Their Lives, Our Work: building hope through practice excellence Families SA and Good Beginnings, Australia Parents Plus/Access Plus: Agencies working together to build parenting capacity

Overview of Good Beginnings- Aust  National Early Intervention Organisation  Commenced operation in 1997  Over 50 programs nationally  All programs use strengths based model

Salisbury North Early Years Centre  Salisbury North Connect  School based  Several core programs for families

Parents Plus History  Parents Plus commenced in ’02  Collaborative project funded by Families SA  Positively evaluated by Department  Funding secured to ‘roll out’ to 5 sites

Purpose and Goals  To provide children with life long memories of positive times spent with their parents  To offer parents the best opportunity to develop their parenting capacity  Where ever possible work towards children being returned to the family home

What makes P+P different  Relevance  Children  Long term  Community setting  Volunteers  Transparency  Support  Flexibility

A Parents Plus Session Occurs once a week for 3.5 session broken down into 4 sections  Parents reflections on their week  Structured parenting information  Playgroup with children  Playgroup debrief

Learnings Improved parenting knowledge, skills and confidence ‘ I asked myself am I worthy? The groups helped me bond with my girls and do what’s best for them because at first I was scared to see them’.

Learnings Better understanding of Child Development ‘I thought that because my child was fed and clothed that I was doing all I needed to do – now I know that children need this and so much more’

Learnings Improved Relationships with Children and Other Family Members ‘this group gives parents 1:1 time with their child. My daughter loves this group. She plays with other kids and I’ve made lots of friends too. I can now sit down and play with the tea set with her and that’s not something I did before. We can have fun together’.

Learnings Personal Growth and Emotional Wellbeing ‘I feel that I’ve been heard, therefore I am willing to hear’ ‘I have become more open and I don’t feel so alone anymore. These people understand what I am going through’.

Learnings Improved Supports – Networks and Friendships ‘ I have more confidence and actually have a reason to get out of the house. I am slowly building friendships and this group will keep me up to date with parenting because I am going on past knowledge. I am getting to know what else is going on that I can access’.

Climbing the Mountain - parents stories The first day I came here, I sat down and I told my whole story. I was crying all the time, but it was good to be able to get it off my chest with people who’d been in the same situation. I could tell they weren’t judging me. I think I cried for an hour. It was an amazing relief. I just bawled my eyes out and the others just let me and comforted me. It was the best remedy. I’d never seen these people before in my life and yet I felt comfortable enough to tell them what had happened and to shed tears with them.’ When I first came to this group I was withdrawn into myself. I had a lot of issues., I was very shy, and I’d keep my cap over my face. I wouldn’t say anything. I felt as if my heart had been ripped out of my chest. I’d lost my child, and I had such a feeling of helplessness. It took a long time before I could speak to people in a group. I am so much more confident now. I learnt to feel okay here. It’s a place where I’m not judged by the rest of the world because I’ve had kids taken from me. We’d all come in here and say the different reasons for having had our kids removed and it meant we could all relate to each other.’

Naomi

Recent History of Access in Families SA  Supervised access to children under the Custody or Guardianship of the Minister  Families Engaging Through Activities (FETA)

Modbury Families SA - a continuing evolution School Holiday Program in 2006 An access visit (not in addition to an access visit) Aim of the School Holiday Program

Modbury Demonstration Project – Access Plus NGO and GO Collaboration - A partnership with Good Beginnings, Australia – 2006 What if….. Project Aims An innovative way of government and non- government working together to build parenting capacity

Access Plus – what’s different? Early intervention Transition In place of regular court ordered Access Formal feedback Social work participation Contracting meeting Review meetings A suite of programs Increase parenting ability/capacity

Suite of Programs Play2Grow Parents+Plus (0-5) Parents+Plus (5-8) Intensive Family Support Individual Access School Holiday Program

Transition between programs The changing family situation Reunification Other supports

General internal Families SA Supervised Access Children under any Youth Court Orders and where contact is supervised Supervised Access Risk form to be completed Parent’s Plus Program When children have been removed and placed in care due to abuse or neglect Play 2 Grow Risk of child going into care Reunified families (transition from Access Plus) Families where one or more child/ren in care and have a new child in the home NOTAGREENOTAGREE AGREED Contracting via Youth Court with either Notations on Orders or Access Orders referring to purpose of referral to Access Plus to increase parenting capacity Referral and Criteria Completed referral form (attached) for all programs below Children who are under I&A orders and 12 month GOM orders Referral asap from intake Contracting with the Family reunification Intensive Family Support Program Capturing “at Risk” families at: 1.Intake stage 2.those who have children reunified 3.those involved in Play 2 Grow 4.if new baby in the home and where other children are in care and working with Access Plus Modbury Families SA and Good Beginnings Access Plus Evaluation/Outcomes  increased reunification  increased parenting capacity  decreased risk of other children coming into care  decreased reabuse rates for other children in home

Challenges so far… Referrals and communication “Reporting back” Open and transparent The impact of knowledge

Where to now… Review Continuous learning

Evaluation of MDP effectiveness as a Mandated program improvement in relationships savings