Acknowledgement

Acknowledgement of Country and Peoples I acknowledge the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation as the traditional custodians of this land on which we are meeting. I pay respect to their Elders past, present, and future. 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 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 our co-design work and I seek the guidance of the spirits of our Elders in this task.

Facilitator:

Professor Rhonda Marriott

Murdoch University

Co-Design of: Parent and Baby Service Model/s

Agenda – see handout

Why is a new Service needed?

• The number of Aboriginal babies entering the

Department’s 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.

What will this new service look like?

• The purpose of the Service is to divert the most at risk Aboriginal babies from entering the Department’s care and to remain safely in the care of their parents, with their families, and communities through a “wrap around” service.

• The Department is proposing a co-design with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) to develop a service model with some elements of the Service being pre-determined and non-negotiable.

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.

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

• 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.

Continued:

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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)

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

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

• 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

Continued:

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.

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

The following points are taken directly from Ref: “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.

• Service providers working with all population groups who are affected by trauma need to adapt their programs to account for their clients’ traumatic experiences. The perspectives of trauma experts, service providers and clients suggest that services need to be ‘trauma-informed’. Trauma-informed services directly deal with trauma and its effects.

Such services:

• understand trauma and its impact on individuals (such as children), families and communal groups

• create environments in which children feel physically and emotionally safe

• employ culturally competent staff and adopt practices that acknowledge and demonstrate respect for specific cultural backgrounds

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

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

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

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.

• Workshops being facilitated by external academic and researcher who is Aboriginal, a midwife and a nurse

• One workshop for metropolitan based ACCOs (7th June) • One workshop for country based ACCOs (14th June) • Community consultation workshop for ACCOs, Non ACCOs and community members (6th

July)

• Written submission are also sought from those who cannot attend workshop dates

• Feedback on developed model/s will be sought before final model/s provided to the Department for approval and Tender process.

• Tender will be announced on CPFS website

• Evaluation of service model/s will be undertaken

Key Stakeholders

• Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations

• Aboriginal Parents, Families and Community

• Department of Child Protection and Family Support

• Current OOHC service providers

• Peak bodies

• Potential service users

• Other government agencies

Funding Model and Term

• The model 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, accommodation support 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.

Department Child Protection and Family Support resources and information for your use

Are there any questions for Department staff?

Overview of Task One: Key elements of Service Model

Task One Discussion Points

Keeping in mind the predetermined, non-negotiable elements, consider the following minimal list that is suggested (you will think of others):

• Service Model/s • What exactly the service will be required to do? • Would training/development be required to establish the Service?

• What could/would be the hours of operation for a flexible Service model and delivery?

• What is the target group? Is it mothers or fathers or mothers and fathers?

• What are the activities to be undertaken by the Service provider/s;

• What is the projected intensity and duration of the Service?

• How will admission and exit processes (including referral processes) be managed?

• What is the relationship of the Service with Case Managers/other Department staff?

Overview of Task Two: Key elements of Roles and Responsibilities of Service Provider

Task Two Discussion Points

Keeping in mind the predetermined, non-negotiable elements, consider the following minimal list that is suggested (you will think of others):

• How would the Service promote (and would they also assess) infant attachment; infant mental health; the skills, nurturing, caring in the vulnerable parents?

• How could a Service create a strengths-based environment for parents?

• What links would/should the Service have to other services (such as Best Beginnings/AMS)?

• What professional development might be required for Service staff?

• What would be the responsibilities (if you decide there will exist) for the Service for outreach; community engagement; screening and assessment; resource coordination; advocacy; crisis intervention; or specific referral for mental health services, other trauma-specific services, parenting support, or healthcare?

• Where is a line of distinction in the role and responsibilities for antenatal care from a midwife or GP; or the postnatal care from a child health nurse, midwife or GP? Where is the role/support for fathers in this also?

• How could the relationship of the Service with Case Managers or other Department staff be developed to build and maintain trust with parents?

• How will continuity of care be supported?

Overview of Task Three: Key elements of a Culturally Secure Service Model

Task Three Discussion Points

Keeping in mind the predetermined, non-negotiable elements, consider the following minimal list that is suggested (you will think of others):

• What will make the Service model culturally appropriate and secure so that Aboriginal parents feel culturally safe?

• How could a ‘nana’/kinship grandmother or aunty role model be incorporated?

• How will the Service involve extended family/networks?

• In what ways could the service build the agency and sovereignty (power and independence) of parents?

• How will the Service incorporate cultural competency and cultural protocols?

• What on-going and/or cultural training will be available/needed for Aboriginal carers?

• How will the Service link to post birth care provided by Aboriginal medical services?

• How could “trauma-informed” principles of care be incorporated into the Service?

Overview of Task Four: What will the Model/s look like?

Task Four Discussion Points

Keeping in mind the predetermined, non-negotiable elements, what model/s do you propose for the Service?

In describing the suggested model/s, you may consider the following minimal list (you will think of others):

• The majority of young parents using this Service will have current or past experience of violence and trauma. Key points for your discussion include:

• How will principles of trauma informed care be incorporated? • What activities should the Service undertake? • What are the outreach requirements for the Service? • What are the Service outcomes and measurers? • How do we get families to engage with the Service? • How will we get community support for this project (pilot)? • What is the Service’s interface with the Department?

• How will the Service keep a vulnerable baby safe and secure while the Service and the Department work with the parents on their issues?

• What are the time frames of the live-in service, case management and support? • Is there a preferred living arrangement or is there flexibility and ability to cater to the needs

of the families?

Closing Remarks, Next Steps and Finish of the Day