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CRIS enhancements have been moved from the 31 July to the 28 August 2010.
To support these changes DHS encourages all Case Contract managers to attend:
CRIS application training scheduled from 11 August–10 September for current users.
These sessions will provide hands on training including
Case Planning Reviews – Goals & Tasks, Meeting and overview of Information & Analysis.
It is essential that all case contract managers attend one of these sessions to facilitate the best possible implementation of the CRIS changes.
Please refer to the attached training schedule for the CSO Case Contract Managers. |
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There is an exciting opportunity for community service organisations in the out-of-home care sector to apply for up to $150,000 worth of grant funding for projects which help children in residential, foster and kinship care to connect with the community.
Sir Reginald Ansett was a renowned Australian businessman and aviator, best known for founding Ansett Airlines. The R.M.Ansett Trust has been established for the general benefit of charity, with preference to be given to charitable organisations that assist children to take their place in life.
The funding, provided by the R.M. Ansett Trust is for one signature innovative project only, which can be funded for between one and three years. The annual disbursement of the grant is $150,000. The closing date for Expressions of Interest is 29 July 2010.
For more information and an application form, visit the R.M. Ansett page in the Equity Trustees website here or phone 8623 5000, or email charities@eqt.com.au |
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The CRIS system will be enhanced to support the Best Interests Case Practice model.
CRIS enhancements are scheduled for release on Saturday 28 August 2010.
To support these changes DHS encourages all Case Contract Managers to attend:
Business Readiness sessions are scheduled in June 2010
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These will be jointly presented by the CRIS Business Development & Support unit and Child Protection Policy & Practice unit.
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These sessions are an introduction and preparation for managers and staff prior to the formal CRIS training commencing from 12 July 2010.
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They will provide information about the related practice advice and a demonstration of how this is reflected in CRIS.
It is essential that ll case contract managers attend one of these sessions to facilitate the best possible implementation of the practice advice and CRIS changes.
Please refer to the attached schedule for the Business Readiness sessions state-wide outlined by region. |
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Too few kids in Victoria’s state care system are making it through school. The ones who turn 18 in VCE are being further disadvantaged by having to apply to the Department of Human Services for their carer’s payments to be continued, so they can stay in secure accommodation and progress further in their education.
While a departmental review of this policy is underway, continuing support for carers of kids who make it to VCE should be given in a clear policy consistently implemented across the state. Currently it is a hit-and-miss approach still being deliberated in March after the school year has already begun.
In November last year the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare took the case of a young man to DHS. He wanted to complete his final school year after turning 18. We were able to advocate on his behalf to have his funds continued.
When it comes to brokerage or leaving care transitional funds, the system is unclear again. A young person living in an area with high demand may well get a lower brokerage payment than those in areas with fewer care leavers, simply because that region has to make funding stretch further.
The state government must do more. |
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The troubled life journey of 16-year-old ‘Emma’ through Victoria’s child protection and state care system has been truly traumatic, as reported by the Age on 6 March. But what makes it even more upsetting is the knowledge that it could have been prevented.
Many young people like Emma regularly abscond from their placements, just as the peers who live with their own families regularly break household rules to disappear from home for a time. The best way to help these young people is to assist them early on, to interact with the world in a safe and healthy way, instead of locking them away from the world until they turn 18.
Imagine how much emotional and physical damage could have been prevented for this young woman, through the early and consistent intervention of a collaborative care team properly resourced to respond to her needs.
Perhaps if these vital services and staff had been given the capacity to recognise her needs, and the resources to care for her, she could be a different young woman today, one who makes healthy choices, knows that she is respected and demands respect by her peers and the community, and chooses to live with people who treat her well, rather than running to those who abuse her because she knows no better. |
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The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare submitted this opinion piece to Melbourne's Age newspaper on Monday 1 March, supporting Monash University's call for young people to be supported to stay in care until they are 21, rather than 18 years as the policy currently states.
The opinion piece adds to the debate by describing the situation young people in care find themselves in, when they are due to turn 18 during their final year of school, whereupon their caregiver's reimbursement will cease. Each young person and their carer must then apply to the Department of Human Services for a continuation of this funding, exposing them to additional stress and uncertainty during their final school year.
Read the original story, and our response here. |
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A new research report produced for Good Shepherd has found a major gap in policy in the integrated family violence service system relating to the acknowledgement that some women and their children are at high risk of experiencing ongoing consequences of family violence and thus require longer term support than is currently sustainable within the current crisis-focussed system. This policy gap has constrained and limited the capacity of the Mornington Peninsula Domestic Violence Service (MPDVS) – the only specialist domestic violence program on the Mornington Peninsula - to develop and sustain programs that meet the needs of their long-term and return clients through multi-agency collaboration. For the risks to these women and children to be properly managed – and future costs to be prevented - a suite of services is recommended. The research report can be downloaded from the Good Shepherd website. |
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In preparation for the 2009–10 fire season, the Department of Human Services has prepared a policy to ensure statutory clients placed in care in bushfire prone areas remain safe.
The policy will require clients who live in High-Danger Bushfire Prone Areas, as defined by the CFA, to relocate to a safer area on days which rate as Code Red on the Fire Danger Index. Some clients may also need to be relocated on Extreme Risk fire days as well. This includes clients in foster care, kinship care, residential care and permanent care before legalisation. Each client living in these Areas during this period will require a Client Relocation Plan. The template for Client Relocation Plans has been distributed to community service organisations by the Department, and the initial stages of formulating these plans are now taking place.
In addition, areas which are prone to ember attack will be required to ensure the property is cleared of flammable debris. Community service organisations will be expected to keep their carers and residential care staff abreast of this policy as well as CFA fire safety advice for the duration of the fire season.
Throughout the process of finalising this policy, The Centre has been involved to provide advice and feedback on behalf of our members. We have been assured that DHS regional offices have been told to implement this policy using a common sense approach, and that every effort has been made to ensure that the policy is practicable for carers and staff on the ground. |
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Clarification has been received from the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority in regards to property insurance for contingency placements made by DHS. Limited property cover is only provided to "foster care parents and home based caregivers" and not to CSO owned properties.
Please click here to access document. Sascha Karner, Account Manager, Public Healthcare Program, VMIA, can also be contacted on 9270 6969 to provide information. |
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Papers and presentations from the Symposium are listed in alphabetical order in the Symposium Documents library on this page. The presentations not listed will be uploaded by mid July. |
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