Aboriginal Child Youth & Family Strategy
what is the Aboriginal Child Youth & Family Strategy?
The Aboriginal Child, Youth & Family Strategy is a whole-of-government prevention and early intervention program that supports children aged up to five years, and their families and communities.
It provides a range of services that include Aboriginal parenting programs, school transition programs, supported playgroups, family workers and programs to build the capacity of the community to respond to challenges.
why is this program important?
The Aboriginal Child, Youth & Family Strategy was implemented in response to research evidence which shows that investing in children’s early years and trying to give them the best start in life helps prevent problems in the future.
Providing prevention/early intervention support to Aboriginal families with young children is especially important because of high rates of illness, poverty and family conflict that Aboriginal people experience.
For example while Aboriginal people make up just over 2 per cent of the population of NSW, a third of children and young people on out-of-home care are from Aboriginal communities.
who benefits?
Aboriginal Child Youth & Family Strategy services are targeted at Aboriginal families expecting a baby or with children aged up to 5 years.
what does the program deliver?
The Aboriginal Child Youth & Family Strategy delivers the following services:
- Aboriginal supported playgroups help parents who would not normally access a playgroup to increase their skills and confidence, and let children play and learn in a structured and positive environment.
- Aboriginal family workers work with parents of young children by providing parenting information, early literacy support to parents and children, and supporting families in transition to school.
- Parenting programs help parents feel more confident and understand and meet their children’s developmental needs.
- Parenting resources specifically tailored for Aboriginal families and family workers.
The Aboriginal Child Youth & Family Strategy also assists Aboriginal communities by supporting
- partnerships and networks to help service providers work together to coordinate local services
- community capacity building to strengthen communities e.g. through volunteering and training programs
- research and development projects, gathering data to inform future decision making.
how does it work?
Over 60 Aboriginal Child Youth & Family Strategy services are delivered by non-government organisations, funded through Community Services.
Services funded under the strategy work in close partnership with two other key initiatives for Aboriginal communities which are:
- The Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Strategy is a statewide strategy funded by NSW Health to improve the health of Aboriginal women during pregnancy. Aboriginal Child, Youth & Family Strategy services work with Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health services to ensure there is continuity of care in the first five years of life for Aboriginal children and families
- The Two Ways Together Partnership Communities Program is funded by Aboriginal Affairs to develop community resilience and close the gap between Aboriginal people and the rest of the community at the local level. Child Youth & Family Strategy services work with local Aboriginal partnership communities to respond to needs identified by them.
For more information on activities in each region see the regional funding and activity breakdown in the Funding section below.
what funding is attached to this program?
Total Community Services allocated program funding for ACYFS activities across NSW in 2010/11 was $3.724 million.
ACYFS regional funding and key activities
|
Region |
Funding allocation |
Key regional activities |
|
Northern |
$805,800 |
Aboriginal Family Worker projects, Aboriginal community capacity building projects and Aboriginal supported playgroups |
|
Western |
$802,200 |
Aboriginal community capacity building and supporting partnerships and networks to improve service coordination |
|
Hunter Central Coast |
$551,700 |
Aboriginal community capacity building |
|
Southern |
$453,700 |
Family worker projects in the Illawarra and the Shoalhaven |
|
Metro Central |
$413,800 |
Family worker projects in South East Sydney, Inner Western Sydney and Northern Sydney |
|
Metro West |
$355,700 |
Supporting partnerships and networks to improve service coordination |
|
Metro South West |
$246,800 |
Supporting partnerships and networks to improve service coordination |
what’s happening in 2011/12?
Each year, Communities & Early Years regions develop annual action and expenditure plan for the ACYFS. I
n 2011/12, five of the seven regions have integrated ACYFS planning in their Families NSW strategic plans while Metro South West and Western regions have developed stand alone plans for ACYFS.
Key activities planned for 2011/12 include:
- Aboriginal family worker projects
- Aboriginal supported playgroups
- parenting programs and resources
- community capacity building projects
- partnership and network activities and research and development projects.
Growing Up Strong
The release is expected of a new parenting book produced as part of the Growing Up Strong series. This will be the fifteenth book in this series.
The Growing Up Strong books are culturally tailored for various locations in NSW. They provide Aboriginal parents, families and community workers with information about child developmental (0 to 5years) and include practical ideas and games to help babies and children ‘grow up strong’.
The new book will be for the South East Sydney area. An evaluation of the Growing Up Strong series is underway. The final report is expected to be submitted to Community Services by late 2011.