Family Services Bulletin - 7th April 2009
- Registration update for Community Service Organisations
- KPMG - Evaluation of the Child and Family Services Reforms
- 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
- Best Interests Training materials
- South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault - one day workshop for professionals about sexual assault
- RCH Addressing Family Violence Programs Professional Development
- Raising Happy & Confident Kids - A seminar for parents with Pat Jewell
- ARACY Conference 2009: Call for Abstracts
Family Services Agencies News
Registration update for Community Service Organisations
External reviews are due to commence in April 2009 with external reviewers having taken part in an establishment process that looked at the Standards, the Evidence Guide, the Review Tool, the Aboriginal Cultural Competence Framework and the Best Interests Framework. All CSO's will be contacted shortly to be advised about their review date and their reviewer, and a full schedule of review's will be available soon.
Please see attached, March Registration Update for further information about external reviews on Cultural Competency.
During April and May a full day workshop for the Registration for Community Service Organisations will be provided in regions. Please contact your regional Quality Enhancement Officer for full details.
The workshop will provide an overview of:
- Quality assurance and improvement
- Registration under the Children, Youth and Families Act
- Conducting internal reviews against those standards and the process of external reviews
- Review Tool and Evidence Guide, resources that you will use when conducting your reviews.
CSO's should be working on their second internal reviews due on the 30 June 2009. CSO's undertaking an external review between now and 30 June 2009 will not be expected to undertake an internal review.
If you have any questions, please contact;
- Your local Department of Human Services Regional: Quality Enhancement Office Program and Service Advisor or
- Children, Youth and Families Division: Tanya Seath, tanya.seath@dhs.vic.gov.au
Community Service Organisations Registration Update - March 2009 [PDF 337kb]
KPMG - Evaluation of the Child and Family Services Reforms
Please find attached the third project newsletter for the Evaluation of the Child and Family Services Reforms. This newsletter provides details of the upcoming Evaluation Survey - coming soon - 21 April 2009.
This survey is one of the first evaluation activities, and will be completed by the entire Child and Family Services workforce therefore everyone who is employed in 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.
KPMG Evaluation Newsletter April 2009 [PDF 215kb]
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
The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare Victoria and the Child and Family Welfare Association of Australia (CAFWAA) invite you to attend the 2009 National Symposium for practitioners, managers and researchers providing family support and family and welfare services in the child and family support and welfare sector. This Symposium provides a rare opportunity for workers to enhance their skills and to engage with national and international experts in the field. Further updates will be provided in further editions of the Family Services Bulletin.
For more information see: www.ResilientFamiliesSymposium.com.au
Best Interests Training materials
The Child Protection, Youth Justice Professional Development Unit (CPYJPDU) is pleased to inform you that the training materials provided during the statewide rollout of the Best Interests Case Practice Summary Guide - "A Framework for Practice" - are now available on the every child every chance website.
The intention of the training strategy was to deliver the key messages of the Model to groups across the regions, along with activities and resources, which could then be taken by participants back to workplaces and used to inform the practice of staff. Included in the materials available on the website are the training notes, the power points and the handouts provided at the regional training sessions. We hope that these materials will be useful in the ongoing resourcing of practitioners across the state in understanding the Best Interests Case Practice Model and incorporating it into daily practice.
For more information see: www.cyf.vic.gov.au/every-child-every-chance
South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault - one day workshop for professionals about sexual assault
Workshop - Working with Children who have been Sexually Assaulted (Aged 5 - 10). This workshop aims to:
- Form a framework for understanding trauma
- Develop an understanding of relevant therapeutic techniques for working with children who have disclosed sexual assault
RCH Addressing Family Violence Programs Professional Development
Mind the Baby - Working with Vulnerable Infants and their Families
Monday 27th July 2009, 9.30am
A forum to share different ways of working with vulnerable infants and their families as well as allow meaningful discussion amongst health and community services providers currently working with this important client group. Keynote speaker: Brigid Jordan, Associate Professor Paediatric Social Work (Infant and Family), RCH
The Peek-a-Boo Club 2-day Experiential Training (for mother and infants affected by Family Violence)
15th and 16th July 2009 and 7th and 8th October 2009
This training looks at the Peek-a-Boo Club model, the impact of Family Violence on Infant Mental Health and Infant led work.
The PARKAS (Parents Accepting Responsibility Kids Are Safe) 2-day Experiential Training (for children and parents affected by family violence)
22nd and 23rd July 2009 and 21st and 22nd October 2009
This explores the dynamics of violence, the neurological impact of violence and theoretical perspectives useful in understanding this area of work.
Infant Mental Health & Family Violence Training Registration Form - July 2009 [PDF 331kb]
Infant Mental Health & Family Violence Training Registration Form - October 2009 [PDF 387kb]
PARKAS Training Registration Form - July 2009 [PDF 443kb]
PARKAS Training Registration Form - October 2009 [PDF 439kb]
Mind the baby forum [PDF 36kb]
Raising Happy & Confident Kids - A seminar for parents with Pat Jewell
This is part of a national parenting education initiative that aims to promote positive relationships between children and parents, and enhance parenting confidence, knowledge and access to support. It has been developed by the Australian Childhood Foundation and funded by the Australian Government Departments of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
This seminar will assist parents to become positive family leaders and create nurturing and stimulating environments for children.
The workshop will cover the following topics:
- Attributes of resilient children
- The importance of self esteem
- Understanding the mystery of your child's brain
- The art, not science of parenting
- How to grow into the job of parenting
Raising Happy & Confident Kids - A seminar for parents with Pat Jewell [PDF, 1.4mb]
ARACY Conference 2009: Call for Abstracts
The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) is presenting its National Conference - Transforming Australia for our children's future: Making prevention work - in Melbourne on 2nd - 4th September 2009. The key aim of the ARACY Conference is to showcase preventive innovations that are improving the wellbeing of children and young people. Conference sessions will be relevant to those working in public and non-government sectors, across sectors, disciplines and professions.
Abstract submissions: Theories, Models and Best Practice in Prevention.
Submissions on the broad issue of primary prevention are invited. They may be theoretical, policy-based, research-based or practice-based. The Program Committee is particularly keen to receive submissions on successful models and best practice examples of prevention. Besides the three themes of the Conference - Marcro-level prevention, Politics and processes of social change, and Prevention pays - submissions may address prevention in relation to themes in the ARACY Report Card, such as health and safety; education; training and employment; peer and family relationships; behaviours and risks; participation; and the environment. Those making submissions are encouraged to involve young people in a meaningful way in the development and delivery of presentations. While the focus is on improving the wellbeing of children and young people, relevant examples of prevention from other sectors are welcome.
For more information visit www.aracyconference.org.au.