Child & Family Welfare Association of SA Inc. 47 King William Road, Unley SA 5061

Executive Director: Rob Martin E rob@childandfamily-sa.org.au

P 8305 4213 M 0438 821 918 www.childandfamily-sa.org.au

SECTORRESPONSETOTHESOUTHAUSTRALIANCHILDPROTECTIONSYSTEMSREFORM

CHILDANDFAMILYWELFAREASSOCIATIONOFSOUTHAUSTRALIA

POSITIONPAPER,OCTOBER2016

Theaimof this paper is to articulate thenon-government sector’s positionon thepriorities forreformofthechildprotectionsectorinSouthAustralia.TheChildandFamilyWelfareAssociationof South Australia (CAFWA-SA) intends to utilise this paper to underpin its advocacy togovernment on the changes required to give effect to a robust and responsive child protectionsectorinthisstate.

PREAMBLE

CAFWA-SAissupportiveoveralloftheneedforchildprotectionsectorreform,andispleasedtoseethe level of commitment demonstrated to date by the Minister for Education and ChildDevelopment, theMinister forChildProtectionReformandthePremier.There isanobviousdrivecoming from within government to implement the kinds of changes that are necessary to keepchildrensafeinthisstate.

Worktodatehasfocusedonadministrativeandlegislativeamendmentsthat inandofthemselveswillnotresultinsystemreform;theywillincrementallyalterthemeansbywhichtheexistingsystemfunctionsandwillunlikelyresultinchangedoutcomesforvulnerablechildrenandtheirfamilies,norstemtheflowofchildrenandyoungpeopleintothecaresystem.

CAFWA-SAhascalleduponthegovernmenttoconsiderlongertermprocessesofimplementationinordertotakestockofwhataradicallyredesignedchildprotectionsystemcouldlooklike,andwhatoutcomesarebeingsoughtforchildren,theirfamiliesandthepersonsthatsupportthem.

This position paper calls urgently for the process of system reform in South Australia to beconsultative, collaborative, and inclusive of the voices of children, carers, Aboriginal families andcommunitiesandthenon-governmentsector.

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BACKGROUND

The Child and Family Welfare Association of South Australia (hereafter CAFWA-SA) is the peakrepresentative body for non-government agencies providing out-of-home care and residentialplacementsforchildrenandyoungpeopleunderGuardianshipinSouthAustralia.

CAFWA-SA also represents those agencies providing early intervention and preventative familyservices and support to familiesdeemedat riskof further contactwith the SouthAustralian childprotectionsystem.CAFWA-SAanditsmemberscurrentlyworkincollaborationwithFamiliesSAandtheOfficeforChildProtectioninordertoidentifyopportunitiestodivertchildrenandtheirfamiliesfromformalchildprotectioninterventions.

With the release of Commissioner Nyland’s findings and report into the South Australian childprotectionsysteminearlyAugust2016,theChildandFamilyWelfareAssociationofSouthAustralia(CAFWA-SA), alongwithother sector peaks,was compelled to develop this positionpaper on theresultingsectorreformsandimplementationoftheCommissioner’srecommendations.

Withthegovernment’sannouncementoftheparticularrecommendationsthatarecurrentlybeingconsidered for implementation,CAFWA-SAand itsmembers are concerned that adeeper level ofconsultation andengagementwith the sector is required inorder todevelop a shared visionof arobust and functional child protection system for South Australia. CAFWA-SA is particularlyinterested in seeing the public health model as articulated in the National Framework for ChildProtectionreflectedintheimplementationofreformmeasuresinthisstate,andaheightenedfocusonpreventionandearlyinterventionmeasures.

ThispaperhasbeendevelopedincloseconsultationwithCAFWA-SABoardmembers,agencyCEO’sandmembers in order to articulate a consolidated response to sector reformmeasures, and thecriticalareasforfurtherattentionbygovernment.

Keypriorityareashavebeendescribedasfollows–

1. AnalternativevisionoftheSouthAustralianchildprotectionsystem2. Equalpartnerships3. Sectorcollaborationandinnovation4. Measurementofoutcomesanduseofevidence5. Primaryhealthmodelsofpreventionandearlyintervention6. Training,developmentandsectorsupport7. Deeperengagementandconsultationwiththenon-governmentsector

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PRIORITYAREAS

1. AnalternativevisionoftheSouthAustralianchildprotectionsystemThenotionofan ‘alternativevision’of thechildprotectionsystemascompared towhatcurrentlyexists in South Australia has been a resonant theme within the non-government sector. Therequirement of a continued separation of responsibilities between the state and the non-government sector has been broadly deemed as necessary, however the extent to whichgovernment needs to refine and focus on its statutory responsibilities, rather than attempting toduplicatework in prevention and early intervention,which is the domain of the non-governmentsectorandcommunityorganizationshasbeenreiterated.Greatersharingofresponsibilitybetweengovernmentandthenon-governmentsectorintheareasoffamilypreservationandreunificationofchildrenwiththeirfamilieshasbeenconsistentlyemphasized.

RECOMMENDEDACTIONS–

• Outsource a greater share of prevention and early intervention activities to the non-governmentsector;

• Revert to a regionalized / localized approach to the coordination of statutory childprotection responses that includes consultation and collaborationwith non-governmentproviders;

• Articulate and agree on shared roles and responsibilities across various governmentagencies including health, education and housing for identifying and responding tofamilieswhowouldbenefitfrompreventionorearlyinterventionservices;

• Consult deeplywith the sector on the role and remit of the new Department for ChildProtection;

• Establishaninter-governmentalworkinggroupledbytheMinisterforChildProtectiontoaddress as a matter of priority the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslanderchildreninthechildprotectionsystem;

• EstablishaMinisterialAdvisoryBoardonChildProtectionandChildRights;and• Agree on a set of outcomes that guide all child protection interventions, such as those

outcomescontainedintheNationalFrameworkforProtectingAustralia’sYoungPeople

2. EqualpartnershipsThere has been a consistent sense of the need for a more clearly defined relationship betweengovernment, the non-government sector and the community, whereby the sector and thecommunity are treated as equal partners in theongoingproject of developing andproviding safeandnurturingenvironmentsforchildrenandyoungpeople.Thisrelationshipshouldencouragefrankand robust discussions and viewpoints which, if articulated in partnership and contractualarrangements,willhavethebenefitofavoidinganypotentialfearsofrepercussions.Anenvironmentmustbecreatedwherebynon-governmentorganizationsandthecommunitycanprovideopenandhonestfeedbackaboutelementsofthesystemthatmaynotprovideoptimaloutcomesforchildrenandfamilies,aswellaspracticeandpolicybarrierstotheachievementofgoodoutcomes.Thesectorand the community can then, in turn, activelyworkwith government to generate solutions. Suchpartnershipswithgovernmentequalizethesectorandcommunity.Inaddition,thesectoriskeentobeengagedinallstagesofconsultation,includingtheplanningandscoping,providingopportunitiesformeaningfulinput,reviewofthefindingsanddecisionmakingaboutfuturedirections.

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RECOMMENDEDACTIONS–

• Utilize the ‘Stronger Together’ Framework for guidingmeaningful, ongoing engagementwith the non-government sector on prioritizing recommendations from the RoyalCommission’sReportforimplementation;

• Continue the commitment to high level meetings between Department for ChildProtection(DCP)ExecutiveandCAFWA-SAExecutives;and

• Strengthen the operation of the current Placement Coordination Panel (PCP) such thatmeetingsresultintimelyandtangibleplacementoutcomesforchildreninemergencyandresidentialcare

3. SectorcollaborationandinnovationThere is an overwhelming level of shared goodwill between non-government organizations, acommitment to work collaboratively as organisations and peak bodies, and a sense that greatercollaboration and innovation could be more proactively facilitated by government. It has beensuggested that the fearof repercussionson contracts and the resource implicationsof thesemaywork to inhibitnon-governmentorganizations fromproviding feedbackandadvice togovernmentthatmaybedeemedasundesirable.Organizationsbelievethattheymustbeencouraged,supportedandprovidedwith the incentive tocollaborate, innovate, shareandchallenge thestatus-quo.Thiscould best be given effect by examining the current funding environment in which organizationsmustactivelycompeteandpitthemselvesagainstoneanotherforfundingandresources.Thesectorwould instead like to see funding arrangements that reward collaboration and partnership withmultiple actors and agencies, and which allow for a sharing of resources and concomitantresponsibilitiesforoutcomes.Thisapproachalsorequiressufficienttimetosupportitpriortonewexpressionsofinterestbeingputforward.

RECOMMENDEDACTIONS–

• Establish a preferred provider panel for non-government providers in the domains ofpreventionandearlyintervention,fostercarerrecruitmentandassessment,out-of-homecaresupport,residentialcareandpeaksectoradvocacy;

• Ensurethatunit-costingmeasuresareutilizedtoprojectthetruecostofhighqualityandoutcomesbasedserviceprovision;

• Promotion and facilitation of Collective Social Impact Approaches that are focused indesignatedregionalhubs(AsperRecommendation51)

• The recommended local area child and family assessment and referral networkswith aleadnon-profitagencybeestablishedtoprovidethebackbonesupportfortheCollectiveImpactapproachesbutwithaseparationfromtheroleofservicedelivery.

• Encourage via contractual arrangements a partnership approach to service andprogramdesignthatincentivisesagenciestoworkcollaborativelyinthedesignanddevelopmentofnewprogramsandservices;and

• Allowmoreflexiblecontractarrangementsthatenableserviceproviderstoutilizeunspentfundson thedevelopmentand implementationof service responses that are innovativeandwhichaddressclientneed

4. MeasurementofoutcomesanduseofevidenceThe use of shared measures of service and program success in order to quantify outcomes forchildren and families has been a recurrent topic for discussion. Whilst there is broad based

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agreementthattheimplementationofresultsbasedaccountability(RBA)asareportingframeworkis a positive step towards the illustration of successful outcomes for service users, the sector iscalling for a greater emphasis on the independent evaluation of services and programs that isundertakeninpartnershipbetweenserviceproviders,serviceusers,fundingbodiesanduniversities.

RECOMMENDEDACTIONS–

• EmbedRBAreportingacrossallcontractscurrentlyadministeredforthedeliveryofchildprotectionandrelatedservices;

• In consultation with the non-government sector, establish an online data managementsystemthatenablesthecapture,collationandanalysisandtransparentregularreportingbymultiplegovernmentandduly-endorsedcommunitypartneragencies.

• Involve the non-government sector in the establishment of an Evidence and ReportingDirectorate and subsequent reporting mechanisms to ensure timely and efficientcollectionofdatafromserviceproviders;and

• Includefundinginservicecontractsfortheimplementationofindependentevaluationofnewservicesandprograms

5. PrimaryhealthmodelsofpreventionandearlyinterventionStemming the flow of children and young people in to the child protection system must beconsideredasoneofthemostfundamentalandcriticalelementsofchildprotectionsystemreform.A wholesale redesign of prevention and early intervention initiatives will be required in order totacklethesystemicissuesthatleadtofamilyincapacitytoprovidesafeandsecureenvironmentsforchildren. Whilst Commissioner Nyland highlights the importance of prevention and earlyintervention throughout her report, the recommendations relating specifically to measures foradequately resourcing initiatives that will have a sustained impact are few. CAFWA-SA and itsmember agencies are of the view that a functional child protection systemneeds to be designedfrom the groundup, andneeds to focuson theways inwhich communities andnon-governmentorganizations can pro-actively support families before crisis occurs; strengthening family capacityandcapabilitytocarefortheirchildrenisanabsolutepriorityandrequiresaradicalshiftinemphasisand resourcing away from crisis intervention towards community conscientization and themobilizationofcommunityassetswhichcanbeleveragedtosafeguardchildrenintheirownhomes.Inthisrespect,whatisrequiredgoeswellbeyondthereformofthechildprotectionsystem,itistheneed for the creation of a whole of government/whole of community response to enhance thewellbeingofallchildrenandfamiliesinSA.

RECOMMENDEDACTIONS–

• Designaproportionalfundingmodelthatallocatesagreaterpercentageofoverallfundingandresourcestoinitiativesdesignedprimarilyaroundpreventionandearlyintervention;

• Adopt a whole-of-government framework to the provision of service and support tofamilies at higher risk which includes consistent outcome measures across health,education,housingandchildprotection;

• DevelopmentofaChild-FriendlyapproachthatplaceschildrenatthecentreoftheState’seconomicdevelopmentplanandaddressesquestionssuchas:

o WhatisitliketobeachildinSAtoday?o HowcanwedotomakeSAabetterstatetogrowupin?

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• IfAdelaidewantstosustainitshighrankingamongsttheworlds‘mostliveablecities’canwe improve, and market, the correlation between thriving, functional families andcommunitiesandavibranteconomy?,and

• Reinvigorate the state government’s commitment to the National Framework forProtecting Australia’s Young People with particular emphasis on prevention and earlyintervention

6. Sectortraining,developmentandsupportTherequirementforahighlyskilledworkforcethatfunctionsacrossthedomainsofprevention,earlyintervention and family support, crisis care, family preservation and reunification cannot beunderstated. The child protection workforce does not currently enjoy access to sustained andconsistenttraining,developmentandsupportwhichisrequiredtomaintainhighlevelsofqualityinserviceprovision.Humanservicesworkisdifficultworkandthoseengagedinenvironmentswhereemotional labour is required must be able to access the kinds of professional development andsupport that sustains them in their work and which assists them to provide quality services tochildrenandfamilies.CAFWA-SAisoftheviewthatsuchsectordevelopmentcouldwellbeprovidedinpartnershipwithoneoranumberofregisteredtrainingorganizations,withCAFWA-SAactingasthe coordinatingbody. ThenotionofCAFWA-SAplaying this role in SouthAustralia is reflected inrecommendation 125 of Commissioner Nyland’s report, and it is entirely possible that morecoordinated training, development and sector support could be provided were resources madeavailable to scope the levelof trainingand support requiredacross thedifferent servicedomains,andthentomatchconsistenttrainingprogramstomeetthem.CAFWA-SAisexploringpartnershipswith ACWA in NSW and the Victorian Centre for Excellence in Child Protection in order to beginpiecingtogetherarobustandaccessibleserviceofferingforthesectorthatresultsinamorehighlyskilledandsupportedworkforce.

RECOMMENDEDACTIONS–

• Institute a formal training collegewithin the new Department for Child Protection thatmirrors formerwork conducted by the DFC College for Learning and Development, andwithaparticular focuson trainingandup-skilling socialworkers, casemanagers, clinicalpractitionersandfamilysupportworkers;

• Pursue formal partnerships with a tertiary institution for the delivery of higher leveltrainingandeducationtochildprotectionpractitioners;

• Provide funding and resources to CAFWA-SA to implement cross sector training andeducationprogramsinpartnershipwitharecognisedRTO;and

• CommissionCAFWA-SAtodesignanddevelopaconsistenttrainingscheduleandcalendarofprofessionaldevelopmenteventsaccessiblebyallstaffworkinginthenon-governmentchildprotectionsector

7. DeeperengagementandconsultationwiththesectorCAFWA-SAand itsmembersare concernedat the speedwithwhich recommendationshavebeenpickedupbygovernmentforimplementationandthemarkedlackofdeep,meaningfulengagementandconsultationthathastakenplacewiththesectoraroundwheretheprioritiesoughttobe.Thereis a sense that consultative forums to date have not resulted in the kinds of discussions that arenecessary to redesign childprotectionat the systemic level and to shift theonusof responsibilityfrom one government department to the entire community and to a much wider range ofgovernmentdepartmentsandagencies.Discussionsaroundtheparticularrolethatlocalgovernment

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couldplayinareformedsystemhavenottakenplace,norhastherebeenanopportunitytoengagein truly transformative thinkingabout fundingandcontractingarrangements, serviceandprogramredesign, and the ways in which Aboriginal families and communities need to be consulted andengagedthroughoutthereformprocess.

RecentdiscussionswithCAFWA-SA,CREATE,SACOSS,ChairoftheCouncilfortheCareofChildren,AFSSandprominentacademicsheldbyBostonConsultingGroupdorepresentanefforttoexplorewhat thebroader systemic changecould look like,however there is concern that two, threehourmeetingsisnotasufficientlevelofengagementforsuchfarreachingwork.Nordoesitappearthattherewillbefutureopportunitytoworkwithgovernmentonwhatwillfinallybeagreedasthewayforward.

RECOMMENDEDACTIONS–

• Release the government’s community engagement strategy in relation to theimplementation process for Commissioner Nyland’s report to the community and non-governmentagenciestoprovidetransparencyandcertainty.

• Commit to a series of sector consultations in late 2016 / early 2017 with the non-government sector to explore alternative fundingmodels for integrated service deliveryforat-riskfamilies;

• CommittotargetedconsultationwithAboriginalagenciesandcommunityorganizationsinorder to agree on culturally appropriate and effective measures to better supportAboriginalparentingpractices;

• Continue to support the FamilyMatters Campaign in SouthAustralia in order to enableAboriginal community organizations to provide feedback on the process of childprotectionsystemreform;

• CommissiontheCREATEFoundation(SA)toconsultdeeplywithchildrenandyoungpeopleincareonthemeasuresrequiretoensurebestpossibleplacementoutcomes;

• Engagewithfostercarersandtheagenciesthatsupportthemtodiscovermeanstobettersupportandretainactivefostercarersintheout-of-homecaresystem;

• Consult with local government to determine what role they could play in coordinatingregionalizedresponsestofamiliesrequiringsupport;

• Provideenhanced fundingand support to Together SA tooperationalize learnings takenfromtheTogetherintheNorthandTogetherintheSouthinitiatives;and

• ProvidethenecessaryresourcesandfundingtoCAFWA-SAtocoordinatesectorinputintoserviceandprogramre-designthatbettertargets families inneedofpreventionorearlyinterventionservices

CommentsandfeedbackarewelcometoRobMartin,ExecutiveDirector,ChildandFamilyWelfareAssociationofSouthAustralia

E:rob@childandfamily-SA.org.au

M:0438821918