The Centre along with large and regional member organisations has embarked on a media campaign lobbying Government for greater investment to strengthen our OOHC system.  The foundations for this work was laid at a meeting on 12 September 2008 at Berry Street Victoria where it was agreed that given the demands on community service organisations in the OHC system, now was the time for our sector to show moral leadership and engage in a sustained campaign to improve the system for children and young people.

A forum organised on 9 October 2008 which was attended by 40 representatives from 24 member organisations agreed that:

§                The OOHC system is at breaking point now

§                Current models of care are inadequate and funding needs to be more flexible

§                Despite everyone’s best intentions and hard work, too many children and young people are experiencing poor outcomes

§                CSOs are using their own resources to try and provide a reasonable level of quality

§                The CSO sector must be involved in solutions to the growing amount of contingency care, which is costly and not good quality

§                Given the projections of increased demand, we need to act now or the system will collapse

It was agreed that as a sector, we need to do everything we can to highlight the situation in OOHC, particularly given the economic environment and emphasis on physical infrastructure development. The group agreed we need an intensive focus in Oct/Nov 2008 which needs to be sustained until March/April 2009, to influence the government’s budget decisions.  The group was keen to work constructively with the Minister and Government but also felt that the needs of the children and young people are an issue which demanded leadership from the sector.

The forum endorsed the setting up of a Campaign Coordinating Committee, with Ms Sandie De Wolf, CEO of Berry Street Victoria as its Convenor.  Other members of the group are: John Avent (Salvation Army Westcare), Dr Ray Cleary (Anglicare Victoria), David Pugh (St Luke’s Anglicare), Paul Linossier/Helen Burt (Mackillop Family Services), Muriel Bamblett (VACCA), Kevin Zibell (President of the Centre) and Coleen Clare (CEO of the Centre).  The group is accessing the expertise of communications experts Fenton Communications to develop and implement the campaign.

The strategy developed by Fenton Communications for this campaign includes meetings with the Premier, Minister Neville and other key Ministers on the Expenditure Review Committee of the Parliament, development of campaign materials and key messages for use by members locally with Members of Parliament, media activity etc.  February/March 2009 will be a critical time for this campaign and the Centre will be in constant communication with the membership from January 2009 when the campaign materials are expected to be finalised and available for circulation to member organisations.