about our funding programs
DoCS provides funds to community service organisations through a number of programs, outlined below.
Brighter Futures
Brighter Futures, DoCS early intervention program provides support to vulnerable families to prevent their problems from escalating. It is a key component of the $1.2 billion budget enhancement announced for DoCS in December 2002.
Aims of the program are to:
- promote healthy development in children
- promote strong, functional well-supported families
- reduce child abuse and neglect.
Brighter Futures will provide services to support vulnerable children and families via DoCS’ early intervention caseworkers and through services funded by DoCS.
Community Services Grants Program
The Community Services Grants Program (CSGP) assists people in NSW to live in a just society and to participate in strong communities that cope effectively with change and promote safety, welfare and wellbeing.
The CSGP includes funding for individual and family support services, community development services, neighbourhood and community centres, youth support services and some child protection services, as well as services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and ethnic groups.
CSGP review
The review will develop a clear vision and set of results for the program with options for aligning the current service system with this vision and program results.
The size and complexity of the CSGP creates a challenge in developing an overall policy direction and measurable results. The establishment of a clear program focus will help to develop a business case for increasing resources for the program.
The review is being undertaken by DoCS using the resources of Ernst & Young. Work will be undertaken throughout 2008 to:
- identify the results expected from the CSGP and how these align with the Department’s core results
- define the clear benefits obtained through CSGP for children, families and the community
- develop options for reconfiguring the CSGP service system to align with DoCS core results
- draft a business case suitable for presentation to NSW Treasury outlining the costs and results to be achieved by the revised CSGP.
- update on CSGP review 2008 - Communique 6
- update on CSGP review 2008 - Communique 5
- flowchart - DoCS program vision, results and strategies
Email CSGPReview@community.nsw.gov.au with any feedback or questions about the CSGP review or contact a CSGP peak:
NCOSS- 02 9211 2599
Local Government and Shires Association of NSW - 02 9242 4000
Western Sydney Community Forum - 02 9687 9669
NSW Family Services Inc - 02 9692 9999
Local Community Services Association - 02 9211 3644
Youth Action Policy Association - 02 9319 110
Supported Accommodation Assistance Program
The Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) is a joint State/Commonwealth initiative that provides funding for more than 400 services to help people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
The program is an important part of DoCS’ early intervention strategies which aim to support the development of sustainable families. Family breakdown is one of the main reasons why people become homeless.
Homeless people, including women and children escaping domestic violence, form one of the most powerless and marginalised groups in society.
See program guidelines for SAAP.
Families NSW
The Families NSW program is a whole-of-government strategy to improve and coordinate services provided by Area Health Services, the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, DoCS, the Department of Education and Training, the Department of Housing and NSW Health, as well as community-based organisations.
Through Families NSW, DoCS funds a range of services across the state to provide practical support to families with children aged zero to eight years, before problems become entrenched.
By supporting families, Families NSW benefits the entire community by reducing the conditions that lead to child abuse and neglect, as well as juvenile and adult crime.
Strategies include supporting better functioning families; helping children to be better prepared to start school; and promoting greater parental participation in education and training.
See the Families NSW program overview.
Community builders funding program
The Community builders funding program provides grants to non-government, not-for-profit organisations and councils for projects which strengthen communities and help to build a fair and equitable society.
Grants are available on an annual basis for time-limited projects in the following areas:
- Hunter/Central Coast
- Illawarra
- Metro South West
- Metro West
- North Coast.
Find out more about the Community builders funding program.
children’s services
Child care services are important in helping families meet their work and family commitments.
Children’s services also play an important role as a social service and can help prevent problems in families by:
- giving parents a break and helping to relieve stress
- providing children with programs that assist their development, helping children start school on a level playing field
- early detection of and support for behavioural and learning problems
- providing parents with the opportunity to participate in the workforce
- providing communities, particularly small rural townships, with a focal point for the sharing of information on child and family issues and as a referral point to health, family support and other community services.
DoCS licenses child care providers and monitors compliance to regulated standards. We also provide funding to a range of child care services, and information and advice on good practice.
See our advice to parents and carers on choosing a child care centre.
out-of-home care
Where children and young people have experienced significant harm or for some other reason can't live at home, DoCS may arrange accommodation, care or other forms of support.
DoCS funds non-government agencies to deliver a range of care, accommodation and support services to children and young people across NSW.
Our role includes monitoring and reviewing placements, assessing, training and supporting carers, and providing out-of-home care services such as kinship care, foster care, residential care and adoption.
There are two main types of services DoCS provides in out-of-home care:
- Placement services, which help children and young people who are unable to stay with their families. Services are provided for crisis, short, medium or extended periods, and sometimes permanently. They include foster care, kinship care and small residential services in the community.
- Support services, which help children and young people in out-of-home care placements. They include services such as mentoring, therapy, youth development work and tutoring. Support services often work with natural families to assist them to regain care of their children. This is known as restoration.
DoCS also funds advocacy and support services for children and young people who are in care, are leaving care or who have left care.
See program guidelines for out-of-home care.
Also see our sections on foster care, adoption and for young people in care.
