At a recent meeting of the QLD Child Protection Taskforce, a director from the Office for Children and Families Services in the Department of Human Services in Victoria talked about their Family Support innovations project. In that State, the Department has funded community sector organisations in 25 regions in the State (approximately 175,000 people in each region).  Each region receives $3-4m to provide flexible family support.  A number of community sector organisations in each region plan and work together to deliver whatever supports are necessary to reduce child protection notifications. The support is not restricted to parenting programs and counselling.  If major issues for the family are, for example, financial management, drug and alcohol, paying the rent - they work first on these issues, then move on to specific family support activities. It looks like it is working.  Notifications are being reduced, even though the State continues to grow.

If you want to read more about their programs, visit the Victorian Government's Office for Children website.

Source: QCOSS News, April 5, 2007.