Page 2255 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 16 August 2006
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centres is that what we are trying to do is target families that are in need, but not using the old welfare-type model or an interventionist model, which could often scare families in need away. It is a very normal, mainstream service. Anyone can come in and, as we have already seen, many have.
It is through that process of being mainstreamed, attending a playgroup, having a chat with a counsellor and getting some information about what other services there are that professionals can engage with families. Often they find that the families are in need of other services and in need of other support. One of our key strategies in relation to early intervention is to make sure that we are getting to families in need, that we are intervening before the crisis and making sure that we do not then see these children, through any level of intervention, including a high level intervention, entering our care and protection system. These are the areas where I hope over time these centres will deliver.
We already know that they are welcomed in the local community. We know people are using them. We are getting in touch with the kids. We are finding children who need a bit of extra support or families who need a bit of extra information, and they are getting that from these centres and from the professionals working with them. I would like to congratulate staff involved in the centres. Again, when you run a new model, the success of running that new model is dependent on the staff that deliver it. They are the ones that make it a success. We can provide all the money and the ideas that government needs to provide, but at the end of the day it is the staff that are working at those centres that make it a success and make sure that families keep coming back.
Parents are encouraged to drop in and talk with qualified child and family professionals, or attend one of the numerous free programs they offer in partnership with a range of government and non-government agencies. In Tuggeranong, for example, programs already include the over-the-trolley program, where centre staff can interact with parents at local shopping centres. There is also a young parents support group, which is a partnership between the centre, the YWCA and the department of education.
As I mentioned before, paint and play at Richardson is highly popular. It enables kids to paint, do puzzles and play games while parents can chat and get to know other parents. Parent paint and play is a result of a partnership between the department of education, Tuggeranong Link, Communities@Work and sport and recreation’s kids-at-play bus.
At Gungahlin, Dr John Irving, one of Australia’s leading child psychologists, has addressed more than 100 local parents at each session that the centre convened on the topics of fathering boys, starting school and parenthood and the first 12 months. On a broader but equally important level, the Tuggeranong Child and Family Centre is participating in the national healthy start project in partnership with the Marymead Child and Family Centre. Healthy start is a program for parents with learning difficulties sponsored by the Australian government under its strengthening families program. Participating centres will be providing the information for the national evaluation of this program.
Assisting at risk families and those facing disadvantage is an important focus of the work of child and family centres. In this regard they can deliver services directly or coordinate another service’s response, if required. The centres operate on a collaborative model.
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