Part 2: Achievements and challenges–performance insights
- Building the evidence base
- Partnerships
- Volunteering
- Indigenous communities
- Stronger Families and Communities Strategy
- More help for families
- Helping prevent homelessness
- Giving children the best possible start in life
- The new Child Care Support Program
- Helping parents support their children—the Child Support Agency
- Work and family
- Encouraging participation
- Reforms to support people with disabilities
- FaCS–Centrelink Business Alliance
- People are a priority in FaCS
- FaCS triple bottom line reporting
Helping prevent homelessness
Key points
- The Family Homelessness Prevention and Early Intervention Pilot scheme has assisted more than 320 families (1100 customers) in eight communities across Australia.
- Seventy-eight per cent of families achieved an improved outcome in one or more of the following areas: financial situation; health; family relationships; personal skills; and community participation.
- Participating services operated in partnership with their local Centrelink office.
- From 1 July 2004 the program will operate as the Household Organisational Management Expenses (HOME) advice program, with funding of $10.4 million over four years in the 2004–05 Budget
Housing is a basic need. Well-located affordable housing can provide stability for families and promote their independence and good health. Housing provides a base from which people can pursue employment opportunities and participate more fully in their communities.
Homelessness rarely has a single cause–people usually become homeless when they are unable to deal with a range of issues impacting on them. The Family Homelessness Prevention and Early Intervention Pilot (FHPEIP) scheme was introduced in 2001 to help families struggling to maintain their tenancies or home ownership and to address issues contributing to their instability.
Not-for-profit organisations received funding in 2003–04 to assist families with issues such as budgeting, family relationship matters, parenting skills and social security or public housing debt. They also assisted with links to education and training to address barriers to workforce participation.
Where necessary, families were referred to other services in the community, but case-managed by the FHPEIP service. This approach helped to build links between various community services working to assist people and families at risk of homelessness.
An innovative aspect of the FHPEIP was that participating services operated in partnership with their local Centrelink office. A Centrelink social worker referred families to the FHPEIP and continued to assist them during their participation in the program.
In 2003–04 an interim evaluation of the pilot revealed very strong outcomes for participating families:
- Ninety per cent of families stayed in their homes or were rehoused.
- Seventy-eight per cent of families also achieved an improved outcome in one or more of the following areas: financial situation; health; family relationships; personal skills; and community participation.
- More than half of all adults who identified employment or education as key goals were successful in meeting those goals. Those in employment rose from 14 per cent to 22 per cent after receiving support, while participation in part-time education rose from 4.5 per cent to 10 per cent.
The pilot demonstrated the Government's commitment to develop and fund programs that address the needs of Indigenous people. Of customers accessing the program, 32 per cent were Indigenous customers.
By May 2004, more than 320 families (1100 customers) had been assisted under the pilot program in eight communities across Australia.
The Australian Government committed further funding of $10.4 million over four years in the 2004–05 Budget to continue this work. From 1 July 2004 the program will operate as the Household Organisational Management Expenses (HOME) advice program.
making a difference
Simon's story
'Simon' became a sole parent three years ago. For single parents, life can be tough at the best of times but it has felt even tougher for 'Simon'–a single dad trying to raise 10-year old 'Sally'. There were the endless bills to pay, which made 'Simon' feel anxious, always wondering how he would make ends meet. He started to lose his confidence and became self-conscious. With a 15-year waiting list for Department of Housing accommodation at Wyong on the NSW Central Coast, there was a great risk of 'Simon' and 'Sally' becoming homeless because 'Simon' was having trouble paying the rent.
But six months ago, life took a dramatic turn for 'Simon' when he was referred to a FaCS-funded service through a social worker at Centrelink. The pilot program, Habitat, supports and builds the competencies of families at risk of homelessness in the Wyong Shire of New South Wales.
A number of agencies in the region work closely together to identify people who are at risk of homelessness. Referrals can come from Centrelink, the Central Coast Tenancy Advocacy Advisory Service, Wyong Hospital, Coastal Community Tenancy, NSW Department of Community Services, Child Abuse Prevention Service, Aboriginal Advisor Group, Men's Advocacy and Practical Strategies or mental health services.
A Habitat caseworker visits 'Simon' each fortnight. 'Simon' has said that having someone to speak to about parenting and behavioural issues has really helped. The caseworker has also helped 'Simon' with his budget and linked him with other services to make life easier. The caseworker has been able to give him the advice and support he needs to keep on track and 'Simon' has really opened up. Many services focus on single mothers, so 'Simon' found it helpful to access a service that wants to engage equally with single fathers.
FaCS funds the Wyong Habitat program, which is run by the Uniting Care Burnside, Central Coast office. There is a similar pilot running in each state or territory. Each delivers services including family mediation, counselling, information giving and referral. The service strengthens families by helping them to develop their capabilities and strengthen their relationships. There is a focus on building support networks and establishing links between families and local services.