SUPPORTER
AUTUMN 2019
Intensive family crisis support
AnglicareSA will deliver a ground-breaking new early intervention pilot program specifically developed for South Australian families at risk of having their children enter the child protection system. Funded by the State Government, the $2.8 million program will engage 46 families and about 138 children each year and will be delivered over two years from 2019. The service will be co-designed with key experts to ensure vulnerable families have the right supports in place to manage complex issues, and hopefully keep their family together. The Intensive Family Intervention Service will engage families who have multiple complexities and trauma histories and are at risk of having their children removed. This may include families with histories of domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse, as well as children with child protection notifications. Specialist support staff will give families intensive, face-to-face, in-home contact, and will build on existing international evidence-based services, such as HomeBuilders in the US, which
demonstrates high outcomes of children staying safely with their families 12 months after intervention. There will then be a lower intensity six-month follow up. AnglicareSA CEO Peter Sandeman said research and overseas experience shows us that intensive family support is effective. “If children can remain safely with their birth family, then that’s by far the best place for them to be,” he said. “It is clear from our work at AnglicareSA that, faced with the risk of losing their children, many families will work hard to get back on track and this program will help them do just that. “We believe that we can make significant impacts at a critical time, which will mean long-term positive outcomes for children and their families.” AnglicareSA, the Department for Child Protection and the Early Intervention Research Directorate will co-design the program.
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