PROPOSAL FOR CHANGE
DEPARTMENT FOR CHILD PROTECTION
FAMILY SUPPORT
(RESPONSIBLE PARENTING)
FRAMEWORK
February 2012
1
OVERVIEW
The role of the Department for Child Protection encompasses the following three service areas: •
•
•
Service area 1 - Supporting young people and children in care of the CEO
Service area 2 - Protecting young people and children from abuse.
Service area 3 - Supporting individuals and families at risk or in crisis.
Family support services constitute the Department s response to families who are at risk or in crisis.
’
Families who are at risk or in crisis also expose children to risk of immediate or longer term harm. Family support is a way of strengthening families both to overcome their problems and to respond to child needs. It aims to improve family functioning and is likely to be part of the response to families where issues are entrenched, as is the case with many of the families that come to the attention of the Department. For these families, family support may form part of the action taken to protect young people and children from abuse when young people and children have been brought into the care of the CEO, and to prevent children and young people coming into care
Child Centred Family Support (CCFS) is the intervention that is used when an assessment of concern for a child has indicated that further action is required to promote or safeguard the wellbeing of a child, but the child is not currently in need of protection as defined in
Children and Community Services Act 2004 (Section 28). This approach is the appropriate mode of engagement when a child’s wellbeing needs to be safeguarded and promoted, the parent/s are able and likely to protect the child and are willing to engage in services. The community sector is contracted by the Department to provide Intensive Family
Support Services (IFS) which target families with children aged 0-17 years where a range of issues impact on the family’s ability to
FAMILY SUPPORT
(RESPONSIBLE PARENTING)
FRAMEWORK
February 2012
1
OVERVIEW
The role of the Department for Child Protection encompasses the following three service areas: •
•
•
Service area 1 - Supporting young people and children in care of the CEO
Service area 2 - Protecting young people and children from abuse.
Service area 3 - Supporting individuals and families at risk or in crisis.
Family support services constitute the Department s response to families who are at risk or in crisis.
’
Families who are at risk or in crisis also expose children to risk of immediate or longer term harm. Family support is a way of strengthening families both to overcome their problems and to respond to child needs. It aims to improve family functioning and is likely to be part of the response to families where issues are entrenched, as is the case with many of the families that come to the attention of the Department. For these families, family support may form part of the action taken to protect young people and children from abuse when young people and children have been brought into the care of the CEO, and to prevent children and young people coming into care
Child Centred Family Support (CCFS) is the intervention that is used when an assessment of concern for a child has indicated that further action is required to promote or safeguard the wellbeing of a child, but the child is not currently in need of protection as defined in
Children and Community Services Act 2004 (Section 28). This approach is the appropriate mode of engagement when a child’s wellbeing needs to be safeguarded and promoted, the parent/s are able and likely to protect the child and are willing to engage in services. The community sector is contracted by the Department to provide Intensive Family
Support Services (IFS) which target families with children aged 0-17 years where a range of issues impact on the family’s ability to