BUSHkids 2016-17 Annual Report

DSS

Key achievements of 2016–17 The Children and Parenting Support Services sites are currently fully staffed with a job share arrangement in Stanthorpe and sole practitioners in the Kingaroy and Agnes Water regions. This has resulted in a significant increase in service provision across all sites, as this graph and the accompanying table depict. Through the analysis of data collected on our BUSHbase data system, the Social Worker Team Leader and EIF team have been able to target areas of efficiency and increase the volume of services provided.

BUSHkids-endorsed group programs

Number of participants

Fingergym™

78

PALS Program

174

30

1-2-3 Magic ®

Triple P Group Triple P

74

Triple P Primary Care

14

Triple P Standard Individual (Intensive)

46

Total

416

Children and Parenting Support Services data (actual and trend) for the 2016-17 year, as extracted from BUSHbase digital records.

Early Intervention Facilitators in these teams were set goals for 2017 of 60% clinical and 40% non-clinical time. These were successfully reached this year and the teams are now moving towards a 70:30 target for 2018. Achieving these benchmarks has allowed more parents and children to receive services. Early Intervention Facilitators are also implementing SCORE as an outcome measure for both individual and group programs. Monthly uploads of SCORE to the Department of Social Services began in April 2017. The Children and Parenting Early Intervention Facilitators are introducing the Common Approach as a method of guiding assessment of parents and children to ensure that appropriate goals and linkages are made for each family.

The Read and Grow home visit program was trialled in Stanthorpe with encouraging outcomes for all who participated. Key results: families had established reading routines by week three, children were able to sit for longer periods of story reading, many families noted improved sleep patterns linked to bedtime story routine, and families purchased books for their children. This program is now being offered from all three service locations. Goals for 2018 include applying the suite of FRIENDS programs that span early childhood, primary school and for adults (parents/carers). BUSHkids has become a licensed provider for the program and two staff are now trainers. Our Early Intervention Facilitators will be trained in three programs (Fun FRIENDS, Friends for Life, and Adult Resilience - Strong Not Tough) for 2018.

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