Australian Child and Family Supports Alliance (ACaFSA)

Wonderful to co-host an online consultation today with the Department of Social Services (DSS) on foundational supports, attended by 25 ACaFSA representatives from a diverse mix of service types from each state and territory across Australia. In this session, we looked at what has been heard so far at the thematic level then dove into key discussion points, including: - key design considerations, such as who foundational supports are for, who would benefit, scope, gaps and integration with existing systems; - enabling requirements for foundational supports, such as provider engagement, workforce considerations and transformation support. We are grateful to have also had representatives from all state and territory governments at the consultation, deeply listening to our diverse experts from ACaFSA, many of whom also have lived experience as people with disability, parents and siblings themselves. Our broader ACaFSA group are also contributing by way of survey to ensure all voices are heard. Thank you to DSS for the first of many positive and productive consultation sessions as we work together with the shared goal of ensuring all children and families have the very best start in life.

Association for Children with a Disability wants to hear from families raising a child with developmental concerns, delay, or disability aged 0-12, who have participated in early childhood intervention. A review of best practice in early childhood intervention is being undertaken by a consortium led by the University of Melbourne and funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services. The review will produce a new best practice framework, resources, and tools. These will help practitioners, professionals, and families ensure children with developmental concerns, delay, or disability have the best possible start in life. Consultations with families, communities, and early childhood practitioners across Australia have taken place and a best practice framework has been drafted. Register for one of the following sessions and have your say about the draft framework: 🔹Wednesday 27th November at 7.30 pm https://ow.ly/Jypo50U0Z9Z OR 🔹Tuesday 3rd December at 7.30 pm https://lnkd.in/gh_2KRB3 Read more about the review 👇 https://lnkd.in/gTYTw7GP #EarlyChildhoodIntervention #GlobalDevelopmentalDelay #Consultation #HaveYourSay #CommunityFeedback #ECI

Important update from DSS about the Review of Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention. Consultation and review reports due out soon! Link to Guidelines on DSS site in comments. https://lnkd.in/g9uCUEWW.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) has partnered with The Social Deck to work with community on consultations in relation to foundational supports. 🧑🍼👨👩👧👦 Online consultations for children and their families and carers are now open! These are focused on additional supports for children under 9 with developmental concern, delay and/or disability. Have your say: 🔶️ [Families] Online consultations - Supports for children and their families: • NSW - Thurs 14 Nov 7-9pm, AEDT • NT - Thurs 14 Nov 7-9pm, ACST • ACT - Mon 18 Nov 7-9PM, AEDT • TAS - Tues 19 Nov 7-9pm, AEDT • QLD - Wed 20 Nov 7-9pm, AEST • VIC - Thurs 21 Nov 7-9pm, AEDT • WA - Mon 25 Nov 7-9pm, AWST • SA - Tues 26 Nov 7-9pm, ACDT 🔶️ [Sector] Online consultations - Supports for children and their families: • Monday 18 Nov, 12-2pm, AEDT • Thursday 21 Nov, 12-2pm, AEDT Register: https://lnkd.in/gChsXMek

PRECI's last webinar for 2024! Looking forward to hearing from Dr Eva Bjork about the key pieces of work happening in Europe supporting all children to be included in early childhood education and care settings! https://lnkd.in/gRvjCTWi

The Department of Social Services (DSS) has released a discussion paper on foundational supports. The team at The Social Deck are currently running national consultations for diverse cohorts on general foundational supports, with consultations on targeted foundational supports to open next month. Read the discussion paper here: https://lnkd.in/g4HgBSx7 Learn more about how to engage here: https://lnkd.in/gRYhthMQ Add your thoughts to the Ideas Wall here: https://lnkd.in/gDGVTpyj

The Department of Social Services (DSS) has partnered with The Social Deck to work with community on consultations in relation to foundational supports, with an initial focus on general foundational supports. 🙋In person events have now launched across Australia! They will take place in at least two locations in each State and Territory, between 15 October and 14 November. 🔹️There are open workshops for everyone. 🔹️There are some workshops only for people with disability. • Tasmania: 15-17 October • South Australia: 15-17 October • Victoria: 21-24 October • ACT: 22 October • NSW: 28 October-1 November • NT: 28 October-1 November • Queensland: 5-8 November • WA: 11-14 November General Supports focus on: 🟩 information and advice 🟩 self-advocacy 🟩 peer supports 🟩 capacity building There are 3 main discussion areas. 1. Information and advice 2. Individual and family capacity building 3. Community capacity building Some have already opened for registration. See schedule below 👇 https://lnkd.in/ggK92hkT

Looking forward to learning more about this important practice!

The Department of Social Services (DSS) has partnered with The Social Deck to work with the community on consultations in relation to foundational supports, with an initial focus on general supports. Online consultations have started, and now in person consultations have launched across Australia, from 15 October to 14 November. - Tasmania: 15-17 October - South Australia: 15-17 October - Victoria: 21-24 October - ACT: 22 October - NSW: 28 October-1 November - NT: 28 October-1 November - Queensland: 5-8 November - WA: 11-14 November General Supports focus on: - information and advice - self-advocacy - peer supports - capacity building There are 3 main discussion areas. - Information and advice - Individual and family capacity building - Community capacity building Online roundtables have just commenced for providers, advocate, people with disability, families and carers, with in person events soon to be announced. There is also a questionnaire and an ideas wall to have your say. Online roundtables on general supports are being held: - Fri. 27 September 2pm – 4.30pm - Mon. 30 September 11am – 1.30pm - Wed. 2 October 1pm – 3.30pm - Thu. 3 October 5pm – 7.30pm - Fri. 11 October 1.30pm – 4pm - Wed. 30 October 12pm – 2.30pm All times are AEST, though many are already sold out. You can learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/gRYhthMQ Read the discussion paper on general supports here: https://lnkd.in/gni5q8pn Read further DSS information on foundational supports here: https://lnkd.in/gjvTF4Hr See the DSS Have Your Say page here on general supports: https://lnkd.in/gRBS8Vuf There is also a DSS questionnaire you can fill in here on general supports: https://lnkd.in/gDxh7Ph6 Or, you can check out the general supports ideas wall here, which you can contribute to: https://lnkd.in/gDGVTpyj Watch the introductory webinar by DSS on foundational supports here: https://lnkd.in/g27bd69i

Great to have CaFSA NSW and Australian Child and Family Supports Alliance (ACaFSA) represented today through Kerry Dominish and Emily Caska at the NSW Disability Stakeholder Forum on the new NSW Government Disability Inclusion Plan, facilitated by the NSW Department of Communities and Justice. In a comment to the audience, Kerry noted that government and the sector need to ensure that the voices of children and families are including in consultations that are often very adult focused. So too, investing in family capacity is critical, alongside providing evidence based, quality early intervention as soon as possible. The need for better data was discussed, noting recent improvements that have lead to better data informed services and supports.