Esther Lauaki
By Esther Lauaki
A vital new program aims to keep children and young people in Brimbank and Melton from entering out-of-home care.
Community organisation OzChild has rolled out its Family Worx programs across the west with one key goal in mind – to keep families safely together.
Launched in September, the Family Worx programs are highly responsive and flexible to each family’s needs and are supported by Ozchild’s specialist family services including Functional Family Therapy , Child Welfare and the SafeCare.
Prevention and strengthening families director Grenville Hendricks said the Family Worx programs were OzChild’s response to the ever-increasing trajectory of children who may end up in out-of-home care.
“If the numbers keep increasing in Australia it will get to a point where it’s no longer sustainable or tenable,” Mr Hendricks said.
“We want to work with families in crisis now to keep them together, so children can stay safely with their families.
“Because we know the impacts of a child being removed from their family and placed into out-of-home care can be significant and long-lasting.”
Chief executive Lisa Griffiths said Australia could not continue to rely on the recruitment of foster or kinship carers to care for at-risk kids.
“Families have been forced to spend long, uninterrupted time together, normal support systems have not been in place and greater financial and emotional stress can place vulnerable children, young people and families at greater risk,” Dr Griffiths said.
“I am certain, the demand on the out-of-home care system will be greater than ever before, for a long time after the coronavirus crisis.
“We must address the underlying issues, the reasons why children are being placed in out-of-home care, Family Worx aims to do just that.”
The program provides an integrated service to families in crisis, requiring immediate support and intervention as well as parents who are being reunified with their children after a period in out-of-home care.
