Annual Performance Report 2020-2021

Annual Performance Report 2020-2021 1

About Fams Celebrating 40 years! Children are kept safe by quality services which At Fams we advocate, advise and act. help kids and families when and where they need it. Fams makes this possible by advocating Established in 1981, Fams has always been for better public policy, advising how to achieve driven by strong values and our aim: sustainable outcomes and acting to help vulnerable children, young people, families and • Safe Children communities. • Strong Families • Supportive Communities 2

About Fams Board Members Ashleigh Daines, The Family Co. Chairperson Rosa Ciravolo, Barnardos Vice Chairperson Melanie Andrews, Individual Member Treasurer Kate Melhopt, South Eastern Community Connect Secretary Simone Cheung, Individual Member Director Veronica Goudie, Individual Member Director Louise Statz, Individual Member Director Belinda Kotris, Tamworth Family Support Service Public Officer Staff Emma Crundall Engagement Officer Julie Hourigan Ruse Chief Executive Officer Alison Leader Communications Officer Kim Stace Sector Engagement Manager Jodie Abbey Strategy and Relationships (-May 2021) Catherine White Project Manager Fams’ Network The Fams’ Network regularly provide invaluable support to the work we do. We welcome every opportunity to continue to advocate, advise and act to support the work that they do. 3

Partners Government Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services The Hon. Gareth Ward MP, for his keen interest to learn about and understand our work (-May 2021). The Hon. Allister Henskens, who assumed the Ministry from May 2021. We look forward to continuing to work with Minister Henskens and his staff during this term of Government. Department of Communities and Justice For supporting us with funding. More importantly, the TEI teams everywhere, in particular, have demonstrated the power of relationship, respect and collaboration to see the possibilities of moving beyond the busy work. Office of the Advocate for Children and Young People Zoe Robinson (Advocate) and the ACYP team for bringing the voice of children and young people to every conversation, and additionally for doing the heavy lifting during NSW Children’s Week. Other LCSA Persevering with the challenges of office co-location Adopt Change Partnering with us to remind NSW that it takes Dr Michael McAfee a village to ensure every child has a safe and Who holds us accountable; if we are not permanent home contributing to equitable outcomes for children, young people, and families then we are wasting Australian Public Affairs our time Strategic advice and recommendations to bring our work to the broader community Clear Impact USA (Adam Luecking) Eugene McGarrell, Healthy Australia Leadership to measure only what’s important For inviting Fams into the Thriving Together and to use data to its full potential not just project compliance Southern Cross University and John Ferguson Accounting Dr Elizabeth Reimer Financial management, audit preparation Undertaking the qualitative research study and advice titled Telepractice in Family Work Mark Friedman and the Fiscal Policy Sydney Policy Lab Studies Institute Their unique way of working to strengthen our RBA™ remains an invaluable tool to guide ability to collaboratively generate new ideas, continuous improvement transform the way we work and effect change Gateway Family Support Services Urbis Inviting us to partner with them in the For their expertise in synthesising decades Walk With project of policy content GKM2 Youth Action IT provision and maintenance Persevering with the challenges of office co-location 4

Chairperson’s report It gives me great pleasure on behalf of the Fams by removing a critical barrier connecting a Board to present the 2020/2021 Annual Report. metropolitan workforce with regional, rural and I’m immensely proud of the work that Fams remote clients. This research has the potential has achieved over the last 12 months; playing to positively change the long-term trajectory a critical role in providing advocacy, and being of children and young people by increasing a consistent, reliable, and trusted source of safety, education, and health outcomes; and support to the sector and vulnerable children, directly contribute to a related reduction in young people, families, and communities in dependence on long term crisis services. what has been a year of great uncertainty and change. Fams has played a significant role with Targeted Earlier Intervention and intensive Since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, Fams family support services sector re-contracting has demonstrated strong sector commitment discussions over the last 12 months by hosting and advocacy through the establishment of District Conversations with every DCJ Executive weekly online forums. These forums have District Director across each of the seven bought a welcomed opportunity for all TEI districts to discuss specific local re-contracting (Targeted Earlier Intervention) funded services issues and expectations, as well as proactively across NSW to come together, with at least hosting conversations and providing platforms 150 participants every week, and enabled for direct communication regarding the direct connection and communication recommissioning of intensive family support between Government and Non-Government and preservation services. stakeholders. These forums have resulted in timely and responsive advice, outcomes and The Fams team, in response to NGO requests resources to support the sector and ultimately for assistance, established workshops to vulnerable children, young people, families and support TEI services with developing program communities. Through these forums, Fams logics, setting up and using DEX, as well as has also enabled a platform for connection the analysis of DEX data to show participants with guest speakers such as Anthony Shannon, how they may use the data they have collected DCJ Director Early Intervention, Volunteering to continuously improve the service they are & Youth, Greg Gebhart from the Office of the providing. Delivered in consultation with DCJ E-Safety Commissioner, Monique Hitter, Deputy District teams in response to local need, this CEO, Legal Aid NSW, as well as many more, commitment towards sector learning and which has provided a truly unique offering development enhances service outcomes towards sector engagement and development. and contributes towards Fams’ vision for Safe Children, Strong Families and Supportive The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted an Communities. opportunity for diverse service delivery models such as via online platforms, a largely un- researched area. Fams was proud to embark on a research project in collaboration with Southern Cross University to explore the experiences of family workers with children, young people and parents engaged in family work using online technologies. This pioneering research will enable the development and dissemination of an evidence-based service delivery model of best practice family work using online technologies. Creating the opportunity to supplement face-to-face practice 5

2020/2021 has certainly been a year of months from the collective efforts of the exceptional growth, advocacy and development Board and the dedicated and passionate Fams for Fams and the sector and communities we team, under the leadership of our CEO, Julie represent, as evident within this Annual Report. Hourigan Ruse, have delivered outstanding achievements. The Fams Board welcomed two new board members, Simone Cheung and Veronica Children and family’s safety, health and Goudie, who have made an immediate wellbeing is at the heart of all our work and contribution towards the organisation’s we look forward to embarking on the year governance. I thank and acknowledge each of ahead with clear and ambitious strategic goals my fellow Board Members for their unwavering towards achieving our mission. commitment towards our organisational mission. The achievements over the last 12 Ashleigh Daines 6

Treasurer’s report Income for the year was $707,904. A total I am pleased to advise that our annual audit expenditure of $689,148 gave a surplus of for the 2020-21 financial year produced a $18,756. The organisation goes into the next satisfactory and unqualified result and our financial year with reserves of $409.703. organisation remains in a sound financial position. It is particularly encouraging, when taking into account the challenges for Fams to respond I would also like to acknowledge the to the varied needs of a diverse sector while Department of Communities and Justice for the exceeding against our strategic and operational ongoing provision of our core funding. plans. I wish Fams every future success to continue I would like to take this opportunity to thank to attract funding that fits with its objectives Julie Hourigan Ruse and the staff of Fams for and improves the ability of services to meet the generosity and commitment that they the support needs of vulnerable children and brought to the consideration of our financial families. processes and management over the year. Melanie Andrews As well I thank John Ferguson Accounting for their support with the day to day management of the financial records and reports. Financial health of Fams Reserves to Expenditure 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 20 38 30 38 49 44 48 62 (percentage greater than 18% is considered good) 2.5 3.33 2.88 4.61 5.7 3.55 4.65 3.97 Working Capital Ratio 9.5 30.67 24.2 22 31.1 29.1 32.1 42.25 (ratio of more than 2 is good) Cash Reserves (Weeks) (greater than 10 weeks is considered healthy) 7

How does Fams contribute to success? • Systematic policy and advocacy to inform • Supporting organisations to document their and enable the government to implement ‘story’ of what works, to share their success, solutions that support vulnerable children, and to lead meaningful conversations about families and communities. models of evidence informed practice that reflects positive outcomes for children, • Building skills and knowledge in outcomes- families and communities. based frameworks to enable organisations to collect and use data to inform practice and collaborate to provide better results for clients, practitioners and organisations. We are shifting sand! With a focus on specific places and local to shift the design and practice of services and contexts, Fams harnessed the connections and support for vulnerable children, young people interdependence between: and families in the direction of better outcomes and improved performance. • advocacy and voice: intelligence gathering and connecting; • improving measurement of impact; and • prototyping new service models: principles and practice as exemplars, 8

Our work This year, some of our work continued to be influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, including supporting organisations through a six month extension by DCJ to finalising Targeted Earlier Intervention Reform, while balancing our capacity to respond to emerging needs in the sector. Getting ready for DEX and other reporting Fams continued to support the sector Fams to test something new using existing through online workshops specifically around content that we knew worked, we decided early developing Program Logics and reporting in June to provide an additional hybrid format through DEX. of our DEX: Data and Demonstrating Outcomes workshop delivered solely online during May. In the first half of the financial year, Fams was Participant registrations were almost equally approached by NCOSS to re-run a condensed face-face-face and online. Feedback from this version of our previous workshops to “catch up” workshop was extremely positive from both those services who may have previously missed perspectives. our training. The workshops were run for the Central Coast and Mid North Coast. Fams also Fams initiated Vicarious Trauma training in sought to meet with individual DCJ District conjunction with Rape and Domestic Violence offices to discuss with them what level of Services Australia (RDVSA). An online training support their funded services needed. In most module that had been developed by RDVSA cases, this has resulted in specific workshops was offered to organisations funded under the being scheduled to meet the need identified Targeted Earlier Intervention program. Fams by DCJ. In the first quarter, workshops were negotiated a reduced fee by a bulk purchase delivered to New England, Western Sydney. arrangement to ensure this training type was In Sydney, South Eastern Sydney and North widely accessible. We heard the pandemic was Sydney, Fams met with individual services as exposing workers to new levels of vicarious requested by the District. trauma due to service delivery being conducted remotely so Fams felt that this was a necessary In the second half of the financial year, Fams training module to which workers should have continued to support the sector through DEX: easy and affordable access. Data and Demonstrating Outcomes workshops. The design of these workshops was informed by DCJ District teams, matching workshop content to the skill/knowledge requirements locally. The workshops were delivered in every District. In addition, Fams conducted over 200 one- on-one sessions with service providers who reached out for our assistance. Fams welcomed this opportunity to support workers who needed additional direction to assist with their learning and to establish sound practices for new reporting processes. Given the enthusiasm we received for the individual District sessions and the desire from 9

Mascot ‘hub’ receives hands-on support Michael is the manager of a community “These Zoom sessions give you the centre in Mascot called The Hub. opportunity to bring up anything you want,” he says. Under the umbrella of non-profit organisation South Eastern Community As a result of the help given with DEX Connect (SECC), Michael has relied on Fams reporting, Michael and his team have for support in navigating the DEX system. become more confident in navigating the back end of DEX. They’ve become more “Fams is fantastic,” Michael says. adept at pulling reports out of the system and monitoring their progress over time. “They’ve been able to identify areas where the sector needs support and help by liasing “SCORE helps us to show that our programs between us and DCJ. We’ve been able to and case management are meaningful and forward a number of questions to Fams relevant to clients,” Michael says. to get clarity around the DEX system and program logics. They’ve been wonderful “We’re now able to extract data and make at providing training for service providers wiser assessments about the work we’re across NSW.” doing. If you go in there without the guidance of Fams it’s very overwhelming. Early on, in the transition to having program logics as part of SECC’s contract with DCJ, The Fams team gives you the skills to access Fams was able to explain the framework to the information, organise it as a team, and The Hub’s team of community workers. make changes based on the data. I’m very thankful for Fams.” “Fams gave us a big-picture idea of where we needed to head as an organisation,” Michael says. “This was particularly helpful as we transitioned to program logics throughout COVID in 2020. I enjoyed being able to get on a Zoom chat with Sector Engagement Manager Kim Stace or other staff members to focus on relevant topics. The informal discussions allowed us to be more open with our questions. I always felt free to ask the team a range of questions.” Michael says Kim also visited the team in Mascot to guide them with SCORE. “We’d been moving towards using SCORE but needed help to roll it out,” he says. “She was able to give us confidence with it and understand why it’s useful in our organisation.” Michael appreciates that Kim is available to chat when needed, as well as providing structured Thursday Practice Conversations. 10

Byron youth worker tackles DEX Deb has a passion for supporting young people understanding and implementing DEX. That’s in the community. That’s why she’s invested 22 why it’s been so important for Deb to reach years of her life as a youth worker and program out to Fams for support in the process. facilitator at a Byron youth service. “I’m not sure how anyone could work out “I’d been working in community health then DEX without Fams,” Deb says. “I started doing a position came up at the youth centre and I training around DEX at the beginning of last went for it,” she says. year with generalised workshops. But that was pointless. We did all this training and it was “I find working with young people a lot more ages before we could get onto DEX – so by that uplifting, positive and fun than anything else time we’d not retained much of the learning. I’ve done career-wise.” It would have been useful to have a test site to play around with before it rolled out.” Deb’s working day can involve running programs to help teens re-engage with learning When Deb started talking with Sector through to hosting a Friday night outreach Engagement Manager Kim Stace to seek for at-risk young people in Byron’s CBD. The guidance with DEX, a lot of light bulbs went youth service also has programs which focus on in her mind. “Chatting and doing the Zoom on perma-culture and reforesting, and young workshops with Fams really helped,” she people run monthly stalls at the local market. says. “I’ve personally found the individual conversations to be the most useful.” Deb loves her on-the-ground work with teens, but also knows the importance of “The big training workshops can be overwhelming, as everyone is at different stages, from people just starting out with DEX to people like myself who are wanting to learn more. “I learn by trying things out, and it’s been great having one-on-ones with Fams.” Deb has found DEX to be a daunting system. “With DEX, every time I think I have a handle on it, I discover I’ve been doing a whole part wrong!” Deb says perceptions can vary as to where data should be recorded, such as in the Targeted Support or Community Connections sections. “I couldn’t have figured it all out on my own,” she says. It can take a lot of time away from my work, and having help from Fams is vital.” “Having the option to contact Fams whenever I hit a roadblock or don’t understand something is so helpful. Often people make DEX sound more complicated than it actually is, but Kim is very practical and can explain it in a way I understand. I’m so thankful for the work of Fams.” 11

DCJ district enjoys DEX workshop A solid week of workshops helped demystify which is often most useful to get to the DEX for a local DCJ TEI team. nub of problems. Fams’ dedicated support to District’s TEI-funded service providers Lee* is District Commissioning and answered a lot of questions and solved a Planning Officer at the NSW Department of lot of issues. It was also great to put a face Communities and Justice (DCJ). She is part of to the name and introduce our providers to a team which supports and funds services Kim, so they knew they could easily reach which help vulnerable families, children and out to ask questions. It was comforting to communities. She and her colleagues have experience a more intimate, interactive been involved in such things as rolling out delivery of information on all things DEX and Targeted Earlier Intervention (TEI) streams, program logics. Kim’s depth of knowledge specialist homelessness services, family and great communication style were greatly preservation services and a permanency appreciated,” she says, adding that it was support program. “quite the marathon”. Fams made a plan with Lee’s TEI colleagues “Those in attendance said they felt much in Central Office to assist DCJ’s service more confident and supported to go providers with the rollout of Data Exchange forward. It was great for everyone to know (DEX) reporting and the development of that Fams is only a phone call or Zoom program logics. “I coordinated a week-long session away.” period of support in November 2020,” Lee says. Lee says a lot of webinars were offered by service providers, but people weren’t “Fams Sector Engagement Manager Kim always available at the time or they were Stace presented a series of online workshops too general. Lee liked that Fams’ advice was on ‘all things DEX’.” specific to the needs of their District. As well as group sessions, Kim made herself “Busy service providers are very short on available for one-on-one work with individual time and if something is new and tricky it’s service providers who needed extra help. easy to be overlooked. That’s why it’s been great to have Fams’ help to understand DEX.” Fams presented a series of mirror sessions for the two TEI funding streams of *name has been changed Community Strengthening and Safety and Wellbeing. These sessions covered: • Setting up in DEX • Reporting in DEX • Outcomes: The link between DEX and program logics • Program logics Parts 1 and 2, and • An open mic wrap-up session. “In the busy work of commissioning and planning it was great to have Fams on board for advice and ready-referral,” Lee says. “Kim was the steady and consistent fount of knowledge for our service providers. She prepared PowerPoint presentations for the groups, but also allowed time for questions from the floor and free conversation – 12

Our work Our projects The broad project work of Fams continued this Thriving Together year. Thriving Together emerged from feedback Sector Transformation Strategy received from the early childhood education and care sector at the onset of the Covid-19 Fams launched our Sector Transformation pandemic. Concerns were raised that Strategy to keep kids safe at home in strong restrictions necessary under Public Health families and supportive communities. Order would place more children at risk and (https://fams.asn.au/advocacy/our- that the sector was not equipped to respond to transformation-strategy/) those risks as they were identified. We are committed to contributing to a service The Thriving Together incubation was sector with increased capability and flexibility underpinned by evidence based strategies: to deliver commissioned services that are inclusive and respond to the dynamic and • strengthen economic supports to families changing nature of priority clients, populations, • change social norm to support parents and community and geographical needs. Following our work on Investing in Children and their positive parenting Families, our policy paper Bridge the Gap • provide quality care and education early in identified the need for a response to four gaps to promote consistency and transparent life standards for commissioning and ensure a • enhance parenting skills to promote healthy sector that is better able to meet the needs of vulnerable children, young people, families and child development communities. • intervene to lessen harms and prevent future Our aim is that organisations: risks • demonstrate minimum standards for The aim of the incubation initiative was to governance and operations; explore what is needed to prevent adverse childhood experiences or promote resilience to • collect and use evidence and data to adverse childhood experiences. inform practice and collaborate to provide better results for clients, practitioners, and Fams is a foundation partner in the Thriving organisations; and Together project, providing the monitoring and evaluation function. Other incubation partners • build a workforce with core skillsets and are: Healthy Australia; HubHello; New School minimum competencies. of Arts Neighbourhood House; Child Abuse Prevention Service; Primary and Community The Sector Transformation Strategy focuses on Care Services; and Anna Bowden. four strategic directions to address the gaps identified, each with a Roadmap outlining the It Takes a Village core elements necessary to drive: Fams’ It Takes a Village campaign, in partnership 1. System capacity; with the NSW Advocate for Children and Young 2. Organisation capacity; People, Adopt Change and Back Track, was 3. Practice capacity; and completed in mid-July. The public awareness 4. Worker capacity. campaign focused on highlighting that everyone has a role to play when it comes to keeping children safe and families strong.  From Fams’ early intervention and prevention 13

Our work perspective, we were highlighting the need to https://fams.asn.au/wp-content/ ensure that families experiencing vulnerability uploads/2020/12/Better-outcomes-for-kids-in- can reach out and get the support they NSW_Final-Report-20201130.pdf. need. The call to action was for people to log on to HSNet to search/find the local services. Transition to the new Family Preservation program Fams’ Network Fams continued to provide secretariat support From 1 July 2020, the Fams Board changed for the Brighter Future Lead Agencies Forum, the membership structure so that every hosting quarterly meetings and supporting organisation funded to work with children and project work. families experiencing vulnerability are part of the Fams Network at no cost. This ensures that A number of organisations also hold TEI our resources, newsletters or support (within funding and were impressed by successful our capacity) is equally available across the advocacy by Fams in the commissioning sector. process, particularly toward the final and difficult stages during the pandemic. NSW Committee on Children and Young People inquiry At the request of those service providers, we extended our support to all intensive family In December 2020, Fams provided a support organisations funded under what submission to the NSW Committee on Children would become the new DCJ Family Preservation and Young People Inquiry into child protection Program as they entered a period of contract and the social services system. We argued extension negotiations. Fams hosted regular that evidence-based early intervention and sector meetings, and attended by DCJ, to prevention services are key to supporting present updates and answer questions. These vulnerable children and families, with the evolved into sessions co-hosted with DCJ to potential to keep children and young people discuss program improvements like referral from entering the out of home care system. pathways, common data collection and standard tools. Furthermore, that while significant government and community investment is being made into Given the size of the new Family Preservation the child protection system, funding remains Program, Fams will liaise with funded service focused on crisis care versus early intervention providers to co-design what they want ongoing and prevention services. Consequently, NSW forums to look like to best support their is not seeing improvement of sustained and advocacy and practice needs. positive outcomes for children and their families. Fams commissioned Urbis to undertake a review of past inquiries into the NSW child protection system between 2008 and 2019, to determine the extent to which these inquiries have arrived at consistent findings and their recommendations have been implemented. The report is available on our website: 14

DV service embraces the RBA framework Vicki is on the frontline of supporting people set aside all the noise about which boxes to experiencing domestic violence (DV) in south- tick to meet targets. Often people fudge the east Sydney. Working for a women and numbers as they are feeling pressure from children’s centre, Vicki is well aware of the funders. But RBA cuts a clear path through impact DV has on a community. Her family all that noise. It’s so meaningful, yet so support service, while not TEI-funded, has powerful and simple.” had a relationship with Fams for many years. Vicki says Fams did a beautiful job explaining Fams offered Vicki and her team support to RBA to her management committee. “When I navigate the Results-Based Accountability™ think of Fams, I think of their support around (RBA) framework in its early days. It was ‘love RBA. If people want to know what we do at first sight’ for Vicki! and what’s useful to fund, RBA is a great framework for that. Funders are recognising RBA uses a data-driven, decision-making the benefits of RBA. I know we wouldn’t have process to help communities and been able to implement it as meaningfully as organisations get beyond talking about we have without the support of Fams.” problems to taking action to solve problems.  Vicki also appreciates the fact Fams is on the “When RBA was introduced, we were pulse of what’s happening in the sector, as keenly interested in it, Vicki says. “I had shown through the weekly newsletters. “It’s met its creator, Mark Friedman, and I was a helpful our peak body is making us aware of complete convert. It was amazing,” inquiries and legislative changes,” she says. “Fams keeps us informed on the big picture.” “But I needed support with translating that to our work. This is where Fams stepped Vicki says the “changing moods of DCJ” can in to offer training to our team by doing a be quite challenging in terms of funding fantastic team-building morning where we models, and many organisations are reactive workshopped how to incorporate the RBA to this. “But I’ve always fought to maintain framework.” our service model as we and our clients know it works and is important to preserve. Vicki and her team have been trained in the Being able to have that evidence to support Harwood model, which works in well with the the model we operate under has put us in a RBA framework. “RBA is so connected with strong advocacy position.” the community and is all about getting their feedback to check what’s useful for them,” Vicki says Fams has a vital role in unpacking she says. key issues within the sector. “Fams really helps services to advocate to DCJ and I am Vicki recalls a moment where she realised its so thankful for all the work Fams does to power. “We were hearing from a community support organisations such as ours.” member in social housing who said that a simple contributor to her feeling safe would 15 be to have her gardens maintained,” she says. “Having overgrown yards meant people could hide in the bushes, so she felt this was inviting trouble. This information would not have come from ‘experts’ sitting around a table. We need to listen to what’s important to our clients and community. Doing this plays so well into RBA.” Vicki says that rigid models don’t work so well for a trauma-informed service such as hers. “RBA was a massive gift as it helped us

Our work Networks and connections driven by what participants want to talk about in the moment. In Conversation With… This forum identified a need for additional Fams continued to host online sessions to DEX training. Fams partnered with DCJ Central provide the sector with information and Office to host 10 online sessions across July- resources. The CEO Conversation established September 2020. Each live and interactive during the pandemic lockdown in early session focused on a specific DEX topic 2020 became our In Conversation With… and allowed extensive Q&A. An additional series connecting leading NSW, national four sessions were hosted during October- and international experts, influencers and November 2020. Fams facilitated the sessions, advocates on issues of relevance to the Fams’ moderated the online chat and facilitated Network. Conversations were held with: questions from participants. DCJ provided and led the content. Most sessions had 200- • Renee Carter, Adopt Change and 300 online participants, and, for the first time, My Forever Family service providers and District staff were hearing the same message at the same time. • Zoe Robinson, Advocate for Children and Young People (Acting ACYP at the time of the One issue brought to light was that the event) DSS Standard Privacy document needed to be available to clients in community • Dr Paul Gray, Jumbunna Institute for language if workers were to comply with Indigenous Education and Research, UTS legal requirements attached to recording data in DEX. DCJ were able to identify the • Marc Stears, Sydney Policy Lab, University of top community languages in the Targeted Sydney Earlier Intervention program and connect us with Multicultural NSW who translated • Dr Megan Weier, Centre for Social Impact the document into 12 languages. Fams • Jane Edwards, PricewaterhouseCoopers released these documents free of charge to all • Dee Brooks, Jeder Institute Targeted Earlier Intervention program funded • Penny Dakin, Australia Research Alliance for organisations and they are on our website. Children and Youth (ARACY) Professional support survey • Anthony Shannon (DCJ), Kate Munro (Youth Through the early online forums, Fams learnt Action), Can Yasmut (LCSA), Olivia Wright that there was an increased and urgent need (NCOSS) for professional support for the Targeted • Annette Micheaux, Parenting Research Centre Earlier Intervention program workforce. Fams, • Natalie Lang, Australian Services Union with the support of DCJ, designed and ran NSW/ACT a survey to better understand the needs of • Delia Donovan, Domestic Violence NSW managers and workers. Despite increased • Dr Elizabeth Reimer, Southern Cross demand on their time, 374 people returned the University survey – 1/3 managers, 2/3 workers. The key • Dale Towns and Gina Della, Mission Australia, findings report is on our website Brighter Futures Voices and Choices (https://fams.asn.au/wp-content/ uploads/2020/09/Professional-support-key- Thank you to our guests, we sincerely appreciate findings-20200824.pdf). the time you donated to these events. Practice Conversation By demand of Fams’ Network, our online Practice Conversation became a fortnightly fixture. The Practice Conversation format is deliberately unstructured with no agenda and 16



Our work Communication The Telepractice in Family Work study was guided by the following questions: We keep Fams’ Network updated through our Weekly Wrap and social media. • What key issues arose for family workers in making the shift from face-to-face support to Advocacy telepractice? Fams participates in many government and • How did family works adapt their practice to community sector forums and projects to address these issues? ensure that the voice of the Fams Network is heard. • What do family workers perceive would help improve the transition to effective Fams is the Chairperson of NSW Children’s telepractice? Week Council Inc. and Secretary of Children’s Week Council of Australia. We invited the Fams Network to participate in the study and, during November-December Telepractice in 2020, we conducted five focus groups. The Family Work study participants were split into the focus group that was most relevant to them: direct service Out of necessity, family workers had been worker or manager. required to experiment with alternative modes of service delivery. This included The final report for phase one: Telepractice in being required to conduct the bulk of service Family Work Study: The pixelated experiences of delivery online and over the telephone. While workers and managers, plus a literature review this created new opportunities for service and summary documents are available on our delivery, there is much that remains unknown website: https://fams.asn.au/research/. regarding delivering family work using online technologies, including in relation to issues of Blended models of face-to-face and online privacy, safety, and the efficacy of providing service delivery look set to continue into interventions to vulnerable people in this the future so must be evidence-informed, manner. In response, Fams commenced a accessible, sustainable and safe for workers study titled Telepractice in Family Work. and clients. Fams will work with the sector to establish communities of practice to ensure Our online conversations with the sector saw this research is available and relevant to many questions asked and observations about influence and improve their telepractice the rapid change to online service delivery service delivery. caused by COVID-19 Public Health Orders and physical distancing requirements. Using these The second phase of the study is to critical insights, Fams engaged Dr Elizabeth understand children and young people’s Reimer (Southern Cross University) to review experience of telepractice. and collate these into themes, so learnings were not lost. 18

Annual survey 19

Key performance measures How much? How well? 176 online sessions for the sector with In Conversation With…. series 3,661 attendees 93% participants reported an increased 37 individualised workshops across engagement with Fams 15 Districts on DEX Reporting and Program Logics 98% participants reported being connected with people/organisations/knowledge that 15 District focussed DEX TEI Reports they may not normally have access to workshops with 443 participants 100% participants reported an increased 13 DEX Sessions (Fams/DCJ) with knowledge of Fams’ role in the service sector 2,685 participants 100% participants reported the forum helped 43 sector Conversations to inform them about development in the sector and related policies 437 annual survey responses 100% participants reported their views were sought on issues affecting the sector and/or community Annual survey 86% respondents are aware of Fams’ role in the services sector 80% respondents say Fams provides opportunities to engage in policy or practice issues affecting the sector and communities 84% respondents say that Fams keeps the sector well informed about developments within the sector and related policies 68% respondents say that Fams seeks sector views of policy issues affecting them and their communities 79% respondents say that Fams advocates on issues that matter to the sector Is anyone better off? 97% participants reported increased confidence (I feel I can now use the TEI DEX reports in my work). 100% participants reported the In Conversation With… series increased their confidence in relation to the topic. 20

Thank you Summary Fams would like to thank everyone who has At Fams we Advocate, Advise and Act. supported and participated in helping Fams advocate for safe children, strong families, Over the last 12 months the Fams team has supportive communities, and a sustainable continued to ensure that the priority at the and accountable sector. heart of all work remains the safety, health and wellbeing of children and families. We particularly want to thank the services who contributed to the published This necessarily means a continued Telepractice research report: Telepractice in commitment to self-evaluation. As a sector, Family Work Study by Dr Liz Reimer, for your working with people with complex needs, generosity and honesty during the focus we do not need to (and should not) wait for groups. You provided rich and detailed data government to tells us whether we are doing which will influence policy about telepractice a good job or not. We need to want to know in family work and assist in developing ourselves. We need to want to know this for practice resources to support the workforce those we work with. engaging in family work via telpractice. Fams remains committed to building capacity Based on the success of this study, Phase 2 within the sector to self-evaluate and respond is already underway at the time of writing. to the changing needs of its service users. Fams is talking to children and young people about their experiences of service delivery We want to support a sector which is flexible, by telepractice. partnership focused and using evidence and research to drive its work. Thank you to all the respondents for our Annual Survey. We received an We will continue to work with you to ensure overwhelming amount of responses, all of that the children who need us the most have which will enable Fams to continue informed a voice. “Children’s views and opinions are practice and advocacy in the future. respected. They have the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child and the right to be heard” – UNCRC Article 12. We must defend the service system as it was intended, not as it is or what it has become.

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