ACT Child and Family Centre Service
Model Redesign: From Co-location
to Collaboration and Beyond

The Human Services Blueprint: provides
guiding principles and direction for the
development of the new CFC Service Model.
The Blueprint's vision is for a cohesive human
services system in the ACT that is person
centred, strengths based, simple and promotes
capacity development and integrated service
delivery. The collaborative approach promoted
in the new CFC service model is congruent with
this shift towards a more integrated and
localised approach to service delivery.

The Out of Home Care Strategy (2015-2020):
The CFC Service Model has considered how
CFCs can support the strategies’ renewed focus
on family preservation and restoring children
home as soon as possible upon entry to care,
with increased in-home supports. The CFCs will
continue to provide targeted and intensive
parenting support to vulnerable and
marginalised families as a key priority, so as to
reduce escalation of children and families to
the tertiary child protection system.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
and ‘Mainstream’ Services Development: The
implementation of the NDIS in the ACT (as of
June 30 2014) has and will continue to result in
significant changes to the delivery of services
for children and families. Education and
Training Directorate (ETD) withdrew
responsibility for the delivery of Early
Intervention and Prevention Programs in
schools at the end of 2014, as these programs
are now scope for NDIS. A reallocation of
resources has occurred from ETD to CFCs to
provide for children who are not eligible for
NDIS but still require support.

Redesign of Therapy ACT to deliver
‘Mainstream Services’: The ACT Child
Development Service has been developed
following the implementation of the NDIS in the
ACT. The Child Development Service aligns
with the CFC vision to provide multidisciplinary
services that are locally based and will have a
Background:
The ACT Child and Family Centres (CFCs) were
established as the cornerstone of early intervention
and prevention services in the ACT Social Plan 20032013. The Centres, located at Gungahlin, Tuggeranong
and West Belconnen provide a ‘one stop shop’ of
services for children and their families. As envisaged
at the time of implementation, the CFCs provide
holistic, universal and targeted community based
services for children aged 0-12 years and their
families. The CFC staff, employed by the Community
Services Directorate (CSD), are highly skilled,
experienced and qualified practitioners with Social
Work, Psychology, Specialised Nursing or other
Health, Welfare and Education qualifications. Other
staff who operate in partnership from the CFCs
include professionals from ACT Health and local
community services.
Child and Family Centres aim to:
 Positively influence the developmental pathways
and life trajectory of children;
 Build capacity and resiliency of families to
support their children; and
 Strengthen the linkages and connections of
families to supportive communities.
Why the need for change?
The CFC Service Model was redesigned in light of a
number of drivers, and strategic priorities, most
notably:

Cessation of the National Partnership for
Indigenous Early Childhood Development
(NPAIECD) on 30 June 2014 – which had
funding tied to the West Belconnen CFC for a
period of four years.
The Office for Children, Youth and Family Support (OCYFS)
GPO Box 158, Canberra ACT 2601
e ocyfs@act.gov.au
t 132281
w www.communityservices.act.gov.au
focus on the screening and assessment of
children 0-6 years.
truly collaborative and integrated response to
community need;

A focus on the delivery of services and programs
which are evidence based, collaborative, tailored
and targeted, for example, the introduction of
Circle of Security and a continuation of Parents
As Teachers (PAT);

Intervening early with families at risk of contact
with Statutory Services and supporting families
with current Statutory Service involvement
(including carers) to access universal/mainstream
services and programs in their local communities;

A focus on Community Engagement with
marginalised communities and families;
The Redesign Process
The model has been designed following engagement
and consultation with a variety of key stakeholders.
This included a reference group, consisting of ACT
Government representatives with portfolio
responsibilities for children as well as senior
representatives from non-government agencies; and
CFC staff workshops. Feedback from staff was
particularly important in shaping the key objectives,
core practice principles and theoretical frameworks
underpinning service delivery. The views of external
service providers and clients were ascertained via
surveys.
The new service model has incorporated and built on
the many strengths of the existing Child and Family
Centre service model.
Future state – What do the CFCs look like
in 2015?
Throughout 2015, the service model has moved from
co-located services at CFCs to service collaboration
for children and families. This has required a
strengthened commitment from CFC staff and
external agencies (government and non-government)
to communicate more fully regarding shared clients
and referrals and develop shared values. The
development of information and data collection
protocols and procedures as well as an exploration of
shared funding arrangements for certain services
have also been explored as part of the redesign
process.
Key outputs of the new model are:
 Increased partnerships with local
preschools/primary schools to support the
transition of marginalised, at risk and/or isolated
children and families into early childhood
education.

Moving to actively manage the critical
relationship and referral for children and families
to universal health, education and community
services.

Continued delivery of direct services and
programs to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
children and families and to partner with
relevant government and community
organisations to connect families to responsive
services in order to improve outcomes.

Continued partnerships in order to respond to
Non-English Speaking Background (NESB)
children and families through direct service
provision and connecting them to universal and
targeted programs and services.
Summary of Deliverables: What is
different?
Priorities of the new model have included:
 Strengthening the early intervention local service
system; through moving programs and services
in government and the community sectors to a
The Office for Children, Youth and Family Support (OCYFS)
GPO Box 158, Canberra ACT 2601
e ocyfs@act.gov.au
t 132281
w www.communityservices.act.gov.au