early intervention services
Brighter Futures
Brighter Futures, DoCS' early intervention program, improves the level of support available to vulnerable families by providing access to a range of services that research shows time and time again, improve childrens' abilities at school, the way they make and keep friends; and their skills at managing various problems they encounter as they grow up.
Brighter Futures services and support are delivered when a problem is first noticed or early in its potential development. They are delivered over a period of up to two years in order to produce lasting effects for children.
The NSW Government believes all children should have the best possible start in life and is committed to protecting and supporting children and their families.
Australian and international research shows that early intervention services reinforce positive family relationships, increases resilience, promote healthy child development and prevent child abuse and neglect.
Also see the Prevention and Early Intervention Literature Review.
aims
Brighter Futures aims to:
- reduce child abuse and neglect through reducing the likelihood of family problems escalating into crisis within the child protection system
- achieve long term benefits for children through improving intellectual development, educational outcomes and employment chances
- improve parent-child relationships and the capacity of parents to build positive relationships and raise stronger, healthier children
- break inter-generational cycles of disadvantage
- reduce demand for services that otherwise might be needed down the track such as child protection, corrective services and/or mental health services
principles
Brighter Futures principles include:
- voluntary participation - parents agree to participate in the program and are able to leave at any time
- strengths based - the skills and expertise parents have when it comes to understanding what works for their family are valued and parents are encouraged to participate in decisions about services
- child-centred and family focussed - parents and children are supported to make lasting and positive changes
- integrated service delivery - the program will deliver easier, more convenient and timely access to services for families. A less complex service system is able to deliver sustained, responsive and tailored services for families
- inclusive and sensitive to diversity - services will support the participation of children and families from diverse backgrounds including parents and children with disabilities, families from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, families who are socially and/or geographically isolated and families who live in a non-traditional family structure
- services will be initiated early and be of sufficient intensity and duration to have tangible and lasting effect
- informed by the best available evidence and based on a developmental approach
service delivery
Brighter Futures is being rolled out across New South Wales over a five year period (2003/04-2007/08).
Over that time, DoCS will spend $260 million to fund a range of new government and non-government services. This includes employing an additional 350 DoCS Early Intervention caseworkers and $150 million funding to the non-government sector to provide integrated child and family services.
DoCS and 14 non-government lead agencies funded under the program will work to develop strong links with over 400 children and family service providers to help connect families to the services they need.
A costing manual has been developed to help non-government organisations determine the indicative unit costs for a range of child and family services.
early intervention research
See the latest research in prevention and early intervention.
evaluation
DoCS has appointed the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of NSW to undertake a four year independent evaluation of the program.
Evaluation of Brighter Futures will include three core components:
- results evaluation, which will examine whether the program is meeting the needs and improving the longer term outcomes for children and families who participate in the program
- process evaluation, which will review the efficiency and effectiveness of the administration and implementation of the program
- economic evaluation, covering an assessment of the value for money and net benefits of the program
Rigorous evaluation will allow DoCS to build upon current knowledge about early intervention services and refine the program over time to improve its effectiveness and efficiency
See the evaluation plan
See the evaluation of the Brighter Futures program interim report.
