National Report for the period 1 June 2006 to 30 June 2007 

Section Two provides a summary of quantitative and qualitative data that has been drawn from the 123 Status Reports that were submitted by funded organisations as part of the overall FRSP performance reporting process.

Data presented in this section of the Report is best reviewed alongside the 2006–07 Status Report template that accompanies this Report.

PART 1: Scope of Services

Question 2—Client Target Numbers

Proportion of funded organisations reporting difficulties meeting client target numbers for services 41%

Difficulties reported

1. Staff recruitment/retention
2. Accessing Indigenous/CALD communities/clients
3. Demonstrating that client target numbers have been met—data input/retrieval, FRSP Online
4. Case complexity
5. Introduction of the Medicare counselling rebate
6. Newly funded FRCs coming on line in local areas

Question 3—Client Target Numbers for Specific Client Groups

Proportion of funded organisations reporting difficulties meeting client target numbers for specific client groups 30%

Target groups identified

1. Indigenous
2. CALD
3. Children
4. Men
5. Clients with a disability

Difficulties reported

1. Staff recruitment/retention
2. Accessing Indigenous/CALD communities/clients
3. Lack of specialised support services, for example interpreter services
4. Historical reluctance by target client groups to seek help
5. Fee levels
6. Physical barriers to accessing services such as transport

Question 4—Strategies to Address the Needs of Specific Target Groups

Strategies developed by funded organisations to address the needs of specific target groups

1. Providing additional staff incentives such as:
   • Job sharing
   • Flexible working arrangements
   • Access to specialist training
   • Mentoring
2. Working collaboratively with CALD services/communities
3. Employing Indigenous/CALD staff
4. Employing Indigenous liaison staff
5. Networking/information sharing
6. Promoting services for specific target groups
7. Tailoring individual services and group work to better meet the needs of specific target groups
8. Restructuring fee schedules/reducing fees
9. Providing physical support such as meals, childcare, transport
10. Accommodating the needs of clients with a disability

Question 5—Flexible Models of Service Delivery

Proportion of funded organisations implementing flexible models of service delivery

1. Child inclusive practice 72%
2. Outreach programs 71%
3. Programs targeting particular client groups 76%
4. Other 36%
   • Father inclusive practice
   • Home visiting
   • Teleconferencing
   • Providing services after hours/on weekends
   • Telephone counselling/support

Question 6—Referral Process

Proportion of funded organisations reporting issues with the referral process

1. Referrals have increased demand for services 62%
2. Referral agencies have limited understanding of services provided 40%
3. Difficulty accessing appropriate agencies to support clients 36%
4. Intensive resources to maintain referral contacts 28%
5. Client/s unwilling to accept referral 26%
6. Other—for example, fluctuating Court referral levels 15%

Action taken to address referral issues

1. Working collaboratively with other services to develop integrated service responses to client need
2. Networking/information sharing
3. Assisted referrals
4. Developing specialised responses to identified needs

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Part 2: Service Delivery

Question 7—Events in the Community

Proportion of funded organisations reporting significant events in the community that have impacted on FRSP service delivery 71%

Types of events reported

1. Reform of the Family Law System and accompanying expansion of the FRSP service system
2. Decreased availability of skilled, experienced staff
3. Natural disasters, for example drought, flood and storms
4. Rising costs of, for example, housing, transport and food
5. Geographical shifts in employment opportunities associated with, for example, the mining boom
6. Introduction of the Medicare counselling rebate

Question 8—Organisational Events

Proportion of funded organisations reporting organisational events impacting on FRSP service delivery 66%

Types of events reported

1. Staff/management turnover
2. Unavailability of experienced, skilled staff
3. Organisational restructure
4. Review of service delivery and professional practice
5. Transitioning from FaCSLink to FRSP Online
6. Expanding service delivery capacity
7. Enhancing internet communication capability

Question 9—Significant Achievements

Significant achievements reported by funded organisations in FRSP service delivery

1. Expanded range and type of FRSP services being delivered
2. Increase in incoming/outgoing referrals
3. Working collaboratively with other organisations to meet specific client need
4. Delivering quality services/achieving positive client outcomes
5. Providing specialised staff training
6. Implementing child inclusive/father inclusive practice
7. Service promotion
8. Building community capacity
9. Enhancing internal information management systems
10. Enhancing internet communication capability

Question 10—Planned Priorities

Proportion of funded organisations reporting an inability to implement planned priorities 37%

Priorities not implemented

1. Staff recruitment/training
2. Enhancing service delivery for specific target client groups
3. Developing new programs/groups
4. Improved internet communication capability

Reasons why

1. Unavailability of skilled, experienced staff
2. Resource constraints—human and financial

Question 11—Barriers to Successful Service Delivery

Proportion of funded organisations reporting barriers to successful service delivery since their last report 53%

Barriers reported

1. FRSP Online—data input and retrieval
2. Client need for physical assistance to access services
3. Resource constraints, human and financial
4. Staff turnover
5. Large geographic catchment areas
6. Unavailability of specialist support services especially in regional and rural areas
7. Involuntary clients
8. Unavailability of interpreter services

Strategies planned to address reported barriers

1. Accessing FRSP Online Helpdesk
2. Providing clients with physical assistance where possible
3. Implementing targeted staff recruitment campaigns
4. Offering flexible staffing arrangements/staff incentives
5. Establishing outreach services
6. Re-allocating available resources in response to emerging priorities

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Part 3: Funding

Question 12—Income from FRSP Funding Percentage

Proportion of funded organisations reporting that the proportion of funds coming into the organisation from FRSP represents more than one third of total income 42%

Question 13—Income from Fees

Proportion of funded organisations collecting income from fees 77%

Proportion of funded organisations expending fee income in the following areas:

1. Service delivery 63%
2. Leasing of assets 3%
3. Purchase of assets 7%
4. Purchase of capital assets 3%
5. Increase in staff wages 9%
6. Staff training and development 18%
7. Travel 7%
8. Carried forward to current financial year 5%
9. Other 5%

Part 4: Staffing

Question 18—Staff Vacancy Time

Proportion of funded organisations reporting no staff vacancy time 33%

Question 19—Volunteer Numbers

Proportion of funded organisations employing volunteers 30%

Activities undertaken by volunteers

1. Service delivery 11%
2. Support and coordination 7%
3. Administration 11%
4. Fundraising 5%
5. Cleaning/maintenance 6%
6. Other 11%

Question 20—Complaints Percentage

Proportion of funded organisations reporting complaints concerning FRSP Services 48%

Figure 11: Number of Complaints by Service Type (183,903 Registered Clients)

Service Type	Number of Complaints	Number Resolved	Number Outstanding
EDST	11	11	0
AMFT	4	4	0
FRSC
MFR	13	13	0
SFVS	1	1	0
Couns	51	48	3
FRSHE
FDR	21	21	0
RFDR	11	10	1
POP	9	9	0
CCS	49	42	7
FRCs	37	37	0
Administration	1	1	0
Other	3	3	0
Total	211	200	11

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Part 5: Evaluation and Review

Question 22—Evaluation and Review

Evaluation or research activities undertaken by funded organisations

1. Client feedback
2. Case reviews
3. Staff reports
4. Audit of compliance against FRSP Approval Requirements
5. Action research
6. Stakeholder feedback
7. Program evaluation
8. Practice evaluation
   • Father inclusive practice
   • Child inclusive practice

Responses to evaluation or research outcomes

1. Conducting service/program/practice evaluation
2. Incorporating service/program/practice evaluation findings into organisational planning and ongoing service/program/practice development
3. Reviewing organisational policy and procedure
4. Implementing child/father inclusive practice
5. Implementing immediate remedial action as required
6. Working collaboratively with all stakeholders

Question 23—Issues Raised by Stakeholders other than Clients

1. The importance of gathering and sharing client outcome data
2. A need for information about FRSP services
3. Service gaps in the local area
4. Client demand/availability of existing services
5. Staff recruitment and retention

Organisational responses to issues raised

1. Service evaluation, sharing findings
2. Networking/information sharing
3. Developing new services/programs
4. Tailoring existing services/programs to respond to identified needs
5. Monitoring the effectiveness of waiting list management strategies

Question 24—Issues Raised by Clients

1. Delays in accessing needed services
2. Fee levels
3. A need for information
4. Ongoing client support
5. Flexible operating hours
6. Unavailability of experienced, skilled staff
7. Access difficulties, for example transport

Organisational responses to issues raised

1. Implementing waiting list management strategies/monitoring their effectiveness
2. Negotiating affordable fees
3. Implementing a client newsletter
4. Tailoring existing services/programs to respond to identified needs
5. Providing after hours/weekend services/programs/activities
6. Ongoing staff recruitment and training
7. Providing physical support such as transport where possible

Question 25—Significant Changes to Service Delivery

1. Enhanced networking/information sharing
2. Working collaboratively with related services
3. Implementing child inclusive practice
4. Improved service flexibility
5. Enhanced capability to respond to the needs of Indigenous clients
6. Implementing new services/programs
7. Inter-agency protocol development
8. Community development
9. Implementing waiting list management strategies

Question 26—Key Priorities for the Coming Year

1. Recruitment and retention of qualified/experienced staff
2. Staff training
3. Maintaining/enhancing service quality
4. Enhancing access to services by key target groups through:
• networking/information sharing
• liaison with Indigenous/CALD services and communities
• working collaboratively with other services
• developing new services/programs/groups
• tailoring existing services/programs to respond to identified client needs and service gaps in the local area
• improving service flexibility
• expanding service delivery
5. Program review
6. Service promotion
7. Improving capability to respond to Family Law Reforms

Question 27—Issues about the FRSP

Issues raised by funded organisations about the FRSP

Staffing

Recruitment and retention of trained, experienced staff continues to be the most significant issue facing the FRSP services sector.

Relationships

The competitive tendering process has a significant impact on the capacity of organisations to develop and maintain collaborative working relationships.

FRSP Online

The transition from FaCSlink to FRSP Online created difficulties for funded organisations particularly in relation to data input and retrieval. These difficulties impacted negatively on the capacity of funded organisations to demonstrate, for example, that target client numbers were being achieved.

Assistance provided through the FRSP Online Helpdesk to support funded organisations through the transition phase has been invaluable.

Information Provision

Information provided by FaHCSIA, AGD and/or STOs needs to be more consistent.

Funding

Funding allocations for the full range of FRSP service types need to reflect increasing demand for services and complexity of client need.

Specific funding needs to be made available to formally evaluate the effectiveness of FRSP programs and professional practice in local areas.

Funding allocations need to accommodate the administrative burden that additional reporting requirements are placing on funded organisations.

Funding allocations need to accommodate costs associated with working collaboratively to provide an effective response to client need.

Capability to deliver an effective, equitable outreach service is dependent upon funding allocations that reflect geographical size, availability of related support services, population spread and diversity of client need.

Quality Compliance Checklist

The majority of funded organisations reported full compliance with FRSP Approval Requirements. Where partial compliance was identified, a number of organisations described strategies to address compliance gaps.

Case Studies

As mentioned in the section of this Report entitled Report Structure, information provided as Case Studies is not suitable for aggregation. Nevertheless, preliminary reading clearly indicates that case studies are a rich source of evidence about “what works” for clients accessing the range of family relationship services that are currently being delivered by funded organisations.

Checklist for Consortium Members

The majority of funded organisations that provided a response to this section of the Status Report, reported full compliance.

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