justice - Ageing, Disability and Home Care - Housing NSW - Aboriginal Affairs NSW Police Force NSW Health Department of Education and Training Department of Justice and Attorney General Non-Government services Local Government services Catholic and Independent schools Childcare providers / early childhood services Sydney Forum: Hon. Minister Linda Burney Sydney Forum 8

9 5 Participation The forums were attended widely, with a total of 1,444 confirmed participants across the 11 forums. Of that figure, 58% were participants representing NSW Government agencies, and 37% were participants representing non-government organisations. In the non-government sample, 6% of these participants were from an Aboriginal-specific non-government organisation. 5.1 Total Attendance by Forum and Sector; Registered versus Attended Table 1 NGO State Government Other Sydney Registered TOTAL Attended Newcastle Registered Attended Coffs Harbour Registered Attended Wollongong Registered Attended Queanbeyan Registered Attended Campbelltown Registered Attended Armidale Registered Attended Penrith Registered Attended Dubbo Registered Attended Broken Hill Registered Attended Wagga Wagga Registered Attended Grand Totals ATTENDED

10 5.2 Attendance by Agency, per Forum Table 2 Sydney 04/09/09 Newcastle 11/09/09 Coffs Harbour 18/09/09 Wollongong 25/09/09 Queanbeyan 28/09/09 Campbelltown 30/09/09 AGENCY NGO Federation of Parents & Citizens Non-Govt.Schools Aboriginal NGO NGO Total NGO State Government Aboriginal Affairs Ageing Disability and Home Care Attorney-General Children's Guardian Community Services Commission for Children and Young People Correction Services Education and Training Fire Brigade Health Housing Juvenile Justice Ombudsman's Office Police Premier & Cabinet Other Total State Government Other Tertiary Education Local Govt Centrelink FAHCSIA Total Other GRAND TOTALS

11 Table 2 (cont.) Armidale 02/10/09 Penrith 06/10/09 Dubbo 12/10/09 Broken Hill 13/10/09 Wagga Wagga 16/10/09 AGENCY NGO Federation of Parents & Citizens Non-Govt.Schools Aboriginal NGO NGO Total NGO State Government Aboriginal Affairs Ageing Disability and Home Care Attorney-General Children's Guardian Community Services Commission for Children and Young People Correction Services Education and Training Fire Brigade Health Housing Juvenile Justice Ombudsman's Office Police Premier & Cabinet Other Total State Government Other Tertiary Education Local Govt Centrelink FAHCSIA Total Other GRAND TOTALS

12 6. Feedback from the Forums Forum participants were encouraged to provide feedback by filling out Participation Evaluation Forms contained within the Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour information packs, handed out to participants at each location. The outcome was extremely positive, with more than a 50% response rate achieved in each forum and 65% overall. The vast majority indicated that the forums had proved useful in promoting a clearer understanding of the Keep Them Safe reforms. 6.1 Evaluation completion Table 3 Attended Evaluations Received Percentage (%) Sydney Newcastle Coffs Harbour Wollongong Queanbeyan Campbelltown Armidale Penrith Dubbo Broken Hill Wagga Wagga TOTALS How valuable was the forum for you in your role implementing Keep Them Safe in your agency? 61% of respondents nominated that the forum was very valuable or valuable. 23% nominated that the forum was average or of neutral value to them. Less than 9% nominated that the forum was of little value. 6.3 In what ways was the forum valuable for you in your role implementing Keep Them Safe in your agency? Over 51% found valuable the provision of information in the forum. Being new to Human Services, I found the discussion invaluable. (Dubbo)... clarified what Keep Them Safe is about - providing information packs so that I can go back and start to educate my team. (Penrith) 13% stated that they appreciated the partnership building approach of the forum and the interactive component.... open healthy discussion with Government and Non-Government bodies and Minister Burney being present and answering questions. (Penrith) 6% specified that it was valuable for them to hear about how the changes would affect their role or their agency....clarifying reforms, responsibilities and processes. (Sydney) 4% felt that there was a need to have more information and details than what the forum was able to provide. Clarified the gaps that still exist. (Wollongong) 4% found it valuable to learn about the Child Wellbeing Unit and Family Referral Services, and what the roles of these entities. I gained a better understanding of my department s role in participating in a CWU. (Penrith) 6.4 How could the forum have been improved in providing you with relevant information about Keep Them Safe reforms? 35% wanted more details and specifics about how Child Wellbeing Units and Family Referral Services would function and work with other services. Also included in this group were people that wanted to know more about details of where funding is going to be allocated to. More detailed info re: Wellbeing Units and Family Referral Services, including timelines for establishment. (Newcastle) 12

13 28% expressed satisfaction with the forum and the level of detail of the information provided. These people did not feel that the forum could be further improved on. A good first step. (Penrith) It was run very well. The panels plus question and answer time was very useful/informative. (Campbelltown) 13% would have liked there to be more case studies and practical examples of how the new system would work on the ground, particularly how it would impact them in their agency context. More practical discussion in managing families in this new model. (Campbelltown) 7% felt that they came away with more questions than they had questions answered. These people thought that there were still many facets of the reform that were still being worked through. This raises anxieties rather than engendering the faith - the gap is where it is not worked out. (Sydney) 6% thought that the forum could have been further enhanced if the materials and handouts were provided prior to the forum so that they could come to the forum prepared, having done some reading and hence would be able to engage in the discussion more. I think that pre-reading is very useful and allows for an initial understanding and then we only need to focus on the bits that present [as] issues. (Campbelltown) 6.5 What will these reforms mean that your organisation needs to do at a regional/local level to improve outcomes for children, young people and families? 34% commented that their organisation would need to strengthen their interagency partnerships. Some provided examples such as attendance and engaging in interagency meetings. In this same context, some commented that the reforms would require them to work out processes on how their agency would work with others KTS is all about relationship building and making a significant change to culture and working relationships. (Queanbeyan) 28% commented on the need to train their staff. This included: relaying information back to their staff members, making sure they attended the mandatory reporter briefings, or developing in-house training. All staff will need to be trained. A process will need to be implemented for reporting. (Campbelltown) 16% highlighted the need to review the policies and procedures of their organisation. Ensure that policies in place within organisation around data/info collection and sharing of info meets new framework. (Wollongong) 5% felt that the new reforms meant that they would need to rethink how their agency went about their job, with the need to redistribute their resources in order to meet the shared responsibility principle. Having a greater workload minus the funding to employ more staff. (Sydney) 5% reported that they would need to build capacity in their organisation to accommodate the new role through employing additional staff. 6.6 Is there any other information that would support you in understanding and implementing Keep Them Safe reforms? Although funding and resources are not information, 23% highlighted the need for additional funding and resources to meet the increased demands placed on their agency under the new system. Some in this category also highlighted the need for existing funding bodies to be flexible so to allow the agency to meet their shared responsibility. We need more frontline services. Please consider increased funding. (Newcastle) Our funding bodies will need to ensure our contracts are updated to allow us to do these. (Wagga Wagga) 13% commented on the need for more information on training. This referred to both i) more information on the mandatory reporter briefing sessions; and the need ii) for information on other training that will enable them to work under and understand the new systems. Must have community-based training to improve collaborative work between agencies. (Queanbeyan) 13% emphasised the need to be provided with up-to-date information as new services and policies are phased in under the reform. Being updated with information. (Wollongong) 11% wanted more information on how the information exchange provision would work and how best to integrate this into their organisation s existing policies and partnerships. More consideration needs to be given to protocols for information exchange particularly when agencies are requesting info from agencies. (Newcastle) 9% wanted more information on the Mandatory Reporter Guidance tool. Some respondents commented that having this tool at the forum would have been helpful. 9% wanted more information on Family Case Management and Family Referral Services. This was particularly evident in forum locations where these services would be piloted. Like more info on Family Case Management as it is in our area. (Queanbeyan) 13

14 6.7 Please rank the topics in order of importance and identify your preferred contact method Mandatory Reporter Guidance Highly rated as an important topic. Dissemination preferred by initially. High preference for workshops. Also high preference for hard copy compared to other topics. Legislative Changes Highly rated as an important topic. Primary preferred information format was . Also high preference for hard copy compared to other topics. Interagency Collaboration Next in order of highly rated topics. Primary preference of information was via . Respondents indicated strongly that they would like workshops on this. This was followed by the following topics closely grouped together: New Services The Threshold Information Exchange Child Wellbeing Units Regional Intake and Referral Services Primary preferred method of contact for these topics was by , and then web and workshops, with little difference between the two. In fewer instances there was a preference for hardcopy. 6.8 Would you like to share any other comments or feedback about the forum? This was a broad and open-ended question that attracted a wide range of final remarks from respondents. Over 43% had positive remarks about the forum. This included general thank-you s, comments on the positive discussion, learning that took place, positive comments on the panel, facilitator and running of the forum. welcome opportunity to learn and share and to hear from the Minister and other key players. (Penrith) 15% remarked on the need for more funding and resourcing to ensure that the reforms are successful. This particularly focused on the need for existing services to be resourced adequately to meet the increased demand. Needs long term commitment from community and Government. (Sydney) 7% commented on the need for a Child Wellbeing Unit for the non-government sector. This encompassed children s services (child care, early childhood), independent/catholic schools, NG services and GPs. Even 8% would justify a Child Wellbeing Unit for NGO/Catholic/Private schools. (Campbelltown) 3% emphasised the need for the general public and community to be informed of the changes. This would include information on what now happens to their reports to the Helpline. Even though Keep Them Safe - mandatory reporter - let s get the info out to the community. Shared responsibility - public should be informed. (Wollongong) 6.9 Issues Raised in Forum Discussion Increasing the capacity of support services on the ground (including investing in fostering partnerships). Supporting non-government mandatory reporters in relation to cases that do not meet the threshold of significant harm. Sharing a common IT System/Database to enable information exchange and track cumulative harm and neglect. Identifying gaps in services (including services to 9-12 and 14-16yo). Consider homelessness and domestic violence as triggers for significant harm. Seeking the support of the opposition and a bi-partisan agreement. Communicating with the wider community. 14

15 6.10 Data Tables Table 4 Q1. How valuable was the forum for you in your role implementing Keep Them Safe in your agency? Scale of 1-5: 1= Very Valuable, 5= Of Little Value Not Entered Total Responses Sydney 45 25% 60 33% 43 24% 20 11% 0 0% 9 5% 177 Newcastle 19 23% 31 32% 18 22% 2 2% 0 0% 11 13% 81 Coffs Harbour 15 20% 21 28% 20 27% 5 6% 1 1% 12 16% 74 Wollongong 35 33% 33 31% 25 24% 7 6% 0 0% 4 3% 104 Queanbeyan 13 23% 26 46% 16 28% 0 0% 0 0% 1 1% 56 Campbelltown 27 26% 44 43% 20 19% 7 6% 0 0% 4 3% 102 Armidale 8 17% 21 46% 11 24% 4 8% 1 2% 0 0% 45 Penrith 15 13% 40 36% 26 23% 22 20% 4 3% 3 2% 110 Dubbo 23 24% 37 39% 26 27% 4 4% 1 1% 3 3% 94 Broken Hill 10 43% 8 34% 3 13% 1 4% 0 0% 1 4% 23 Wagga Wagga 29 39% 19 25% 17 22% 5 6% 1 1% 3 4% 74 TOTALS % % % 77 8% % 51 5% 940 Table 5 Q2. In what ways was the forum valuable for you in your role implementing Keep Them Safe in your agency? Responses Sydney Newcastle Coffs Harbour Wollongong Queanbeyan Campbelltown Armidale Penrith Dubbo Broken Hill Wagga Wagga Totals Percentages (%) Provision of information Information Kits/Website Raises more questions Partnership building /interactive discussion Role/Impact of changes on agency/staff Need for more information/training Comments/concerns over roll-out Child Wellbeing Unit/ Family Referral Service Reporting/ New risk threshold Provision for information sharing Implementation/Roll-Out Funding/Resources Gaps Wait & See approach No Response

16 Table 6 Q4.(a) What will these reforms mean that your organisation needs to do at a regional/local level to improve outcomes for children, young people and families? Responses Sydney Newcastle Coffs Harbour Wollongong Queanbeyan Campbelltown Armidale Penrith Dubbo Broken Hill Wagga Wagga Totals Percentages (%) Train staff/ Relay information from forum to staff Review policies and procedures Internal redistribution of resources Increase or improve partnerships/ Share responsibility Build capacity (employ more people) Inform families No change Not sure yet No response Table 7 Q4.(b) Is there any other information that would support you in understanding and implementing the Keep Them Safe reforms? Responses Sydney Newcastle Coffs Harbour Wollongong Queanbeyan Campbelltown Armidale Penrith Dubbo Broken Hill Wagga Wagga Totals Percentages (%) More resources/funding More information/detail on Mandatory Reporter Tool Information on training sessions Up to date information Need a Child Wellbeing Unit for Non Government sector (including independent schools, children's services) More information on provision on information exchange List of local contacts/services Information on Family Case Management Not sure yet No Response

17 Table 8 Q5. Please rank the topics in order of importance Q5. (b) And identify your preferred contact method Web Hard Copy Workshops New Services Legislative Changes Interagency Collaboration Information Exchange The Threshold Mandatory Reporter Guidance Child Wellbeing Units Regional Intake and Referral Services Sydney Forum Wollongong Forum: Terry Clout, NSW Health 17

18 Table 9 Q6. Would you like to share any other comments or feedback about the forum? Responses Sydney Newcastle Coffs Harbour Wollongong Queanbeyan Campbelltown Armidale Penrith Dubbo Broken Hill Wagga Wagga Totals Percentages (%) Extensive training needs to take place More funding/resources; Build capacity Improve service system, including services gaps eg over 12s/ young people Practical - who is lead agency in case management Will need leadership- to effect change Forum format comment small group discussion/ forum group too large Rehearsed/ "jaded" poor time/day choice more time Criticism of facilitator wasted expense; money better spent on services Children's services (childcare, early childhood) appears to be left out Concern on potential gaps that continue to exist (eg capturing cumulative harm/ referral system) More information new referral pathways/ change in legislation MRT/assessment tools new services/ what are the services in the area? further region specific/ future forum Information exchange Voluntary services? What about families that won't engage Need CWU for NGO, GPs, independent schools, children s services No perceived difference to old system Inform the community of changes/ impact on general public Questions unanswered/ Unconvinced by forum General positive good facilitator good panel No response

19 7. Conclusion and Future Directions Government and non-government agencies working in partnership underpinned the Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour s success. This collaborative approach was practiced throughout the project process, from the planning and formative stages, to the development of the content and materials for the forum, and then through to the delivery of the forums. The forums proved to be a valuable and effective tool to convey the changes that are forthcoming and for introducing the concepts of shared responsibility and working together. This was particularly important as the reforms encompass a significant shift in the way Government and non-government agencies currently work. To follow on from the success of the Regional Engagement Tour, it would be beneficial to hold a similar series of forums in months time. These additional forums would enable the sector to take stock of what changes have occurred as part of the reform process and provide an opportunity to reflect on the impact they have had. In addition, the forums would further reinforce and enhance the partnerships initiated through the Regional Engagement Tour. Wollongong Forum Campbelltown Forum Queanbeyan Forum: Louise Brown, Aboriginal Elder Wollongong Forum 19

20 8. Appendix 8.1 Keep Them Safe Regional Engagement Tour Information Pack Fact Sheets PLEASE NOTE: The following fact sheets were developed prior to the Regional Engagement Tour and some details may be out of date. For current information, please visit the Keep Them Safe website at Keep Them Safe A shared approach to child wellbeing Regional Engagement Tour Overview Keep Them Safe Fact Sheet No: 1 Information for stakeholders attending Regional Engagement Forums Keep Them Safe: A shared approach to Child Wellbeing is the NSW Government's response to the Report of the Special Commission of the Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW, led by the Honourable James Wood AO QC and released in November Keep Them Safe recognises the importance of the wellbeing of all children and young people, with the aim of providing appropriate support to families earlier, to prevent children and young people requiring statutory child protection intervention. To achieve this Keep Them Safe encourages families and communities, government and non-government agencies to work together to support children, young people and families. Keep Them Safe is a five year action plan. This fact sheet outlines the key changes for families, mandatory reporters, communities, service providers, non-government and government agencies. Keep Them Safe involves a new approach to child wellbeing, but one which builds on the strengths of the service system rather than replacing agency action, expertise and capacity. Changes will be tested and implemented progressively over a five year period. Aim of changes The goal of Keep Them Safe is that all children in NSW are healthy, happy and safe, and grow up belonging in families and communities where they have opportunities to reach their full potential. In order to achieve this goal, the NSW Government will pursue the following outcomes for children and young people: Children have a safe and healthy start to life Children develop well and are ready for school Children and young people meet developmental and educational milestones at school Children and young people live in families where their physical, emotional and social needs are met Children and young people are safe from harm and injury Children, young people and their families have access to appropriate and responsive services if needed. A central theme of the changes is that care and protection of children and young people is a shared responsibility. As different families can experience a range of complex and sometimes chronic factors, responsibility for child wellbeing needs to be broader than just Community Services. A number of agencies fund and/or deliver services to address issues such as substance abuse, limited social supports, imprisonment, domestic violence, homelessness, unemployment and mental health issues. These agencies can often provide timely support services to families where statutory intervention is not required. Building stronger partnerships between government and the non-government sectors is critical to changing the way we support children and families. Giving non-government organisations greater responsibility in the delivery of family and community services is a way to take services into communities - to connect better with people and their needs through positive, constructive relationships. Agencies will also be able to more easily request and exchange information where it relates to the safety, wellbeing and welfare of a child. Importantly, Keep Them Safe incorporates a number of strategies designed to reduce Aboriginal representation in the child protection system, and of securing greater participation of Aboriginal agencies in child wellbeing services. Summary of changes The key changes in Keep Them Safe are: Increasing the threshold for reporting children and young people to Community Services from risk of harm to risk of significant harm A new intake, referral and management framework 20

21 that provides alternate referral pathways for children and young people below the new reporting threshold (includes establishment of Child Wellbeing Units in major government reporting agencies and a network of Regional Intake and Referral Services) Enhanced service provision focusing on prevention and early intervention, including comprehensive universal and acute services Increasing the role of non-government organisations in delivering services Improved outcomes for children in out-of-home care (OOHC) through system changes including the appointment of new health and education OOHC coordinators to improve health and educational outcomes for children and young people Simplifying and streamlining Children s Court processes, making them more user friendly Providing greater participation and better services to Aboriginal children and young people, to reduce their representation in the child protection system. What s new? Unblock the Community Services Helpline by raising the mandatory reporting threshold New intake, referral and management framework that provides alternate referral pathways for less serious cases (Child Wellbeing Units and Regional Intake and Referral Services) Comprehensive universal, secondary and tertiary services Information exchange and more cooperation between agencies Enhanced role for the non-government sector Responses to the over-representation of Aboriginal children in the system Improving court process. For further information regarding the above contact: Child Wellbeing Unit KTS website: Human Services Net: Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies: Or Contact: Your Supervisor Your Manager Your Legal Services Branch Relevant Websites 21

22 Preamble to Policy Definition of Significant Harm Members of the community and mandatory reporters who suspect that a child or young person is at risk of significant harm (the statutory threshold) should report their concerns to the Department of Community Services. This new statutory threshold has replaced risk of harm in the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act A child or young person is at risk of significant harm if the circumstances that are causing concern for the safety, welfare or well being of the child or young person are present to a significant extent. Proposed Policy Definition What is meant by significant in the phrase to a significant extent is that which is sufficiently serious to warrant a response by a statutory authority irrespective of a family s consent. What is significant is not minor or trivial and may reasonably be expected to produce a substantial and demonstrably adverse impact on the child or young person s safety, welfare or well being. In the case of an unborn child, what is significant is not minor or trivial and may reasonably be expected to produce a substantial and demonstrably adverse impact on the child after the child s birth. Significance can result from a single act or omission or an accumulation of these. 22

23 Keep Them Safe A shared approach to child wellbeing Regional Engagement Tour New Services Keep Them Safe Fact Sheet No: 2 Information for stakeholders attending Regional Engagement Forums Keep Them Safe: A shared approach to Child Wellbeing is the NSW Government's response to the Report of the Special Commission of the Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW, led by the Honourable James Wood AO QC and released in November Keep Them Safe recognises the importance of the wellbeing of all children and young people, with the aim of providing appropriate support to families earlier, to prevent children and young people requiring statutory child protection intervention. To achieve this Keep Them Safe encourages families and communities, government and non-government agencies to work together to support children, young people and families. Summary of changes: The NSW Government has committed $750 million dollars over the next five years for new services and associated systems to promote child wellbeing. The funding aims to reshape services for children, young people and their families by providing more support earlier, developing an integrated partnership approach with the non government sector and strengthening collaboration between agencies across the whole NSW community support sector. What is being funded? Service expansion over the next four years (the budget cycle) is being funded as follows: $114 million for enhanced prevention and early intervention services. $25 million for improving services for Aboriginal children and young people. $58 million for enhanced acute services (e.g. intensive family preservation). $170 million for changes to the child protection system and services. $222 million for out-of-home care. 40% of increased funding is being directed to nongovernment organisations to support partnerships and provision of the following: Extra places for children in a realigned Brighter Futures. Regional Intake and Referral Services. Intensive Family Preservation. Intensive Aboriginal and other Family Based Services. A new model of working with Aboriginal children and families. Other prevention and early intervention services. Out-of-home-care (OOHC). More funding for prevention and early intervention Expansion of Sustained Home Visiting supports (NSW Health). Drug and alcohol services for parents and families (NSW Health). Services to support children who have parents with a mental illness (NSW Health). More Home School Liaison Officers (DET). NGO funding as above. More support for Aboriginal children and families A new model of working with Aboriginal children and families. Expansion of Intensive Aboriginal Family Based Services. More Aboriginal Student Liaison Officers. Parenting programs for Aboriginal adult offenders. Safe families accommodation. Increased investment in acute services Expanding Intensive Family Preservation Services. Kaleidoscope and New Street (NSW Health). After-hours bail hotline (Juvenile Justice). Joint assessment and investigation of serious abuse (Health, Police and Community Services). OOHC coordinators to improve health and educational outcomes for children and young people entering OOHC (NSW Health and DET). 23

24 Changes to the child protection system Child Wellbeing Units in major government reporting agencies. Network of Regional Intake and Referral Services to be initially trialled in three regions using two models. Trialling of the Family Case Management Program. Improvements to Children s Court including the identification of a Alternate Dispute Resolution model. Briefing and training staff in new systems and processes. Evaluating new systems and programs. What s New? A reshaping of community-based services to enhance the wellbeing of children and young people. Improved early intervention service options. More services to be delivered by NGOs. Additional specialist resources for Aboriginal service providers. Enhanced collaboration and coordination across government agencies and NGO services. Improved accountability and governance mechanisms. For further information regarding the above contact: Child Wellbeing Unit KTS website: Human Services Net: Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies: Or Contact: Your Supervisor Your Manager Your Legal Services Branch Relevant Websites 24

25 Keep Them Safe A shared approach to child wellbeing Regional Engagement Tour Legislation Amendments Keep Them Safe Fact Sheet No: 3 Information for stakeholders attending Regional Engagement Forums Keep Them Safe: A shared approach to Child Wellbeing is the NSW Government's response to the Report of the Special Commission of the Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW, led by the Honourable James Wood AO QC and released in November Keep Them Safe recognises the importance of the wellbeing of all children and young people, with the aim of providing appropriate support to families earlier, to prevent children and young people requiring statutory child protection intervention. To achieve this Keep Them Safe encourages families and communities, government and non-government agencies to work together to support children, young people and families. Summary of changes: The Children Legislation Amendment (Wood Inquiry Recommendations) Act 2009 provides the foundations for the Keep Them Safe reforms. Description of changes affecting mandatory reporters One of the most important legislative changes is the raising of the mandatory reporting threshold from risk of harm to risk of significant harm [sections 23 to 25], which will commence at the end of January The legislation also removes criminal penalties for not reporting [section 27] and sets up an alternate reporting process [new section 27A]. This includes the establishment of new Child Wellbeing Units in the government agencies which make up the majority of mandatory reports - NSW Health, NSW Police, and the Departments of Education and Training and Human Services (formerly Juvenile Justice, Housing, and Ageing, Disability and Home Care). Members of the public, non-government staff and other government agencies will continue to report to the Community Services Helpline when they believe a child or young person is at risk of significant harm. A shared approach to child protection means greater information sharing between agencies involved in the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children or young people (new Chapter 16A). Therefore under the interagency information exchange amendments, government agencies and nongovernment organisations (NGOs) will be able to share relevant information to assist with responding to the safety, welfare and wellbeing of a particular child or young person. Other reforms include the addition of two new grounds that indicate a child may be at risk of significant harm: 1. Parents or carers have not made proper arrangements and are unable or unwilling for their child to receive an education; and 2. A series of acts or omissions incidents when viewed together may establish a pattern of risk of significant harm (cumulative impact). What s new for mandatory reporters? From the end of January 2010 only children and young people suspected of being at risk of significant harm are reported to the Community Services Helpline. Workers from government human services and justice agencies that have a Child Wellbeing Unit can contact their Child Wellbeing Unit for advice if they are concerned that a child is at risk of significant harm to identify whether they report to Community Services or provide a response within their own agency. Agencies that have a CWU are: NSW Health, DET, Police and Human Services (Juvenile Justice, DADHC, Housing). The Community Services Helpline will continue to provide feedback on reports it receives to workers from other agencies and NGOs who are mandatory reporters. Organisations can share information relating to the safety, welfare and wellbeing of a child or young person if it would assist with decision making, assessment, planning, investigation or service delivery. Children who fail to receive an education, or who experience a series of acts or omissions which when considered together have a substantial cumulative impact, will now also be considered to be at risk of significant harm. 25