Where we are up to
The co-design work undertaken in phase one to develop the Family Centred Approaches service model was completed by VACCA and Social Ventures Australia in November 2020.
As Burra Lotjpa Dunguludja provided funding to deliver the family centred project in three locations, in December 2020 the Aboriginal Justice Caucus endorsed the Southern Metropolitan, Barwon South West and Gippsland regions to deliver the family centred program model.
In March 2021, the Southern Metropolitan RAJAC identified the Dandenong local government area (LGA) as the service delivery location. An Expression of Interest (EOI) process is underway in the Southern Metro region to identify an ACCO to deliver the service. This EOI process will be completed by August 2021.
Work will soon commence with Barwon South West and Gippsland RAJACs to identify service delivery locations and ACCOs to deliver the service in those regions.
Background
The family centred approaches project is intended to provide holistic and coordinated support for Aboriginal individuals and families involved in the justice system. A core component of the project is to incorporate cultural healing and strengthening approaches into justice services and programs to enhance connections to culture and improve strength, resilience and wellbeing. The project will include collaboration from across government departments to design and deliver family centred approaches for Aboriginal clients with complex needs across multiple systems, and ensure justice responses are aligned and integrated with developments in:
• Aboriginal child protection and out-of-home care
• family violence integrated support and safety hubs
• child and family services sector reform
• Gathering Places.