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Russ, Erica
- Publication'Their Futures Matter' Access System Redesign Triage and Assessment Tools "Accessing help through the front door"(University of New England, 2018-07-06)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; As this is a private report, the abstract has not been made visible. - PublicationThe "Front Door" to Child Protection-Issues and Innovations(Springer, 2021-01)
; ; ; ; ; How children and families get access to services and supports is critical to the provision of timely help and protective interventions. In this article, the major findings of the front door policies, processes, and practices used across 25 jurisdictions in developed countries are described and assessed. The use and outcomes of actuarial and consensus-based tools to assess risk of harm are examined, and the systemic limitations of such are explored including the potential for misapplication of the tools. Key issues and trends are identified including the increasing use of practice frameworks used in conjunction with risk assessment tools, the development of culturally safe approaches to practice, and the use of differential response to address relational problems such as service user hostility and referrals to community-based supports. The growing use of public health approaches to prevention was identified along with reform agendas to address the difficult task of building system communication, collaboration, and integration. The need for greater use of community development approaches to mobilize informal support networks for struggling families and communities is proposed. Because there are no “off-the-shelf panaceas” available, the importance of jurisdictions ensuring that system changes are undertaken with consideration of their local context and needs is highlighted by these developments. - PublicationTrends and needs in the Australian child welfare workforce: An exploratory study(Australian Catholic University, 2022-03)
; ; ; The crises in Australian child welfare systems continue to adversely affect vulnerable children and families. This national study, published by the Institute of Child Protection Studies (ACU), found the Australian child welfare workforce is not adequately resourced to meet the current or future demands or support preventative efforts.
Demand for preventative support for children and families experiencing adversity continues to increase, yet the current workforce is unable to meet this demand. Preventative support is poorly defined, poorly trained, and poorly resourced. This increases the pressure on child protection systems and their workers who have to respond to complex situations often with inadequate training or skills and limited experience.
The consequence is that too many children are taken into care, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and too many do not receive the care they need.
This ground-breaking study found more focus is needed to:
- plan for growth in the child welfare sector
- increase and up-skill the workforce to provide preventative support to families.
- increase diversity within the workforce
- better support supports for workers in the field
- develop tertiary education needs to align with future workforce needs with prevention.
Workforce planning and reform is required to support all children and their families' wellbeing, to address vulnerability early and reduce demand on child protection systems.