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Commitment to Continue Help for People in Crisis
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Issue 22
September 2004
Commitment to Continue Help for People in Crisis
Following her attendance at the The commitment to negotiate a new
meeting of state, territory and agreement would see:
Australian Community and Disability § the provision of better assistance to
Service Ministers on 28 July 2004, people who present with a number
Community Development Minister of support needs;
Shiela McHale welcomed the joint § increasing involvement in early
commitment by State, Territory and the intervention and prevention
Australian Governments to negotiate a strategies; and
fifth Supported Accommodation § the provision of ongoing assistance
Assistance Program (SAAP) agreement. to ensure stability for clients in
crisis.
“I am very pleased that all
governments have acknowledged the The current SAAP IV Agreement is due
pressing need to negotiate a new five- to cease in June 2005. Since 2000,
year SAAP agreement,” the Minister $296 million is provided annually under
said. “Homelessness is often the result the SAAP IV Agreement by the State
of a complex mix of factors including and Australian Governments to fund
issues related to relationship non-government support services
breakdown, domestic violence, financial across Australia.
difficulties, eviction, substance abuse
Ms McHale said that in Western
and mental illness.” …cont page 3
Developing Benchmarks for WA SAAP Services
The SAAP SAC Service Delivery Working financial benchmarking workshop
Party will be holding its next service session. All SAAP services will be invited
delivery forum on 28 October 2004. to attend the Forum to contribute and
collate budget and service delivery
Planning for this event is well under way.
information to establish such
This Forum will create an opportunity for
benchmarks.
the sector to develop financial
benchmarks for all SAAP service types in Services will receive information
Western Australia and to look at the regarding the Forum during September.
impact of the National SAAP IV Further information is available from
Evaluation. Ross Kyrwood at
ross_kyrwood@aus.salvationarmy.org
A number of small presentations will be
held by a variety of organisations,
including Worksafe, the Department for SERVICE DELIVERY
Community Development, Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, sector Peak
FORUM
organisations and the Union to inform the supported by SAAP SAC & the
Sector Peak Bodies
INSIDE > 28 October 2004
3 Signposts – Managing the Past
4 Strong Families Burswood on Swan
5 Exclusion Practice in SAAP Final Reception Centre
Report BURSWOOD
New SAAP SAC Appointments
SAAP SAC is pleased to announce the CaLD communities. Fauziah has
appointment of two new sector recently commenced as Chair of the
representatives to the Committee. CaLD Working Party.
In May, Cabinet endorsed the Minister George Davies is currently a
for Community Development’s Community Youth Consultant with
appointment of Fauziah Varusay and Perth Inner City Youth Service where
George Davies as community he undertakes a variety of specialist
representatives to SAAP SAC. roles within the network. George
brings considerable experience and
As Manager of the Multicultural
knowledge of issues associated with at-
Women’s Advocacy Service, Fauziah
risk young people and SAAP. George
brings considerable experience and
has also commenced working with the
advocacy expertise to the committee in
Mental Health and Alcohol and Other
the area of family and domestic
Drugs Working Party.
violence, with a particular focus on
Fauziah Varusay
Manager of the Multicultural
Women’s Advocacy Service
George Davies
Perth Inner City Youth Service
Community Youth Consultant
SAAP Protocols Update
Vicki Sheridan
SAAP Protocols
Project Officer
Recently I was appointed to the position of SAAP Protocols Project Officer with the
Department for Community Development. I am excited by this appointment and hope to
be able to bring my experience of working in a rural SAAP service to this project and to
build upon the great work that has already been undertaken with the SAAP protocols. For
the past 8 years I was engaged as the CEO of Wonthella House Inc. in Geraldton and
have worked in SAAP services in the areas of youth, counselling and domestic violence for
over 12 years.
It is pleasing to report that the Department of Justice and the WA Police Service protocols
have now been completed and are available on the SAAP website. The SAAP website can
be accessed at http://www.fcs.wa.gov.au/_content/saap/default.htm
Protocols with the Department of Education and Training are
nearing completion and the protocols with Department of Health
Office of Mental Health are soon to be revised. Although still in
the early stages, protocols with the Department of Health -
Hospital Emergency Departments are progressing.
Your valuable feedback on any area of the protocols is greatly
sought and appreciated. I look forward to meeting with many
of you over the next 12 months. I can be contacted on
(08) 922 22801 or by email on vicki.sheridan@dcd.wa.gov.au Newly appointed Protocols
Officer, Vicki Sheridan
Page 2
Community Capacity Building Grant
The Service Delivery Working Party recently Workshop, where clients of the service
called for Expressions of Interest for a and a variety of community and business
Community Capacity Building Grant of up to representatives will meet to discuss
$2,500. This grant was established as a issues of access to safe housing for
result of the March Service Delivery Forum women and children in Carnarvon.
as a once off funding opportunity to
The Service Delivery Working Party
stimulate community development and
wishes to thank Allan Tranter of Creating
capacity building activity(s) within the SAAP
Communities, who undertook the
sector. A total of 21 applications were
keynote presentation at the “SAAP as a
received from the Sector, nominating a
Player in Community Development”
variety of projects and community
Forum, donating his time and office
development activities.
expertise to enable the allocation of
The Minister for Community Development, funds towards the SAAP sector for
Sheila McHale, recently advised Carnarvon community development activities.
Family Support Service of their successful
The Working Party wishes Carnarvon
Community Capacity Building Grant
Family Support Service every success
application.
with its capacity building project and
Carnarvon Family Support Service will would also like to thank all agencies who
receive $2,500 for a Safe-Home Building submitted an application for the Grant.
…continued from page 1
Australia, this equates to $29 million each year for 129 services who provide supported
accommodation, counselling, advocacy, outreach, links to housing, health, education,
employment and other services.
Over the course of the next 12 months, funding the new SAAP program will be a major
part of negotiations between the State and the Australian Governments.
Signposts: A guide to Children and Young People
in Care in Western Australia
In October 2000, the Care for Children Advisory Committee highlighted the need for improved access
to information for those who have lived in an out of home care setting. A reference committee was
formed to provide advice to the Department for Community Development in managing the project.
Dr Debbie Rosser was contracted to identify information sources and compile the historical
information.
Pauline Bagdonavicius chairs the Reference Committee, with membership sourced from
Departmental staff and non-government agencies including Francis Lynch (CYFAA and Mercy
Community Services), Lyn Pushong (Mercy Community Services), Tricia Lee (Wanslea), Marie Smith
and Ian Ludlow (Swanleigh), Mark Donald (Ngala) and David Zarb (Mofflyn).
Signposts- a Guide to Children and Young People in Care in Western Australia since 1920 has now
been completed, as has a database containing the names, alias/es, date of birth and placement
details. There are in excess of 106,000 entries on the database comprising of approximately 58,000
names. Signpost will be officially launched in Children’s Week in October 2004.
As young people under the guardianship of the Department may be referred to YSAAP,
information on services in the Historical Directory of Residential Child Placement Facilities in
WA 1920 - 2004 will include youth supported accommodation services. Marie Waldeck from
the Department for Community Development’s Information Services spoke to the SAAP SAC
at its June meeting about this initiative. If you have any queries please contact Marie on
telephone 9222 2555.
Page 3
by Rae Markham
STRONGfamilies Senior Project Officer
Department for Community Development
Strong Families is an interagency initiative which was expanded statewide in late 2003
as a result of recommendations arising from the Gordon Inquiry. It has the support of
key Government agencies including the Departments of Health, Justice, Education and
Community Development, the Police Service, Disability Services Commission and
Centrelink.
Strong Families recognises that when families are experiencing very complex problems,
the issues they face often require support from a number of agencies - both
Government and non-Government. When multiple agencies are involved with a family,
it is very important that these agencies work together in a coordinated way, and that
the family is involved in the decisions around what assistance is needed. There care
however many barriers to agencies working together in a coordinated and collaborative
way and Strong Families is a practical approach to help overcome these barriers.
Any agency can refer a family to Strong Families. The criteria for referrals are:
§ The family is experiencing complex social problems, for example housing instability
or homelessness, domestic violence, children staying away from school, physical
health, mental health, financial problems, anti social behaviour and alcohol or
substance abuse.
§ Increased agency coordination and collaboration are needed to help make a
difference for the family.
§ The family agrees to take part and for relevant information to be shared.
Once a family has been fully informed about Strong Families and given consent for
family information to be shared, a Strong Families Coordinator works with the
appropriate agencies to set up a meeting which involves family members and workers
from agencies involved with the family.
The meeting is held in a place where everyone feels comfortable. The meeting is
conducted by the Coordinator who provides neutral facilitation for the meeting. The
Coordinators role is to ensure that everyone present has a say - especially family
members - and that a coordinated plan of action is developed to help meet the family's
needs. A date is set for another meeting – usually between 4-6 weeks time - to review
the plan to make sure it is making a difference and that everyone is doing their part.
Since the program expanded statewide (ie. between January and July 2004) a total of
94 families have participated in Strong Families meetings. Around two thirds of these
families are Aboriginal. While formal evaluation has not yet taken place, feedback from
both families and workers is very positive and the meetings are achieving their objective
of brining about improved outcomes for families as a result of increased coordination
and collaboration.
Twelve Strong Families Coordinators are located across the state – five in the
metropolitan area and seven in regional locations.
If you would like to know more about Strong Families or would like to discuss a possible
referral, you can contact the Coordinator in your local area or the project officer.
Project Officer 9286 5225
South metro/Peel 9524 6920 Pilbara 9140 1154
Goldfields 9021 4969 South West 9792 5473
Kimberley 91925466 South East metro 9358 5605
Great Southern 9842 8266 North East / Cental metro 9274 8666
Gascoyne/Murchison 9965 5947 North West metro 9349 8650
Wheatbelt 0429 113 409 Fremantle 9336 6377
Page 4
SAAP Data Collection Changes
All services should have received services were represented at all three
notification of the proposed changes to presentations. Overall, the feedback from
the Core Data Set and Alpha Code during services was positive on the proposed data
July/August 2004. collection changes, planned to come into
effect on 1 July 2005. The information
The Department for Community
messages forwarded by FaCS on the
Development, Family and Community
proposed changes can be found at the
Services (FaCS) and the National Data
SAAP Information website at:
Collection Agency recently held three
presentations for Western Australian http://www/facs.gov.au/internet/facsinter
SAAP services to seek feedback and net.nsf/aboutfacs/programs/house-
answer any queries on the proposed newsaap_whatsnew.htm
SAAP data collection changes.
A video copy of the Westlink presentation
Presentations were held in Perth and is also available for loan from the
Bunbury and a Westlink Presentation was A/Project Officer, SAAP SAC on 9222 2859.
held for regional services. Over 37 SAAP
Exclusion Practice in SAAP Research Project
The final report on Exclusion Practice in SAAP: Identification of the Mental Health, Alcohol
and Other Drugs issues impacting on current practice in SAAP Services was forwarded to
the Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Working Party at the end of August 2004.
In May 2004 SAAP SAC on behalf of the Working Party engaged Jill Cameron and
Associates to undertake a research project to identify how mental health and alcohol and
other drugs interact and impact on SAAP and its capacity to meet its objectives and the
needs of target clients. The objectives of the research project were to:
i. identify current practice in SAAP services relating to clients with mental health, alcohol
and other drugs issues; and
ii. to make recommendations about how to address the accommodation needs of clients
with mental health, alcohol and other drugs issues.
As a result of their research and sector consultation, the consultants Jill Cameron and Janet
Payton identified a number of areas as gaps that impact on service delivery for people with
mental health, alcohol and other drugs issues. These include:
§ staff resourcing;
§ collaboration, support and training; and
§ appropriate accommodation.
A number of broad recommendations on the three areas listed above were provided. The
Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Working Party will now meet to review the
recommendations so as to establish a plan of priorities and actions that will be taken to
SAAP SAC and the Minister for Community Development for consideration.
The Working Party wishes to thank Jill Cameron and Associates and the many individual
SAAP services whose input into the research project is most valued.
The SAAP SAC Terms of Reference are to:
§ Provide advice to the Minister on Matters pertaining to SAAP
§ Advise on emerging issues as identified by the Minister
§ Advise on issues of homelessness as they relate to SAAP
§ Contribute to program development and policy in SAAP
§ Contribute to the implementation and evaluation of the Fourth SAAP Agreement
SAAP SAC meets on the second Monday of each month.
You can input into any SAAP SAC meeting by contacting Derryn-Lee Gladwin, A/Project Officer
Tel: (08) 9222 2859, fax: (08) 9221 0178 or email derryn-lee.gladwin@dcd.wa.gov.au
Page 5
SAAP SAC members
Webwatch
Hon Dr Cheryl Davenport (Chairperson)
The Non-Profit Tel: 9222 2859
saapsac@dcd.wa.gov.au
Governance and
Management Centre’s Pauline Bagdonavicius
website now has Tel: 9222 2846
electronic copies of the keynote pauline.bagdonavicius@dcd.wa.gov.au
presentations and workshop papers from
Venis Collard
the Building Better Boards 2004 conference
Tel: 9490 4333
recently held in Sydney. mkhp@iinet.net.au
http://www.governance.com.au/BBBConfer George Davies
ence04/NGMCConferencePapers.htm Tel: 9227 8122
georged@uniting.com.au
New Approach to Vivien Durkay
Tel: 9439 0200
Training Delivery vivien.durkay@kwinana.wa.gov.au
The Community Skills Training Centre (CSTC) - Lynne Evans
the Learning and Development Unit of the Tel: 9325 3831
Department for Community Development, has lynne@stbarts.org.au
developed an alternative approach to the delivery
Janette Kostos
of training across Western Australia for SAAP Tel: 9842 2082
services and the not-for profit sector. The manager@younghouse.org.au
changes to training delivery reflect the
Department’s focus to include a coaching model Ross Kyrwood
of learning and a clustered approach to delivery Tel: 9328 1600
allowing for a framework of learning building ross_kyrwood@aus.salvationarmy.org
blocks for participants. Tricia Lee
Courses will be sequenced from an introductory Tel: 9245 2441
to advanced level, where a new worker can tlee@wanslea.asn.au
complete an induction course, covering general Fauziah Varusay
principles and skills of working in the community Tel: 9328 1200
services sector, then progress on to introductory mwas@whchpwc.org
skills and finally advanced skills. Such a training
Rebecca Yarnold
progression may form a professional
Tel: 9222 2859
development plan for the new worker. saapsac@dcd.wa.gov.au
Format changes to the delivery of CSTC training
for Semester Two includes: Ex officio members
§ provision of a combined calendar for SAAP
Brian Dynon
and not-for-profit agencies; Tel: 9229 1550
§ a clustered approach to delivery of skills brian.dynon@facs.gov.au
groups;
§ the use of facilitators to coordinate training Dr Aaron Groves
clusters; Tel: 9222 4114
§ a three-day conference style training delivery aaron.groves@health.wa.gov.au
for regional areas; Jeff Mould
§ provision of follow up training on high priority Tel: 9222 4741
knowledge/skills; jeff.mould@dhw.wa.gov.au
§ a framework of learning blocks from
Acting Project Officer
induction to introductory and advanced skills;
§ the use of coaching as a model of learning. Derryn-Lee Gladwin
Tel: 9222 2859
Services should have received the Sector/SAAP derryn-lee.gladwin@dcd.wa.gov.au
Professional Development Calendar during early
August. For additional copies of the calendar or SAAP Protocols Project Officer
to seek further information on the training Vicki Sheridan
program, CSTC staff can be contacted on Tel: 9222 2801
9222 6000. vicki.sheridan@dcd.wa.gov.au
Page 6
