Family Services Bulletin - 1st May 2009
- ACTION REQUIRED: URGENT attention for all staff! KPMG Evaluation Survey
- The Child Protection Operating Model Demonstration Project: Trialling new ways of working in Child Protection in the Eastern Metropolitan Region
- Early Bird Registration deadline has been extended to 15th May for the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare Inc - 2009 National Symposium "Resilient Families need Resilient Workers", Practice, Policy and Research 22nd, 23rd and 24th June 2009 at the MCG Melbourne
- Family Violence Protection Act 2008 - Regional roadshows for the "Enough" campaign
- South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault - workshops for professionals about sexual assault
- Debutante Ball - For young people aged 15 to 20 years who are living in foster, residential or kinship care - 21st May 2009
Family Services Agencies News
ACTION REQUIRED: URGENT attention for all staff! KPMG Evaluation Survey
The Evaluation Survey was sent out by KPMG on 21st April 2009. To date 500 responses have been received which represents 15% of the total workforce of 3300.
The survey is one of the first evaluation activities, and is to be completed by the entire Child and Family Services workforce therefore everyone who is employed by the Child and Family Services sector should consider being involved. This includes all CEO's, managers and staff (both within DHS and CSO's) involved in providing Family Services, Child Protection and Out of Home Care. This includes DHS staff acting as PASA's and Partnership Managers, DHS staff in Placement Coordination and Support roles and Quality Managers (staff that perform quality roles to support the CSO registration standards) within funded CSO's.
There is one week to go before the evaulation window is closed therefore significant increase in the number of returns is required to make this a viable sampling. It would be greatly appreciated if you could take the time to complete the survey ASAP.
The Child Protection Operating Model Demonstration Project: Trialling new ways of working in Child Protection in the Eastern Metropolitan Region
In February 2008, Eastern Metropolitan Region (EMR) was selected to test out some of the recommended reforms through a Demonstration Project (DP). The reforms are aimed at:
- creating and maintaining a skilled, engaged and supported Child Protection workforce;
- improving the early intervention model and breadth of responses to enable duration, improved outcomes for children and families;
- achieving efficiency through reform of practices, procedures and structures to improve administrative procedures; and
- improving engagement and co-ordination with partners, including Family Services, to better meet current needs of children and families.
Please refer to the attached for a comprehensive overview and update.
Early Bird Registration deadline has been extended to 15th May for the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare Inc - 2009 National Symposium "Resilient Families need Resilient Workers", Practice, Policy and Research 22nd, 23rd and 24th June 2009 at the MCG Melbourne
Early Bird Registration deadline is now Friday 15th May. Register by this date to save over $100.00.
Who should attend?
- practitioners
- managers
- researchers
providing family support and family and welfare services in the family support and welfare network.
Registration can be made on line. Please see: www.ResilientFamiliesSymposium.com.au
Family Violence Protection Act 2008 - Regional roadshows for the "Enough" campaign
As part of the ENOUGH campaign, roadshows are being held in a number of locations to take the ENOUGH messages to every corner of Victoria and to ensure the campaign reaches local communities.
Roadshows will comprise a community information session and a sector forum. The community information session will highlight the unacceptability of family violence and the significance of the new laws and is relevant to the general public.
The forum on the Family Protection Act 2008 will provide those working in the sector with an opportunity to learn more about the new legislation. Forums are being delivered in partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Human Services.
Enough: Family Violence Regional Roadshows [PDF 73kb]
South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault - workshops for professionals about sexual assault
Workshop A
Forming a foundation for working with clients who have been sexually assaulted
Friday 26th June 2009 and Friday 27th November 2009
Workshop B
Building blocks to safe sexual assault counselling
Friday 3rd July 2009 and Friday 4th December 2009
Debutante Ball - For young people aged 15 to 20 years who are living in foster, residential or kinship care - 21st May 2009
You are invited to attend a very special Debutante Ball being held for young people in Out of Home Care at the Melbourne Town Hall on 21 May 2009. Following the success of the inaugural event, the Debutante Ball is being supported by the Office of the Child Safety Commissioner, the CREATE Foundation and other community service organisations.
Please find invitation and booking form attached.
Invitation to Debutante Ball 2009 [PDF 166kb]
Debutante Ball booking form [PDF 66kb]
IRIS NEWS
IRIS Update
The Family Services website has recently been updated as we have two updated documents. The updated versions can be downloaded from:
http://cyf.vic.gov.au/family-services/iris-family-services-user-manual
The two documents are:
The IRIS Procedure Notes: Child FIRST and Family Services. We advise agencies to replace the November 2007 version in your Family Services IRIS User Manual folder with the March 2009 version, and the IRIS Reports Training notes have also been updated. Please replace the October 2007 version with the April 2009 version.
The updated versions include instructions to run reports that are part of the new functions in the December IRIS upgrade For example, the IRIS Procedure Notes provide steps on how to run reports on referred cases (pages 19 and 20.