Facilitator:

Professor Rhonda Marriott

Murdoch University

Community Workshop Information and Feedback on Suggested Models from the Co-Design Process of: “Parent and Baby Service Model/s”

Acknowledgement

I acknowledge the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation as the traditional custodians of this

land on which we are meeting today. I pay respect to their Elders past, present, and future.

I acknowledge the Elders, senior women and men and the collective wisdom of my Aboriginal

colleagues in the room today. I also acknowledge all our Elders past, present, and future and

recognise the long history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on this entire land.

And I acknowledge that the past is not just the past. The past, the present and the future are, as

they always are, part of each other – bound together. We have an opportunity to influence the

future in this co-design process and I seek the guidance of the spirits of our Elders in this task.

AGENDA

• 8.30 am : Morning tea/coffee on arrival. • 9.00 am : Acknowledgement of Country

• 9.05 am Overview of purpose behind the co-design of a flexible Parent and Baby Service Model.

• 9.35 – 10.30 am: General discussion on the Key elements of Service Model, Roles and Responsibilities of Service Provider and the Key elements of a Culturally Secure Service Model. • Q.1. Do you have any concerns about what you are hearing? • Q.2. Do you have any suggestions to add that haven’t been considered?

• 10.30 – 11.00 am : Morning tea/coffee.

• 11.00 am – 12.00 pm : General discussion on what the model/s could look like and what could be proposed; including concerns and suggestions.

• 12.00 pm : Closing remarks

• 12.05 – 12.45 pm : Light lunch and Finish of day.

May 2016: The Minister released the “Building a Better Future: Out-of-Home Care Reform in Western Australia (OOHC Reform Plan)”. The following Strategy is the essential precursor to the OOHC Reform Plan.

June/July 2017: Co-Design Workshops to develop Parent and Baby Service Model/s.

Why is a new Service needed?

• The number of Aboriginal babies entering the

Department of Communities' (Department) care is continuing to increase each year with almost 54% of all children in out-of-home care being Aboriginal.

• The Department is committed to finding a strategy and solution to stop this trend as staff know that the longer children remain in care, the harder it is for them to return home.

• Hence, the Department is funding a new Parent and Baby Support Service (the Service) specifically for Aboriginal parents (aged 15 – 25 years) to support the most at risk (new born) babies to remain in their parent’s care from birth.

Co-Design Methodology

Parent and Baby Service Aims:

• Support a newborn child to remain with their parent/s where there is either: • Risk the child may be placed into the care of the CEO, or • The child is in the legal care of the CEO but placed with the parent/s

Methodology

• All Aboriginal Controlled Community Organisations(ACCOs) were invited to participate in the development of the Parent and Baby Support Service model.

• Three workshops were facilitated by Professor Rhonda Marriott • One workshop for metropolitan based ACCOs (7th June) • One workshop for country based ACCOs (14th June) • Community consultation workshop for ACCOs, Non ACCOs and interested community

members (today)

• Written submission were sought from those who could not attend workshop dates

• Input from service users and key Aboriginal service provider stakeholders was also sought. That, along with today’s community consultation will inform the final model/s that will be provided to the Department for approval and Tender process.

• Tender will be announced on Department’s website

• Evaluation of service model/s will be undertaken

Context of Trauma-informed services and care for Aboriginal children and families

Trauma-informed services deal directly with trauma and its effects. • These service providers work with Aboriginal parents who are affected by trauma and whom

need to services that are ‘trauma-informed’ and culturally sensitive.

Such services:

• understand trauma and its impact on parents, children, families and community members

• create environments in which parents with a baby feel physically, emotionally and culturally safe

• employ culturally competent staff and adopt practices that acknowledge and demonstrate respect for Aboriginal culture

• support victims and survivors of trauma to regain a sense of control over their daily lives and actively involve them in the healing journey; and share power and governance, including involving community members in the design and evaluation of programs

• integrate and coordinate care holistically to meet parent’s needs

• support safe relationship building as a means of promoting healing and recovery.

REFERENCE: These points are taken from “Trauma-informed services and trauma-specific care for Indigenous Australian children”. Resource sheet no. 21 produced for the Closing the Gap Clearinghouse. Judy Atkinson, J u l y 2013, pp1-2.

What will this new service look like?

• A “wrap around” service for the most at risk Aboriginal babies to remain safely in the care of their parents, and connected to their families, and communities as much as possible.

• Hence, to prevent 12 of the most at risk Aboriginal babies per year from entering the Department’s care.

Pre-determined and non-negotiable elements

• An Aboriginal client specific live-in, case management and support service.

• Service is available to both the mother and/or father, if appropriate.

• Aboriginal parents aged 15 to 25 years.

• Priority will be given to parents who are the most vulnerable: • At significant risk of having their baby placed in the care of the

CEO; or • Parents who are in the CEO’s care; or • Parents who have been in the CEO’s care; or • Where a wraparound support service would be required in order

to support parents to safely parent their baby.

• Flexibility of the service model and the delivery of the Service will be important.

• The Service will work with the whole family to prevent the child coming into the CEO’s care, or work towards reunifying the child with their birth family.

Continued:

• The Service will provide case management that is flexible and responsive to the needs of young parent/s and their baby.

• The Service must demonstrate how safety standards are to be met as identified in the Better Care Better Services Standards (BCBS).

• Partnership with CPFS; especially the Case Worker.

• Open and transparent information sharing (verbal and written) with CPFS (especially about risk and safety of baby).

• That the service provider actively works with the family to explore safe networks for themselves and their baby and that this is shared with CPFS.

• Strong safety planning with a strong network who understands the worries and the department's involvement is critical with this service in order for sustainable change to be achieved.

• Service provider to attend monthly mapping with CPFS (if baby is in care then attendance and participation at Permanency Planning Meetings).

• CPFS to have full access to sight baby at any time.

• Service will be delivered in the Perth Metropolitan area (with capacity to accommodate regional parents).

• Specific housing or accommodation will not be provided by the Department for this service.

• An Exemption from the State Supply’s Open and Effective Competition Policy has been approved to restrict the tender process to ACCOs.

Continued:

Funding Model and Term

• The model/s will be rolled out over a three year period

• The funded term for a service will be 12 months and will include pre-natal support, service delivery (excluding accommodation) and outreach support

• 12 parent/s will be enrolled in each 12 months (a total of 36 parent/s and their babies)

Evaluation: * * Outcomes and Measures will be linked to the Department’s Outcomes Framework for Children in Out of Home Care in Western Australia: 1. Children live safely in a stable care arrangement. 2. Children have strong physical, social and mental health. 3. Children attend, participate and achieve in quality education. 4. Children develop and retain a deep knowledge and understanding of their life-history and identity. 5. Children are included by the systems that support them. 6. Children leave care equipped with the resources to live productive lives.

General discussion on the Key elements of Service Model, Roles and Responsibilities of Service Provider, including the key elements of a Culturally Secure Service Model.

Q.1. Do you have any concerns about what you are hearing? Q.2. Do you have any suggestions to add that haven’t been considered?

10.30 – 11.00 am :

Morning tea/coffee.

General discussion on what the model/s could look like and what could be proposed; including concerns and suggestions.

4 Possible Models

1. Mother (parent) and baby live in with other mothers (parents) and babies (group home concept).

2. Mother, baby and father live in house with Carer (foster concept).

3. Carer lives in the home of mother (parent) and baby.

4. Mother (parent) and baby live in the home of Carer (foster concept).

Are there any questions for Department staff?

Finish of the Day Next Steps You are invited to have lunch before you leave….

Thankyou for your input