1. Hilary MacWilliam Director Francesca Robertson Senior Clinical Advisor Responsible Parenting Services Department for Child Protection. Western Australia Framework for Success Description of the practice framework for ParentSupport

2. Specialist service accessed by referral For parents of children with identified behaviour problems Targeted to the hard to reach Engage with willing, reluctant and resistant 3-6 months in-home intensive casework support Change based The Service

3. Universal services Child protection Helping hand Focussed advice, support Wrap around parenting service Complex parenting needs Where the service fits

4. 2004 Responsible Parenting Initiative 2005 Service commenced (one team) 2006 Moved to Department for Child Protection (3 teams) 2007 Responsible Parenting Agreements formed (4 teams) 2008 Parental Support and Responsibility Act passed (14 teams) Background to establishment

5. Child resides or attends school in an area serviced by ParentSupport Parent is willing Child aged between birth and 15 th birthday Currently: Not attending/not engaged in school Anti-social behaviour at home, school or community Criminality Or at risk of developing any of above Referral Criteria

6. Referral Sources 2007

7. Referral Relationships Level of collaborationExample Referral and feedback only DCP duty office, Parent Help Line Ongoing information sharing Housing and Works StrongFamilies Parallel/mutually supportive activities Schools District Education Office Office Responsible Parenting Agreements Cooperative caseworkChild and Adolescent Mental Health Service Drug and Alcohol Service

8. Most in need of yet least like to access universal services or prevention messages Hard to reach: Who are they?

9. Intrusive and lengthy assessment and, regardless of what the assessment reveals, scattergun referrals to universal services or many specialist agencies to address ‘issues’ is Worse than no intervention at all Hard to reach: What doesn’t work?

10. Service is: Targeted and tailored to context Grounded in theory Program logic Measurable – outcomes against inputs Operationalised (practice framework) Flexible (progressive entry into family complexity, integration of specialist assistance) Hard to reach: What the evidence says

11. Collaborative Strengths Based Transparency of Process Written Contracts Measurable Outcomes Culturally and contexturally appropriate Inclusiveness Principles

12. Changes measured in three areas: Child Parenting Parent behaviour/lifestyle What outcomes are measured?

13. Referral: Identifies child’s identified problem Level of collaboration with referrer First session protocol: Explains service parameters Establishes safe working environment Parent preferences Relational and eco map Working with Parents

14. Series of matrices used on an as needs basis allowing for progressive entry into family complexity All matrices put between caseworker and parent and used as a story board (literacy not important) Worked collaboratively Becomes the written contract or underpins RPA All on a 1-6 scale The Family Functioning Profile

15. ProcessChild’s behaviour Parent Activity Caseworker activity Other agency Timeframe 6If the child were doing well what would it look like? 5Establishing new strategies 4Practicing new strategies What When how 3Parenting Inventory Strengths and deficits Identify pathways to change re goals re children’s behaviour 21st small sign of positive change 1BaselineBehaviour for which child is referred Exploration of current solutions Child Behaviour Matrix

16. Child’s behaviourParent ActivityCaseworker activity Other agency Timeframe 6 5 4 3 2 1 Attendance, bullying, Disobedience and hurting his sisters swearing Screaming, yelling and appeasing Child Behaviour Matrix Mrs. Norty

17. Child’s behaviourParent ActivityCaseworker activity Other agency Timeframe 6 Polite, do chores, go to bed on time, be pleasant Reward him Sept 07 5 4 3 2 1 Attendance, bullying, Disobedience and hurting his sisters swearing Screaming, yelling and appeasing Child Behaviour Matrix Mrs. Norty

18. Child’s behaviourParent ActivityCaseworkerTimeframe 6Polite, do chores, go to bed on time, be pleasant Reward himSept 07 Achieved 5Go to football class and clinic Have a list of rules and chores, have consequences and stick to them Provide Mrs. Norty with rewards funds Aug 07 Achieved 4Go to schoolRide on school bus if required July 07 Achieved 3Able to get out of an abusive relationship Go with Mrs. Norty to school Work with school Next week Achieved 2Clear house of all drug/porn people and items Turn off TV at 8.30pmToday Achieved 1Attendance, bullying, Disobedience and hurting his sisters swearing Screaming, yelling and appeasing Child Behaviour Matrix Mrs. Norty

19. Responds to - Intervention late in the development of the problem Used for –Concerns about general quality of care for children –Chaotic families –High risk of abuse or neglect –Responsible Parenting Agreements Measures outcome of parenting on quality of child’s environment Child Environment Matrix

20. Child Environment Matrix template Home Relationship with Community Physical careSupervision Communication of love Behavioural Boundaries Home stable, safe, sanitary and reflects identity Mutually supportive networks Child healthy and thriving and shows regard for own well-being Always developmentally appropriate Mutual, frequent, spontaneous and ritual. Develop/ gender appropriate. Child encouraged to develop and express own opinions Boundaries and consequences clear and consistent and responsive to developmental needs. Child has own safety plans. Homeless DestructiveChild failing to thrive or obvious signs of physical or emotional abuse/neglect, sexual abuse Grossly inadequate or inappropriate. Working beyond capacity Intimate contact nonexistent or sexual No boundaries or punishments abusive

21. Child Environment Matrix Mrs. Norty 1 st Application Home Relationship with Community Physical careSupervisionCommunication of love Behavioural Boundaries 6 Stable, safe, sanitary reflects identity 5 4 3 Social isolation perceived as protective Child healthy but sometimes exposed to significant risks (IE parental drug use) Conflict concerning supervision such that child effectively without supervision Demonstration s of love rare or parent demands excessive attention of the child. Boundaries and/or consequences inconsistently applied 2 Home is used by people who don’t care 1

22. Child Environment Matrix Mrs. Norty Final Application Home Relationship with Community Physical careSupervisionCommunication of love Behavioural Boundaries 6 Stable, safe, sanitary reflects identity Child healthy and thriving and shows regard for own well- being Always developmen tally appropriate Mutual, frequent, spontaneous and ritual. Develop/ gender appropriate. Child encouraged to develop and express own opinions Boundaries and consequences clear and consistent and responsive to developmental needs. Child has own safety plans. 5 Uses Community supports 4 3 2 1

23. Tackles conditions and/or activities that compromise the capacity to parent Parent nominates domain Helps articulate ‘issue’ and intention re issue, engage specialist and measure progress 6 stage scale – changes in behaviour or lifestyle Parent Well-being Matrix set

24. Parent well-being matrix Mrs.Norty Self Esteem Single Parent’s Self EsteemPersonal Indicators Loves and cares for self. Honours own needs for safety, security, health and emotional enrichment Be fit and happy with how I look. Have a social life and look forward to going out Be gracious not grateful when some one was nice to me Growing capacity to love and care for self. Recognises but largely ignores own needs Unrecognising of own needsI am the burnt chop! Negative image of self Negative self talk Blame myself all the time even for things beyond my control. Talk down to myself all the time, I sound like my dad talking to me. Assume people don’t like me and always seem to be trying to make up for the fact that I’m crap at everything. Unmanaged mental health condition. Acute danger to self or others

25. ENGAGEMENT RATE 65% RETENTION RATE 91% TOTAL OF ENGAGED PARENTS WITH SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES 83% Outcomes

26. Parents asked, since concluding has the behaviour for which the child was referred; continued to improve, been sustained or got worse (than conclusion or at referral) Much better, family continued to build on positive outcomes 14% Positive outcomes sustained 67% Things are dropping back but not as bad as at referral 19% 3 to 6 months post conclusion follow up with parents

27. “The kids are starting to speak more about how they feel. We can sit down and talk about it and make compromises.” “He comes home when we ask.” “My son did not go to school for 3 years, now he does.” “I have more peace in the home.” “We all seem to listen better and have more tolerance for each other.” “The boys let me direct and guide them better, we have more respect for each other.” “Lots of improvement with him and teachers – no more running away from school. No foul language towards teachers.” “She is listening more and cooperating.” “They respect me and talk nicely to me.” “We tend to speak to each other and not argue that much.” “I tolerate people better.” Independent evaluation, comments from parents