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Children's & Youth Services

CHILD, YOUTH AND FAMILY INTERVENTION

> Qualifications & Pathways • Traineeships • VET In Schools • Peak Bodies & Key Stakeholders • Resources

 

NSW Context Child protection services include a wide range of interventions and services that focus on the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children, young people, their families and communities. These services include early intervention and prevention, family support, statutory child protection intervention, and therapeutic, residential and out-of-home care support. Child protection services are not limited to direct service provision and can include a range of support and/or specialisation services eg. legal services.  In NSW, Human Services Community Services (formerly DoCS) is the main government department that puts into practice the laws on keeping children safe.  The Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 mandates Community Services with the responsibility for the care and protection of children and young people in NSW where there are concerns about their safety, welfare and wellbeing. The NSW Interagency Guidelines for Child Protection Intervention 2006 sets out in practical terms how government and non government agencies work together to protect children and young people. More recently, new legislation passed through Parliament and was assented to on 7 April 2009.  A staged approach to commencement of the Children Legislation Amendment (Wood Inquiry Recommendations) Act 2009 has been taken to ensure that training and support tools are in place. This NSW government initiative is called Keep Them Safe.  For details about Keep Them Safe, procedures and responsibilities of child protection services and mandatory reporters see the Child Protection section of this website.   CHCHILD401A  Facilitator Training In 2005, child protection industry representatives developed a program to train facilitators in delivering entry-level child protection training and a set of learning resources to support this training. Two training providers deliver the two day training course to train facilitators in using the industry Identifying and Responding to Children and Young People at Risk of Harm learning resources (see Resources): Education Centre Against Violence (NSW Health) -for all NSW Health employees The Centre for Community welfare Training (CCWT) - for the community services sector.   The NSW Commission for Children and Young People administers the Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998.  The Commission reports directly to the NSW Parliament, and the Committee on Children and Young People oversees their work. The Commission is responsible for administering the Working with Children Check for employees working directly with children and young people. The Working With Children Check consists of three elements: • Building Child-safe and Child-friendly organisations • Excluding people with convictions for serious sex and violence crimes against children • Background checking for preferred applicants for primary child-related employment. To find out more about the responsibilities covered by the Working With Children Check, please visit Working With Children Check Employer Guidelines at http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/kids/check.cfm   Child Protection Learning and Development Forum The Child Protection Learning and Development Forum is an interagency group which focuses on learning and development in child protection for staff in human services agencies. The forum provides an opportunity to raise and address sector-wide child protection learning and development issues and reach agreements about interagency training. The forum's work plan prioritises issues according to common interests, shared needs and the mutual benefit of the sector. It also acts as an industry advisory group on issues of child protection learning and development to a range of stakeholders. Both government and non-government agencies are represented and meetings take place bi-monthly. Agency representatives refer issues to the forum for discussion. For further information follow this link   http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/DOCS/STANDARD/PC_100947.html   Changes to OH&S The Commonwealth and each state and territory government have agreed to harmonise their work health and safety laws, including Regulations and Codes of Practice, so that they are similar in each jurisdiction. The Commonwealth, states and territories are responsible for making and enforcing their own work health and safety laws. Although there are many similarities between the laws there are also some differences that can cause confusion. Australian workers should be entitled to the same work health and safety standards, regardless of the jurisdiction in which they operate. This regulatory inconsistency is being addressed through an intergovernmental agreement(IGA) where, for the first time, governments from each state and territory and the Commonwealth have formally committed to harmonise work health and safety laws by developing and adopting a model Work Health and Safety Act supported by model Regulations and model Codes of Practice. The intention is to deliver the same work health and safety protections to all Australians.  For more information click here

 

 

Qualifications and Pathways

CHC41408           Certificate IV in Child, Youth and Family Intervention
                           (Residential and out of home care)

CHC41508           Certificate IV in Child, Youth and Family Intervention (Child protection)

CHC41608           Certificate IV in Child, Youth and Family Intervention (Family support)

CHC51208           Diploma of Child, Youth and Family Intervention

 

 

NOTE:  Training for mandatory reporting in NSW is aligned to CHCCHILD401A Identify and respond to children and young people at risk which is a compulsory unit in the above qualifications.

See Children’s Services section for details of Community Services requirements for authorised supervisors in a child care service.

 

Recognition

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is a significant pathway for candidates to attain a national training package qualification.  There has been strong support from Commonwealth and NSW governments for RTOs to find innovative and accessible RPL strategies and approaches. 

 

NSW Department of Education and Training is actively assisting this quest for improved RPL pathways and has worked in partnership across many industry sectors to pilot best practice models of recognition and develop supporting resources.   Some of the innovation recognition pathways trialled included group, project and workplace based models. 

 

Resources and further details are available at State Training Services

 

Traineeships

The Vocational Training Board establishes traineeships in NSW.  Through a consultative process between peak industry groups, employers and unions, facilitated by the ITAB, qualifications are identified that meet industry requirements and have appropriate award arrangements.  This information is submitted to the Board for the declaration of a vocational training order in accordance with NSW legislation.

 

 As qualifications have a vocational training order established, they are posted on the NSW DET Commissioner’s Bulletin.  Further advice is available from NSW DET www.training.nsw.gov.au  

 

The Child, Youth and Family Intervention qualifications in CHC08 Community Services Training Package have not been established as traineeships in NSW.

 

 

VET in Schools

The Child, Youth and Family Intervention qualifications in the CHC08 Community Services Training Package have not been identified as suitable for VET in Schools pathways.

For more information about VET in Schools in NSW visit: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/vetinschools/

The NSW Board of Studies is responsible for the inclusion of training package qualifications in the HSC studies. Further information is available at www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au .

 

 

Peak Bodies and Key Stakeholders

Commission for Children and Young People

The Commission is an independent organisation that works with others to make NSW a better place for children and young people.   The Commission reports directly to the NSW Parliament, and the Committee on Children and Young People oversees their work.  The Commission administers the Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998.

NSW Human Services Community Services

The NSW Human Services Community Services (formerly DoCS) is the leading NSW Government agency responsible for community services. They work to promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young people and to build stronger families and communities.

 

Aboriginal Child, Family and Community Care State Secretariat

The Aboriginal Child, Family & Community Care State Secretariat (NSW) is a Not-for-Profit incorporated community organisation.  The organisation is primarily funded by the NSW Department of Community Services (DoCS), and recognised as the peak NSW Aboriginal organisation to provide child protection and out-of-home care policy, issues for Aboriginal families involved in child protection and Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) services, and advice regarding funding decisions for child protection and Associate services.

 

Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA)

ACWA is the peak body in New South Wales with the objectives of representing non government child welfare agencies and improving the quality of services to vulnerable children and young people. ACWA has a particular concern to advocate for the rights and needs of those children and young people  who need to live away from their families.

 

CREATE Foundation

CREATE Foundation connects and empowers children and young people in care and improves the care system through activities, programs, training and policy advice.

 

Foster Care Association (NSW)

The Foster Care Association (NSW) Inc. supports foster carers in New South Wales and promotes the value of foster caring.

National Disability Services (NSW)

National Disability Services (NSW) represents and provides services to a broad spectrum of non-government, non-profit groups assisting people, including children and young people, with all manner of disabilities.

 

Network of Community Activities

Network was founded in 1974 and acts as a link up for community activities and for Out of School Hours Care Services run by autonomous community groups and local councils.  Network is committed to helping promote quality community based services for school aged children, including children with disabilities.

 

NSW Family Services Inc 

NSW Family Services Inc represents over 184 family support services across NSW.  Family services are local community organisations that use trained, caring staff to strengthen families and their links with their community.

  

Youth Action & Policy Association NSW (YAPA)

The Youth Action & Policy Association NSW (YAPA) is the peak community group working in the interests of young people and youth services in NSW.

 

NSW Health (Education Centre Against Violence)

Education Centre Against Violence (ECAV) is administered by Sydney West Area Health Service, NSW Health. ECAV is committed to enhancing the quality and accessibility of services to people whose lives have been affected by violence.

They provide state-wide specialised training, consultancy and resource development for NSW Health and interagency workers who provide services to children and adults who have experienced sexual assault, domestic/family violence and/or physical and emotional abuse and neglect.  ECAV promotes understanding of cultural and community diversity through its courses, resources and advisory groups.

NSW Police

Whilst all police have a role in protection of children, clear areas of responsibility have been established for the investigation of child abuse matters. The Child Protection and Sex Crimes Squad was established to ensure the provision of a specialist child protection service across NSW. These services are offered in partnership with the Department of Community Services (DoCS) and the Department of Health.

NSW Department of Juvenile Justice

The NSW Department of Juvenile Justice supervises and cares for young offenders in the community and in detention centres. It provides youth justice conferences for young offenders referred by police or the courts.

NSW Ombudsman

The NSW Ombudsman is an independent and impartial watchdog. Their job is to make sure that the agencies they watch over fulfil their functions properly and improve their delivery of services to the public. They help agencies to be aware of their responsibilities to the public, to act reasonably and to comply with the law and best practice in administration.

The NSW Ombudsman has published guidelines on workplace child protection issues and provides advice to young people who may feel unfairly treated by government or community services providers.

Attorney General's Department

The New South Wales Attorney General's Department is responsible for the administration of the NSW court system and legal services including human rights, crime prevention and the registration of births, deaths and marriages.

 

 

Resources

 

NSW Community Services and Health ITAB and NSW DET resources include:

 

Policy@MyPlace This free online short course is for those who need to develop or review policy.  It will provide learning to develop the necessary skills to research and consult policy needs, draft policy content, test the draft policy, implement policy and review policy for quality assurance.  This learning is designed to assist in the development of policies for NGO workplaces.  While it focuses on child protection policy development and incorporates objectives and requirements detailed in the NSW Keep Them Safe initiative the learning may be applied to any area of policy development in community services work.   There is no time limit to this resource so you are able to work through the learning at your own pace and select topics as many times as you like. The resource contains activities that you may complete as an e-portfolio for assessment by a registered training organisation to achieve the national unit of competency CHCPOL504B Develop and implement a policy. Available now at  www.workplaceskills.com.au

 

 

NSW Community Services and Health ITAB resources include:

 

Child Protection Vignettes This DVD contains various scenarios that are used as triggers in the training to assist participants to identify the short and long term impact of child abuse and neglect.   Details and order form available at: www.csh-itab.com.au

 

 

Other resources:

 

The Keep Them Safe website provides information for mandatory reporters in government agencies and non-government organisations about the new child protection system, including resources, training materials, and an email newsletter. www.keepthemsafe.nsw.gov.au

 

Please contact NSW Community Services and Health ITAB regarding training and assessment resource needs for the qualifications or skills sets in this industry sector.

 

Other resources may be available from industry peaks, Registered Training Organisations and Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council.

 

 

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