Gail Winkworth

Opportunities Lost––Why Some Parents of Young Children Are Not Well-Connected to the Service Systems Designed to Assist Them

Abstract Evidence on how to engage isolated parents in formal services tends to rely on professional commentary, practitioner discourse, and parents who use services. It is critical to also hear the perspectives of isolated parents to inform practice and service design, yet there are clearly practical difficulties in researchers talking directly to families who do not use services–– not the least of which is how to find them. This paper reports on in-depth interviews with 20 financially disadvantaged sole parents of young children in the inner north of Canberra who define themselves as not well-connected to services. The study finds that these parents often lack the social networks needed to “introduce” them to services; their contacts with formal services in the past have left them feeling judged and under surveillance, and the services which they regularly “brush up” against miss critical opportunities to link them with avenues for support. A small but significant group who resist all formal services indicate they are most likely to be assisted in everyday environments that are normal and nonstigmatising, rather than through formal agency settings.

Being ‘child centred’ in child protection: What does it mean?

In 2005 the Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University, was approached by the ACT Government and asked to evaluate the ‘child centredness’ of its child protection policies and procedures. An early review of the literature discovered some use of the term ‘child centred’ in government documents but very little clear indication of its meaning in the theoretical and empirical literature. This paper canvasses the literature and develops a set of principles for child centred practice which may apply to all child and family agencies. In developing these principles, the researchers identified four key themes which provide a broad, overarching framework for child centred approaches. These themes emphasise the importance of: recognising critical time frames in childhood and adolescence; taking into account the developmental needs of children and young people in all practice contexts; providing children and young people with appropriate opportunities to participate in decisions that affect them; and promoting a collaborative approach to influencing children’s multiple environments. The researchers claim these principles can be used to provide the basis for evaluating policies and practices and for ongoing training.

Vulnerable Families’ Use of Services: Getting What They Need

Abstract There is growing recognition in Australia and in other countries that some people face complex challenges and multiple disadvantages in their everyday lives, and that their needs for safety, health, clothing, food, shelter, and emotional wellbeing form interacting webs of need. However, it is often this very group who may be excluded from services and other opportunities. A qualitative study was carried out with 80 families living on income support in two regions in Australia. The study explored how parents defined their families’ needs, their current levels of formal support, and their experiences of navigating multiple service systems and networks. Parents identified a range of issues that they viewed as adversely impacting on their health and wellbeing. They also described barriers to accessing services and the features of helpful service experiences. Families provided important information as to how those with the greatest need can be effectively assisted to access needed resources and services. Program design and individual service provision need to be based on principles of responsive, respectful service, and collaboration. Locating skilled workers in nonstigmatising settings such as schools has great potential for making services accessible and linking people with what they need.

Catholic social services in Australia: A short history

This paper provides a brief history of Catholic social services in Australia. The underlying theological base has been Catholic Social Teachings. The paper outlines Catholic Social Teachings and its impact on the development of distinctive Catholic social services. Catholic social services is an umbrella term, which includes the diocesan based services - Centacares, religious orders and lay associations such as St Vincent de Paul Society. A condensed history is presented, which highlights the various stages of the development of Catholic social services. These stages have been identified as the early years of the colony - charity for those in need, Industrialisation and ‘Rerum Novarum’- the right of all people to live in dignity, Catholic Welfare Bureau - improving coordination, training and expertise, Conservatism/Innovation and Advocacy - 1949-1986 and Restructuring of human services - the recent period.

Breaking into schools: Establishing high quality human services in educational contexts

This paper explores the ACT Government’s investment in a school based human services program. This program aims to improve educational and social outcomes for children and young people by creating effective working relationships between families, communities and their schools. It considers the contemporary challenges to achieving a quality service in a domain not normally inhabited by human services professionals. The main focus of the paper is an analysis of some of the factors which were considered in establishing a high quality service. The paper draws attention to the importance of developing a conceptually sound program model, in particular one which demonstrates how evaluation can be integrated throughout the program cycle. It argues the importance of pursuing two key pathways to quality: the achievement of professional standards in program design, and the pursuit of the consumer voice in shaping and judging program performance. The paper contends that program sustainability in this field of practice hinges on recognising who the consumers are, and achieving a range of outcomes which address their varied needs and priorities.

Putting children's services in their place: A call for universal children's services to prevent child abuse and neglect in Australia

This paper discusses the need for a national early childhood intervention policy in Australia, including a universal approach to childrens services as a platform for the prevention of child abuse and neglect, supporting families and enriching the lives of all children. It considers the literature on early intervention, including the theoretical and research base of successful programs and the link between early intervention and the prevention of child abuse and neglect. It examines the way the child welfare and childrens services sectors have grown and the imperative at the beginning of the 21 st century for a closer alignment of services. The United Kingdoms ‘Sure Start’ early intervention strategy is considered in so far as it attempts to develop a more comprehensive approach to child welfare by developing programs which are based on the research. Finally the paper asserts that recent strategies introduced by Federal and State Governments to promote childhood health and wellbeing are positive first steps, but need to go further to seriously address increasing numbers of children reported as suffering harm through abuse and/or neglect.

Back to schools: Human services workers increasing opportunities for early intervention and social inclusion from the school base

This paper argues that Australia is lagging behind in recognising the important role social workers and other human services workers can play in schools to improve social and educational outcomes for students. It reports on a small, school-based, human services program, the Schools as Communities program, located in the Australian Capital Territory, and outlines key themes that emerged in interviews with principals and other school staff about the programs effectiveness. The programs outreach workers, who were mostly social workers, had a dual role working with individual families and facilitating community development initiatives of benefit to the school community. Case studies demonstrate how their presence contributed to earlier involvement and support of vulnerable families. They also illustrate that the school setting enabled social workers to work more effectively to build social inclusion in local communities. The paper argues the case for using a wider range of human services professionals from the school base and calls upon education and human services systems to create more effective governance arrangements to make this possible. An expansion of the traditional disciplinary base of education to incorporate social workers and other human services professionals who are skilled at working across multiple domains is essential if schools are to maximise the impact of early intervention and prevention in working towards a more socially inclusive society.