Page 3468 - Week 09 - Thursday, 21 August 2008
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
The strategy has informed numerous reforms along this continuum, including major reforms within Housing ACT that established a service system that is built around the needs of clients and provides community-based support from the start of an application for assistance.
Other reforms within Housing ACT improved the process for priority setting for housing assistance to focus on people with complex and high needs, and the establishment of a multidisciplinary panel, drawing on representatives from across government and community service sectors, to assist in the categorisation of Housing ACT applicants with high and complex needs.
During this period a women’s pathway group was established to identify service gaps and blockages in the system that reduced the level and availability of assistance to women, particularly those involving domestic violence. As a direct outcome, the domestic violence Christmas initiative was funded, providing short-term crisis support for women and children escaping domestic violence over the Christmas-new year period. The initiative had long-term benefits that led to the development of the transitional housing program, which provides additional options for individuals and families leaving SAAP services, freeing up space in those services for people who need a crisis response.
The report outlines how in the third year of the strategy work initiated in the first two years was built upon to consolidate working relationships in the creation of an integrated service system. As a result, service providers reported a change across organisations, with a better, more informed focus on providing a client-focused service.
Other highlights from the strategy’s third year include the finalisation of the homelessness charter—a statement of rights for homeless people and a service guarantee for homelessness service providers, finalisation of research into children’s experience of homelessness and the development of an implementation plan to incorporate key findings of the research into SAAP sector practice.
Overall, the evaluation finds the strategy delivered improved outcomes against a number of measures to specific groups including women, young people and families. The strategy introduced initiatives which have provided short-term crisis management and there are early indications that long-term outcomes will be delivered.
This work has been delivered within an environment that has at times been challenging. As you would recall, the 2006-07 budget required the homelessness service sector to make savings in the order of $1 million. However, I am also pleased to say that the ACT government continues to provide $3 million over matched funds for homelessness services every year, as well as our $6 million yearly contribution to SAAP.
Those involved in the delivery of the strategy have risen to its challenges. The evaluation finds that the strategy was implemented and managed appropriately and efficiently in a way that was particularly successful in creating a strong, maturing service system. The success of the strategy would not have been possible without the
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .