queensland family & child commission - the sector · 2019-12-26 · raise happy and healthy...

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Strengthening the sectorA strategy for working together for a responsive and sustainable service system across the child protection and family support sector

January 2016 I Draft version 2.0

Draft for Consultation

1

Foreword ......................................................................................................2

Introduction ...............................................................................................3

Why we do this work ............................................................................ 4

Why we need a strategy ......................................................................5

What we already know ........................................................................ 6

Complexity of the reform environment ...................................... 8

Framework of the strategy ................................................................ 9

How the strategy will guide action ..............................................10

How the strategy will work ............................................................... 11

Supporting outcome 1 ........................................................................12

Supporting outcome 2 .......................................................................14



Guiding principles for implementation ...................................20

Governance and oversight of the strategy .............................21

How will we measure success? .................................................... 22

How can you get involved and have a say? .......................... 23

Glossary .................................................................................................... 24

Table of Contents

Queensland Family & Child Commission Strengthening the Sector2

Strengthening the Sector – A strategy for working together for a responsive and sustainable service system across the child protection and family support sector.

A responsive and sustainable child protection and family support sector is essential in supporting vulnerable families to raise children who are safe, well cared for, healthy and happy.

Queensland’s child protection reform agenda has given us a unique opportunity to review the way we support vulnerable children and their families. It is an opportunity to build on our strengths, identify areas for change, and develop new and innovative ways of working.

The Queensland Child Protection Commission of Inquiry (the Inquiry) acknowledged the critical role the community service sector plays in the reformed child protection system. However, submissions to the Inquiry also demonstrated challenges and impediments such as the relationship between government and non-government, the sector’s ability to cope with increasing regulatory and administrative demands, and its capacity to deliver high quality services to the State.

As Principal Commissioner, I am excited by the opportunity we have to develop new ways of working together to ensure the sector is positioned to deliver the best possible support system to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and their families.

While the QFCC has facilitated the development of the draft Strengthening the Sector strategy (the draft strategy), I have been delighted by the contributions and interest from our partners to date. Their insight has been critical in shaping the draft strategy and identifying the most effective ways to support to the sector as it responds to the reform agenda.

The draft strategy recognises the shared responsibility of government, community service organisations, and peak representatives in keeping children safe and provides the foundation for action to improve working relationships and to strengthen the capacity and capability of the sector. It also has a particular focus on our collective role in strengthening the capacity and capability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service providers to lead effective service provision for their kin.

Our partners have indicated broad scale support for the key action areas in the strategy, and work has already commenced in some areas such as the development of the Your Workforce,

ForewordYour Future survey. I am also pleased that while some initiatives apply across the entire state, others focus on developing place based responses to local priorities. Together, these initiatives will allow us to test assumptions, explore new ways of working, and build on the effective work already being done by sector including the Queensland Community Services Jobs, Skills and Industry Strategy, and the various capacity and capability building initiatives being undertaken across the sector.

In collaboration with our partners, the QFCC will be undertaking a series of sector engagements across Queensland to seek feedback on the draft strategy and discuss prioritisation and confirm action planning for the first 18 months of implementation. I would appreciate your support to promote and distribute the draft strategy through your professional networks. Further information about providing written feedback is detailed at the end of this document.

To be successful we must all work together. The QFCC, indeed the Government, cannot do this important work alone.

CHERYL VARDON Principal Commissioner

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Over the past decade there has been mounting public concern over the increasing number of children and young people coming into care in Queensland, particularly the increasing over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out of home care.

Contributing to this has been the lack of investment in primary prevention and early intervention services to support vulnerable children and their families. The 10 year child protection reform program has set an agenda to refocus the system to provide more early intervention services to vulnerable families. The view being that earlier intervention will help parents and care givers raise healthy and well supported children, which in turn may reduce the number of children and young people entering care.

Meeting this agenda requires significant change from within the sector as well as the systems and constructs that surround it. While there are a number of areas that will impact the sector’s ability to meet the transformation required under the child protection reform program, three provide the foundation for this strategy.

1. The existing workforce needs to undertake a significant level of transformation to meet the reform priorities.

2. Significant professional behaviour change is required in order to successfully reform the child protection and family support service system.

3. Non-government community service organisations will be required to provide more services and assume more responsibilities, once time has been allowed for the sector to build its capacity and capabilities.

To effectively respond to these issues, vulnerable children and families need to receive quality services from a highly skilled, capable and professional workforce across the government and non-government child and family support sector. They should receive these services when and where they need them, in the way they want to access them and with respect for their family circumstances and culture.

In addition, reducing over representation and improving outcomes requires a robust and coordinated service system that is accessible, adequately skilled and resourced, and has the clear imperative that everyone involved in child and family services must take responsibility for their own role in keeping children safe.

The QFCC has been given the mandate to lead the development of sector wide workforce planning and development strategies, increase collaboration and build capacity across the child protection and family support system under section 9 of the Family and Child Commission Act 2014. The QFCC will serve as an independent facilitator creating agreement around the design of this integrated strategy. Implementation responsibilities will be shared with key sector partners.

This strategy is intended as a platform for bringing together the whole sector to drive the required transformation. The QFCC invites all involved in this work to consider their role in this strategy, to help us prioritise areas for action, and work together to use it as a vehicle for the change we collectively want to see in child protection and family support in Queensland.

Introduction

Vision of the reformsQueensland children and young people are cared for, protected and safe.

Supported by a system and services that understand and respect the importance of family, community, and culture, our children and young people are able to reach their full potential, and their families and communities are empowered to become stronger, more capable and more resilient.

total number of intakes recorded by the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (DCCSDS) in 2014–15

intakes recorded as child concern reports in 2014–15

intakes recorded as a notification in 2014–15

children subject to child protection orders at 30 June 2015

of these children identify as Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander

107,585

85,229

22,356 9,216

42%


Raising happy and healthy children in safe and supportive environments is a fundamental component to building strong and vibrant communities. This happens most often when a child is loved and cared for in a safe family environment.

Parents, carers and families play a critical role in shaping children’s lives and in most cases they have the capacity to raise happy and healthy children. However, sometimes parents and families face situations that challenge their ability to provide the best care they can.

A range of life experiences and family circumstances can contribute to making a child vulnerable including, financial hardship, unemployment, social isolation, limited parenting skills, access to education, mental and physical health issues, domestic violence, alcohol and substance misuse, disability and parental history of abuse and neglect.

These issues themselves do not mean a child is being harmed or is at risk of harm, but they can put increased pressure on parents. When several of these vulnerabilities are combined, ordinary family circumstances can become overwhelming.

It is the combination of such vulnerabilities that present the biggest risk to a child’s wellbeing and safety as they may be associated with an increased risk of abuse and neglect. The consequences of child abuse and neglect can be profound and have lasting effects throughout a child’s life, damaging their sense of self and ability to learn and form positive relationships with others.

Supporting families to get assistance earlier to minimise the long term impacts of harm and neglect is a priority of Queensland’s 10 year child protection reform program. We need to build and strengthen families and communities to care for their children, through responsive and high quality support services. To achieve this, the strengths of our existing service system, our people and all service providers must be identified and preserved, but significant effort is needed to build the capacity and capability to align with the future vision for the child protection and family support sector in Queensland.

Why we do this work

In 2012–13

In 2011–12

In 2011

In 2014

In 2013–14

Queensland families with children aged 0-17 years

Family Characteristics and Transitions, Australia

Queensland adults reported high or very high levels of psychological distress

The health of Queenslanders 2014

Queensland adults aged 18–65 years report a mental disorder at some time in their life (based on a national diagnostic survey in 2007)


Queensland families with children under 15 years with no parent employed

ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011

of Queensland’s adults were drinking alcohol at the riskiest levels


incidents of Domestic Violence reported to Queensland police

565,000

One in eight

One in two

62,171

17 %

66,000

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Building strong and lasting sector commitment to action that will help deliver support services for vulnerable children and families, when and where they are needed, is key to seeing stronger families and safer children in Queensland.

After discussion with sector stakeholders, the QFCC believes that developing a comprehensive, integrated strategy that brings together people, organisations and professional culture is the best way to strengthen the sector to deliver high quality, responsive services that better support children, families and communities.

The strategy aims to harness and build upon the existing strengths of the sector, to provide a framework that will meet the priorities of the 10 year child protection reform program.

The strategy will draw on the passionate and dedicated voices of sector stakeholders across government and community service organisations, communities, and industry to inform its development and partner in the implementation of the priority action areas.

Although limited in its capacity to influence systemic barriers such as the interface between broader social service systems, the strategy will make significant progress towards building the capacity, capability and positive culture of service delivery organisations and its workforce, as envisaged by the reform program.

Why we need a strategy

Vulnerable children and

families

Tertiary services

Secondary services

Universal services

Community

Vulnerable children and families will remain at the centre of what we do and first response should come from community and universal service provision. However, some families require additional support and these are provided through specialist secondary support services and as a last resort, the tertiary service system.


A workforce with strong skills, abilities, knowledge, aptitude and attitude makes the task of supporting children and families easier.

Apart from the vulnerable children and families we support, our workforce is the most vital element of the service delivery system. Like any organisation or sector, the child protection and family support sector relies on the capacity and capability of the people who work within it.

What we already knowDespite this, little data exists about the workforce across both government and non-government service systems. Summary data is published on the statutory workforce, however the diverse nature of the sector means there is insufficient data currently available to allow a broader picture of the child protection and family support sector and the dynamics of the workforce to be established. With existing publically available data not able to accurately determine the employment characteristics or occupations within the sector, the QFCC is partnering with the Health and Community Services Workforce Council to develop a baseline workforce profile, Your Workforce, Your Future, to address this issue.

Knowing more about the existing workforce will guide future investment priorities under this strategy. We need to attract and retain people of courage and compassion, who have the expertise and empathy required to manage the complex challenges which are common in child protection and family support work. The approach going forward must strengthen the workforce across the sector to deliver better outcomes for children and their families through responsive, timely and appropriate early intervention services.

Profile of the workforce

frontline staff in the tertiary child protection workforce

of whom were female

identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

1,47789%

5%

Leaders at all levels have a critical role to play in shifting the culture towards a proactive, positive and supportive culture that

advocates taking responsibility.

There are four main themes influencing the culture in child protection practice. This framework provides a strong foundation for the sector to develop the strategies, leadership approaches and local changes that will drive the change from now to the future.

Risk averse, ‘better safe than sorry’ cultureA pro-active, supportive and positive culture that advocates shared responsibilty and appropriate management of risk

A respectful relationship between government and non-government workers, and their engagement with carers, parents, children and young people

A continuous learning environment in which there is support for workers in using their professional judgement

A culture that develops the capacity of parents and families to take responsibility for protecting and caring for children

Past culture Future culture

‘Them vs us’ culture, including disenchantment between government and non-government

Punitive culture - blame, powerlessness, lack of professional pride

Reduced capacity of parents and families to take responsibility for protecting and caring for children

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We know that shifting to the future culture will take shared commitment and leadership from across the sector including government agencies, NGOs and the wider community. This will require multiple, coordinated strategies, with leaders from across the sector working together to drive change within their own organisations and across the service system.

The profile of community service organisations throughout Queensland varies in size and reach, and their contribution to supporting vulnerable children and their families is paramount to a strong and healthy child protection and family support system.

There are no specific statistics on the size and functions of community service organisations delivering support services to vulnerable children and their families. This is likely due to a lack of investment in efforts to map, understand and analyse the capacity of community service organisations.

Many organisations deliver services across a range of social service categories and as such, profiling information about the size and capacity of this component of the sector is generally aggregated at the community services sector level. This means there is very little understanding of the child protection and family support work being undertaken by community service organisations.

In addition to the vital role played by large service providers, the continued engagement of small organisations in service delivery partnerships, particularly those in regional and remote communities, is important. They can provide flexible, targeted responses that are suited to their communities and can maintain local infrastructure.

Given the importance of small community service organisations (particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations) to rural, remote or culturally diverse communities, there is a need to build a more nuanced view of this part of the sector. Identifying their role in delivering positive change in their communities and their views on required capacity building is needed to ensure the success of the child protection reforms.

2010 snapshot of the community services sector

organisations provide services across 5,458 locations in Queensland

organisations funded by DCCSDS in 2015 to provide

child and family support services

2,200

162559


Complexity of the reform environmentThe sector is influenced by multiple reform agendas and industry initiatives progressing at the state and national level.

As the strategy is implemented, the QFCC will monitor these key reforms. By aligning the strategy’s development and implementation with related initiatives and agendas, we will reduce duplication and maximise our efforts to support and develop the sector. Where appropriate, the QFCC will partner with agencies responsible for leading these initiatives and participate in oversight, governance and advisory groups to maximise investment across the sector.

Community Services Jobs

Skills and Industry Strategy

Human Services Quality Framework

implementation

Child Protection and Family

Support sector

Royal Commission Inquiry into Child Sexual

Abuse

Domestic Violence

Prevention Strategy

Qld NDIS Workforce Strategy

Outcomes based

performance measurement

Qld Public Sector

Workforce Strategy

Jobs Now

Jobs for the Future

Social Benefit

Bonds trial

Procurement reform

programs

Skilling and training

opportunities

A&TSI Capacity Building

Housing Services Industry

Development and Engagement

Project

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Scope

This strategy targets the child protection and family support sector (the sector), which encompasses the workforce, organisations and professional culture across the tertiary system (child safety system), secondary system (family support services) and the universal services system (to the extent this system supports vulnerable children and their families).

While the strategy is directed towards this sector, the real difference we want to make is in the lives of children and families. They are at the centre of our work and will continue to be the touchstone of success.

At this time, the unpaid workforce (e.g. foster carers and volunteers) are excluded from the strategy’s scope except where their volunteer role is part of governance structures such as unpaid board members of community service organisations.

Outcomes

The actions under this strategy have been designed to achieve the following high-level outcome:

Strengthen the capacity and capability of the child protection and family support sector, including the workforce and establish a positive culture in child protection practice to help achieve long term sustainability.

The high-level outcome is underpinned by four supporting outcome areas. These supporting outcomes will guide our work and help us understand if we are achieving our goals. The supporting outcomes are:

1. Enhance the ability of the sector to meet the needs of children and families

2. Strengthen sector relationships

3. Build a proactive and positive culture in child protection practice

4. Establish an evidence base for the sector to monitor progress and improve future planning.

A detailed program logic is outlined on the next page.

Framework of the strategy


How the strategy will guide action

Stra

tegi

c D

irect

ion

Vision A capable, motivated workforce and client focused organisations

Objective Strengthen the capacity and capability of the sector, and establish a positive culture in child protection practice

Supporting outcomes

Enhance the ability of the sector to meet the needs of children and families

Strengthen sector relationships

A proactive and positive culture in child protection practice

Establish an evidence base to inform future planning

Benefits for children and families

Vulnerable children and families will receive quality services from a skilled, capable and professional workforce, and client-focused organisations

Vulnerable children and their families will experience cohesive and sustainable services that work together to improve their lives

Vulnerable children and families will experience respectful relationships with and between the people delivering services to them

Vulnerable children and families will be supported by strong organisations and a quality workforce that are responsive to community needs

Measures 1. Increased capability of the sector 2. Increased capacity of the sector

Partner strategies

Partner strategies include: Queensland Community Services Jobs, Skills and Industry Development Strategy, NDIS Workforce Strategy; Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services Child and Family Reform Operational Workforce Plan 2015-2019

Prio

rity

Actio

ns

Action areas

• Improve workforce capability and increase its capacity

• Increase capacity and sustainability of Community Service Organisations

• Undertake regional level sector development initiatives that respond to local needs and priorities

• Build strong, effective sector relationships that help deliver real benefits to vulnerable children and their families

• Support the realisation of meaningful partnerships

• Promote recognition that child protection is everyone’s business

• Share responsibility for developing a cohesive cross sector culture

• Promote a professional culture that supports reflective learning and continuous improvement

• Identify suitable data collection strategies to build an informed evidence base for future planning and investment

Impl

emen

tatio

n

Action PlanThe first Implementation Action Plan will cover Jan 2016- June 2017. Annual subsequent action plans will be developed in consultation with stakeholder partners and informed by outcomes of initiatives under the first Implementation Action Plan Jan 2016-June 2017

Partners

Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)

Community Services Industry Alliance (CSIA)

Health and Community Service Workforce Council (Workforce Council)

PeakCare

Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak (QATSICPP)

Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS)

State Government agencies delivering services to children and families including Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (DCCSDS), Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships (DATSIP), Department of Education and Training (DET), Queensland Health (QH), Queensland Police Service (QPS), Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG) and Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).

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The strategy is a collaborative matrix of shared ownership and effort and delivers both sector level and local level actions.

The strategy will harness the efforts of a wide range of stakeholders—including government agencies, community service organisations, peak bodies, vocational education sector, universities, and industry representative bodies.

The QFCC will act as a neutral, independent facilitator creating agreement around the strategy, with implementation responsibilities to be spread across the sector, through partnership arrangements.

Implementation

Implementation Action Plans developed for each supporting outcome area will be implemented in partnership with key stakeholders. The first Implementation Action Plan covers the 18 month period from January 2016 to June 2017.

Implementation responsibility (including resourcing) will be shared across the sector. Implementation partners (peak bodies, government agencies and industry representative bodies) will work together to develop implementation priorities and timing.

How the strategy will work


The first outcome, enhance the ability of the sector to meet the needs of children and families, focuses on strengthening and supporting the people and organisations that deliver services to vulnerable children and families. This includes both tertiary and secondary services, and in particular, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community service organisations and those community service organisations with limited resources.

Achieving this outcome will take collaborative effort between professional associations, peak bodies, education and training providers, industry representative bodies, regional networks, government and community service organisations.

What do we want to achieve?

• A highly skilled, capable and supported workforce across the government and non-government child protection and family support sector that delivers quality services to vulnerable children and families.

• A child protection and family support sector that is promoted and valued as a rewarding, supportive and engaging place to work, with clear pathways and opportunities for development, progression and recognition.

• Community service organisations delivering services to vulnerable children and families that are strategic, proactive and innovative, and connected to their communities and clients.

• Tailored and effective place based responses that meet the unique needs of the workforce and community service organisations in regional locations.

How we will achieve this:

• A career and capability framework–improved pathways for education, training and career progression within the sector including identification of skills, attributes and qualifications relevant to each job stream and adequate entry points and pathways within the sector.

• Professional development opportunities–tailored initiatives that build practical skill, foster collaborative practice, and support professionals in responding to the complex needs of vulnerable children and families.

• Attraction and retention initiatives– focused on specific cohorts and professionals across the sector. Informed by the workforce baseline profile, Your Workforce, Your Future (detailed in Supporting outcome 4), initiatives in this area will respond to established trends as well as emerging needs.

• Culturally sensitive workforce– initiatives that develop workers’ ability to collaborate and draw from community and sector resources to meet the cultural needs of vulnerable children and families, with a particular focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

• Industry level initiatives to improve sustainability and governance outcomes–build organisational capacity through system level initiatives that foster a sustainable community service industry with strong skills and improved governance outcomes.

• Local level initiatives to build capacity, capability and positive culture–place based initiatives focused on identifying local community service organisations’ capacity, workforce capability and cultural change priorities and a customised suite of actions that target sector development needs at the local level and inform future regional and state wide initiatives under the strategy.

Supporting outcome 1

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Supporting outcome 1 – Implementation Action Plan – January 2016 – June 2017

Action area Activities Timeframe Implementation partners

Workforce career and capability framework

• Develop a career and capability framework in collaboration with a cross-sector reference group for roles supporting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Integrated Services, Family and Child Connect, Intensive Family Support Services and residential care services.

• Identify further priority occupations and continue to develop the framework for all roles across the sector.

2015–16

2016–17

AASW, DCCSDS, DET (Vocational Ed), CSIA, PeakCare, QATSICPP, Workforce Council

Professional development programs

• Partner with sector peaks to establish professional development programs and pilot projects across the state that are accessible to regional and remote workers such as joint training, mentoring, professional supervision and leadership.

2016–17 PeakCare, QATSICPP, QCOSS, Workforce Council

Attraction and retention initiatives

• Develop attraction and retention initiatives focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professionals, domestic and family violence specialists and tertiary workforce in regions where professionals have transitioned to newly-established secondary services.

• Leverage the voice of young people through a pilot traineeship program for young people transitioning from care, to work in the sector.

2016–17

2016–17

CREATE, DCCSDS, DET, PeakCare, QATSICPP, Workforce Council

Culturally responsive workforce

• Develop initiatives that support existing professionals to facilitate culturally responsive service provision for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.

2016–17 DCCSDS, PeakCare, QATSICPP, Workforce Council

Industry level sustainability and governance initiatives

• Identify priorities for improving financial and organisational sustainability and governance and community accountability outcomes for:

a) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community service organisations, and

b) Community service organisations with limited resources who provide niche services to their communities.

• Develop system-level initiatives that respond to these priorities and implement through sector partnership arrangements.

2016–17

2016–17

CSIA, DCCSDS, QATSICPP, QCOSS

Local level capacity, capability and culture change initiatives

• Pilot regional sector engagement programs, in North Queensland and Central Queensland to identify local capacity, capability and culture issues and establish priorities for action.

• Undertake pilot initiatives to address the identified priority areas under the engagement model.

• Evaluate pilot engagement initiatives and programs to inform the best approach to be used in other regions and in the development of system level initiatives.

2015–16

2016–17

2016–ongoing

CSIA, DCCSDS, PeakCare, QATSICPP, Workforce Council, QCOSS


The second outcome area, strengthen sector relationships, seeks to harness collaborative opportunities and generate benefits beyond the individual organisations or agencies involved.

Success in this outcome area will depend on sector willingness to foster healthy, respectful relationships and commit to practical programs that improve client services and financial outcomes for community service organisations through identifying, negotiating and managing effective partnerships.

The actions under this outcome area will prioritise working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community service organisations as well as community service organisations with limited resources and those operating in rural or remote areas.


• Responsive, and cost-effective services delivered by the sector that improve outcomes for children and their families.

• Strong and effective sector partnerships that improve sustainability, foster innovation, and improve operating efficiency.

• Cross-pollination of skills, experience, learnings and corporate management efficiencies.

Supporting outcome 2How we will achieve this:

• Pilot industry partnership programs–tailored initiatives to improve the long term sustainability of community service organisations with limited resources, with an emphasis on assisting them to maximise procurement, financial sustainability and workforce development outcomes from partnerships they are in, or will enter.

• Showcase partnership and collaboration successes–identify and showcase innovative, successful partnerships that support the aims of the child protection reform program.

• Industry learning forums–establish processes or forums for industry to discuss and review learnings from its involvement in procurement processes and apply these learnings to the improvement of partnerships and relationships in the industry.

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Pilot industry partnership programs

• Develop criteria for successful industry partnerships

• Conduct a pilot in far northern Queensland of an industry development model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies that builds on existing strengths and relationships to improve the industry profile, strength and voice of the community controlled sector.

• Undertake a pilot program of partnership seminars in targeted locations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community service organisations as preparation for future procurement processes and potential partnerships.

• Conduct a pilot partnership program for:

a) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community service organisations considering entering into partnerships with non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community service organisations, and

b) Community service organisations with limited resources looking to improve sustainability and procurement outcomes.

2015–16

2015–16

2015–16

2016–17

CSIA, QATSICPP, QCOSS, RAATSICC, Workforce Council

Showcase partnership and collaboration successes

• Partner with sector stakeholders to facilitate opportunities for identifying and showcasing successful partnerships and collaborations.

2016–17 CSIA, QATSICPP, QCOSS, Workforce Council

Industry learning forums

• Conduct a pilot of learning forums such as communities of practice or regional sector seminars that capture industry learnings about successful partnerships and collaborations, particularly related to major procurement processes.

2016–17 CSIA, QATSICPP, QCOSS, Workforce Council


The third outcome area sets a path towards achieving our desired future state for the child protection and family support sector by seeking to build a proactive and positive culture in child protection practice.

This outcome will only be successfully achieved through joint efforts. The key action areas provide an opportunity for all partners dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable children and families in our community to drive professional behaviour change and embed a positive culture in child protection practice.


• A proactive, positive and supportive culture in child protection practice that recognises the shared responsibility for keeping children safe and supporting families to reach their full potential.

• A vibrant and inclusive culture that promotes reflective learning and continuous improvement in which there is recognition of good practice, opportunities for innovation and mentoring to strive for best practice.

• Respectful relationships between government officers, community service organisations’ staff, carers, parents, family, children and young people. A more open and responsive approach that recognises shared government and non-government goal responsibility, emphasises areas of agreement and acts responsively to work through barriers.


• Shared leadership commitment to drive cultural change–facilitate the development of a shared leadership commitment statement, encompassing shared norms and expectations about the way the sector should approach their work and interact with each other to support vulnerable children and their families.

• Develop shared principles for the way child protection and family support practice is undertaken in Queensland–work with the sector to develop shared practice principles and respectful language that reflects a consistent way for people across the service system to work with all children, families and carers of children and young people.

• Agency led cultural change plans–support agencies to develop tailored action plans focused on introducing tangible ways of achieving the professional behaviour shift and embedding the desired cultural change in child protection practice.

• Enable change to be driven at the local level–facilitate place based initiatives to enable local professional communities to identify local issues, develop their own solutions and drive cultural change initiatives at the local level.

• Cultural change champions–identify change champions across the state to promote key cultural change messaging and engender a shared responsibility for service delivery outcomes to families and children.

• Reward professional excellence and showcase positive cultural change learnings–identify opportunities to profile the strengths of our professionals by sharing learnings, rewarding professional excellence and showcasing positive cultural change initiatives.


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Shared leadership commitment

• Establish agreement from sector leadership on the desired future culture for the child protection and family support sector.

• Facilitate a round table workshop with leaders from across the sector to develop a shared cultural change commitment statement.

• Develop a communication strategy to support sector leadership communicate its commitment to cultural change to the sector.

2015–16

2015–16

2015–16

DCCSDS, DET, Industry leadership (government and non-government), PeakCare, QATSICPP, QCOSS, QH, QPS, Sector leadership

Shared practice principles

• Facilitate a series of workshops to support the sector to develop shared principles for the way child protection and family support is undertaken in Queensland.

2016–17 DATSIP, DCCSDS, DET, DJAG, OPG, PeakCare, QATSICPP, QCOSS, QH, QPS, Secondary support service agencies

Agency led cultural change plans

• Develop resources and support programs to assist agencies to develop action plans to encourage professional behaviour shift and cultural change in their agencies.

2016–17 DATSIP, DCCSDS, DET, DHPW, DJAG, OPG, QH, QPS

Local level cultural change initiatives

• Facilitate place based engagement approach to enable local professional communities to identify local issues, develop their own solutions and drive cultural change initiatives at the local level.

• Develop pilot initiatives to address locally identified cultural change issues.

• Evaluate pilot initiatives and programs to inform the best approach to be used in other regions.

2015–16

2016–17

2016–17

CSIA, DCCSDS, NDIS, PeakCare, QATSICPP, QCOSS, Workforce Council

Sector change champions

• Identify sector change champions to support local level pilot initiatives and drive cultural change.

• Evaluate and expand across the sector.

2016–17

2016–ongoing

DCCSDS, PeakCare, QATSICPP, QCOSS, Secondary spport service agencies

Showcase success and reward positive change

• In collaboration with a cross-sector reference group, develop terms of reference and a calendar for showcasing and rewarding the strengths of our professionals and the positive cultural change initiatives they have successfully implemented to improve outcomes for children and families.

2016–17 DCCSDS, PeakCare, QATSICPP, QCOSS, Secondary support service agencies


The fourth priority area of this strategy focuses on establishing an evolving evidence base to share with the sector to guide and inform future planning and investment decisions.

To successfully achieve this outcome we will identify, collect, evaluate and share qualitative and quantitative evidence from across the sector to inform and guide our understanding of current and future service demand, including gaps to support decisions about priorities for investment decisions.


• Sector stakeholders collaboratively identify priority areas for data collection to understand the sector’s responsiveness to the needs of vulnerable children and families.

• Trusted and respected evidence about the sector workforce, organisations and service provision is made available for sector stakeholders to use in planning and supporting future investment decisions.

• Regular and targeted insights from reviews of reform programs or systemic barriers which may block effective service delivery.


• Community Partnership Group–form an industry facing advisory group that will provide advice on reform implementation and oversight, identify sector challenges and systemic barriers impeding both collaborative practice and effective service provision for vulnerable children and their families.

• Data and evidence collection plan–obtain agreement on evidence and data collection priorities and develop an agreed plan for evidence collection.

• Workforce baseline profile, Your Workforce, Your Future –develop a baseline profile for the child protection and family support sector workforce including mapping the existing workforce capability of the community controlled sector.

• Workforce demand and supply modelling–identify workforce gaps and risks to inform future retention, recruitment and placed based workforce strategic priorities.

• Reviews and health checks–undertake targeted reviews of key reform priorities or systemic barriers which inform the sector about the effectiveness, barriers and unintended consequences from implementing key reforms.

• Benchmark and measure culture–establish benchmarks for cultural change across the sector and work with agencies to measure change over time.


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Community Partnership Group

• Establish a Community Partnership Group with membership from key peak and industry bodies.

• Develop agreed scheduled of key priority focus areas.

2015–16

2015–16

CSIA, PeakCare, QATSICPP, QCOSS, Workforce Council

Data and Evidence Collection Plan

• Facilitate a targeted co-design process with key stakeholders to identify and obtain agreements on evidence and data collection priorities.

• Develop data collection strategies to address data and evidence gaps.

2015–16

2016–17

CSIA, DCCSDS, QATSICPP, QCOSS, Workforce Council

Workforce baseline profile - Your Workforce, Your Future

• Establish a cross-sector reference group to guide the data collection, census development and provide advice throughout the project.

• Establish a baseline profile of the child protection and family support sector workforce and map the capability of the existing community controlled sector and identify priorities for future workforce capability and capacity.

2015–16

2015–16

QATSICPP, Workforce Council

Workforce demand and supply modelling

• Facilitate the development of strategies to project and meet future service demand.

2016–17 DCCSDS, Workforce Council

Targeted health checks of reform priorities

• Undertake a health check of changes to professional reporting behaviours.

• Establish an agenda of health checks focused on key reform priorities in collaboration with cross-sector reference group.

2015–16

2016–17

DCCSDS, DET, QH, QPS

Measure cultural change against benchmarks

• Facilitate a process with sector leadership to benchmark culture and work with agencies to measure change.

2015–16 DCCSDS, DET, Peak bodies, QH, QPS


The following five guiding principles will provide the focus of the first 18 months of implementation:

1. A commitment to shared ownership

Caring for children and keeping them safe is a shared responsibility. Government and community service organisations, peak bodies, industry representative organisations and the workforce must work together to deliver the right services to respond to the needs of families, so they can raise children who are safe, well, healthy and supported.

2. An integrated approach to improved outcomes

The sector will recognise that people, organisations and professional culture are all intertwined and everyone must commit to working together to create integrated responses that put children and families at the centre of sector efforts.

3. Building on Strengths

The existing strengths of the workforce and service delivery organisations will be recognised, and used as the building blocks for long term change. Actions and initiatives will build on the expertise, commitment and adaptability of the sector and the workforce, gained from years of connecting with communities and operating at the front line of service delivery.

4. Responding to the needs of place and community

Responses that understand, accept and meet the needs of people in the communities and places where they live, work and seek help are required. Designing these actions will start by asking the children, families, organisations and workforce who live in or serve the community about their service needs and the changes they wish to see in their community.

Guiding principles for implementation

5. Responding to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community service organisations and their workforce

The role of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community service organisations and their workforce in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities is respected and valued. Their views and contributions will be sought and acted on in the implementation phase of the strategy.

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The governance model proposed for the strategy is multilayered. It must provide space for the voices of sector stakeholders, in determining future investment and implementation priorities to strengthen the capacity of the sector to respond to reform with agility.

The layered approach will reinforce that everyone from senior sector leaders to community elders, to front line professionals, have a role in sharing in the responsibility for keeping children safe and supporting families to reach their full potential. The approach will encourage the views of stakeholders from across the sector to be heard.

We will encourage reflective learning at all levels of implementation monitoring and oversight to ensure that when things go right and wrong, we embrace and recognise

Governance and oversight of the strategy

the success and actively respond to the challenges. If our collaborative approach to the implementation of this strategy is to be truly transparent and based on one of partnership and collaboration, those messages that are the hardest to hear must be given our priority response.

The governance model will draw on existing oversight mechanisms that have been established under the Child Protection and Family Support Reform Program Organising Framework, as well as those that have been established by the QFCC. Each will provide a unique level of oversight to different implementation elements of the strategy.

Role Responsibility

QFCC Will provide overall implementation oversight and monitoring for the implementation of the strategy, as part of its annual reporting obligations and reform oversight framework as prescribed under the Family and Child Commission Act 2014.

QFCC Advisory Council Established under Part 4 of the Family and Child Commission Act 2014, the advisory council will provide high-level oversight and advice for the strategy’s implementation.

Inter-departmental CEO Committee and Child Protection Reform Leaders’ Group

Cross government senior executive representation from a wide range of government agencies, will provide mechanisms to resolve key strategic implementation challenges.

Regional Child and Family Committees

Will provide local oversight for initiatives that are being implemented under placed based, local needs and local response implementation.

Targeted health checks of reform priorities

• Undertake a health check of changes to professional reporting behaviours.

• Establish an agenda of health checks focused on key reform priorities in collaboration with cross-sector reference group.


During the consultation process for this strategy, scheduled for the first quarter of 2016, the QFCC will actively cooperate with key sector representatives on developing an Evaluation Framework. The Evaluation Framework will ensure the effectiveness of initiatives can be monitored, as well as providing an important contribution to building sector knowledge through establishing a strong evidence base on which to leverage future investment decisions.

Until such time as the sector consultations have embedded and prioritised the initiatives proposed under the strategy, it is not feasible to finalise the scope of the Evaluation Framework. However, it is anticipated the Evaluation Framework will incorporate several key components, including:

1. Strategy development and associated measures of the effectiveness of its implementation

2. An agreed list of prioritised key initiatives that will be evaluated

3. Identification of the systemic barriers to the strategy’s effectiveness

4. Building an evidence base and utilising iterative evaluation findings to inform future priorities on sector-wide capability, capacity and culture.

Specifically, it is envisaged that some elements of the Evaluation Framework will be:

• Agreement across key sector stakeholders on key measures and performance indicators that underpin the Evaluation Framework.

• Provision for a review of the strategy’s development and implementation.

• A phased evaluation approach for key action areas which prioritises the importance of iterative review and developmental evaluation.

• A commitment that the Evaluation Plan will be underpinned by principles of appreciative inquiry.

• Agreement with implementation partners on prioritising high value and high impact evaluations for targeted initiatives under the strategy which will comprehensively assess the implementation, benefits and effectiveness of these specific initiatives.

• Allocation of sufficient resources to ensure, where appropriate, evaluations are undertaken independently.

• An evaluation design that incorporates, where possible, the views of children, families and stakeholders.

• Promotion of a culture of evaluation across the sector by sharing the evaluation findings at professional networks and in learning forums.

• A review of the effectiveness of governance mechanisms in providing oversight of the strategy.

Once the Evaluation Framework is finalised, the QFCC will lead the preparation of an Evaluation Plan. The Plan will prioritise areas of focus during the first two years of implementation. The Evaluation Plan will serve as a critical monitoring tool to ensure the goals of the strategy are being met through the selected implementation priorities under the strategy’s agreed key action areas.

The Evaluation Plan will capture the views of stakeholders and ensure mechanisms to regularly check in with implementation partners are appropriately reflected.

How will we measure success?

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Sector participation has been central to the design of this strategy. Government and non-government stakeholders have been actively involved in developing objectives, outcomes and actions, and we will continue working with our partners in early 2016 to finalise implementation roles and responsibilities.

Sector consultation

In early 2016, the QFCC will undertake a regional roadshow across Queensland. We will be hosting round table sessions so that the sector can come together to talk about the strategy and prioritise action areas for implementation.

If you would like to know more about attending one of our round table sessions, please email [email protected].

Alternatively, you can provide us with written feedback. Please visit our website at www.qfcc.qld.gov.au/strengthening-the-sector-strategy-feedback.aspx for more information.

How can you get involved and have a say?


Definitions

Appreciative inquiryThe cooperative search for the best in people, their organisations and communities and the world around them. It involves systematic discovery of what gives ‘life’ to an organisation or community when it is most effective and most capable.

CapabilityCapability refers to the knowledge, skills and aptitudes of the individual, group or organisation and the competence to undertake the responsibilities assigned to them (i.e. trained staff, Board competence).

CapacityCapacity refers more broadly to the overall ability of the individual, group or organisation to actually perform the responsibilities (i.e. right number of staff, sustainable funding sources).

Child protection and family support sector (the sector)The sector is:

• The child safety system (tertiary/statutory system) – services provided under legislation when a child has suffered significant harm or is at risk of suffering significant harm.

• The family support system (secondary system) – services provided by community service organisations to vulnerable families or children and young people who have additional needs that, if unmet, are likely to lead to child safety intervention. These secondary services include parenting and anger management programs, domestic violence, counselling and substance abuse programs.

• The universal services (primary services) to the extent of their provision of services to children in contact with the child protection and family support sector including people who are mandatory reporters working in universal service systems (e.g. teachers, medical staff, and certain police officers).

• Organisations which support or represent the industry’s views or advocate aspects of service provision for children and families, such as peak bodies or industry alliances.

Community controlled sectorCommunity control is a process which allows the local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community to be involved in its affairs in accordance with whatever protocols or procedures are determined by the community.

The community controlled sector comprises those organisations that are:

• an incorporated Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisation

• initiated by a local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community

• based in a local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community

• governed by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander body which is elected by the local community

• delivering a holistic and culturally appropriate service to the community which controls it.

Community service organisations Community service organisations are non-government providers who promote, provide or carry out activities, facilities or projects for the benefit or welfare of the community or any members who are marginalised or disadvantaged, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families and people with a disability.

CultureCulture refers to a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs, which govern how people behave in organisations. It is constructed socially and is affected by environment and history.

Family and Child ConnectA non-government community-based intake and referral service to refer child protection concerns, so that vulnerable children and their families can access relevant support services based on their assessed needs.

Industry The term ‘industry’ has a narrower scope than that of the sector and means the community service organisations that work in the sector, delivering child protection and family support services.

Intensive family support servicesFamily support delivered under a lead case management model to address multiple and/or complex needs and assist families to build their capacity to care for and protect their children. General and specialist interventions, including practical in-home support, are delivered by the service as part of a single family case plan. Families are linked to appropriate external specialist responses in order to address identified needs. Intensive family support is delivered over an extended period until case plan goals are met, resulting in measurable improvements in the wellbeing of children and their families.

Place basedLocal level problem definition and response to address a set of circumstances common to a place or location. This involves stakeholders engaging in a collaborative process to address issues as they are experienced in a particular place, for example, a region, community, or neighbourhood.

Glossary

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Regional Child and Family Committees (RCFCs) The RCFCs determine regional priorities for implementing the child protection reform program in line with state wide directions established by the Child Protection Reform Leaders Group. RCFCs are administered by the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services.

Implementation partners

Australian Association of Social Work (AASW)The professional representative body of social workers in Australia.

Community Services Industry Alliance (CSIA)An industry body focused on giving a unified voice and advancing business and sustainability of the community services sector through positive action and change.

Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships (DATSIP) The Queensland Government department that provides whole-of-government leadership in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy, and service delivery.

Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (DCCSDS)The Queensland Government department responsible for enabling vulnerable Queenslanders to participate in and contribute to a fair, resilient and prosperous Queensland through the service areas of child safety, community, disability, multicultural affairs.

Department of Education and Training (DET)The Queensland Government department that operates and administers the state’s education and training system.

Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG) The Queensland Government department responsible for administering justice in Queensland, and for developing policies and delivering services to ensure safe, fair and productive work environments that contribute to the wellbeing of Queenslanders.

Health and Community Services Workforce Council (Workforce Council)Queensland’s peak body for workforce issues in the health and community services industry.

Office of the Public Guardian (OPG)The Office of the Public Guardian is an independent statutory body, protecting the rights and interests of vulnerable Queenslanders. The OPG has special responsibilities to support and protect the rights of children and young people in out-of-home care.

PeakCareThe state-wide, not-for-profit peak body who represents and promotes matters of interest for the non-government sector involved in providing child protection, out of home care and related services.

Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak (QATSICPP)The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak body representing and working together with its members and partners, to improve the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and their families.

Queensland Council of Social Services (QCOSS)The state-wide peak body representing the interests of individuals experiencing or at risk of experiencing poverty and disadvantage, and organisations working in the social and community service sector.

Queensland Health (QH)Queensland Health is the Queensland Government department that operates and administers the state’s public health system.

Queensland Police Service (QPS)The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is the law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland.

Remote Area Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Child Care Advisory Association (RAATSICC)The Cape York/Gulf Remote Area Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Care Advisory Association is the peak advisory body on children and family matters for Queensland’s Cape and Gulf remote communities.

queensland family & child commission - the sector · 2019-12-26 · raise happy and healthy...

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