The Commonwealth Government has joined with the Community Services Directorate to implement a new place-based initiative to provide additional support for at-risk children and families in the ACT.
The initiative targets a geographical area and uses evidence-based engagement with the community to identify and address local challenges.
Minister for Community Services, Rachel Stephen-Smith said the initiative will focus on children who have experienced trauma, domestic violence, have parents involved in the justice system and/or are disengaged from school.
Ms Stephen-Smith welcomed the Commonwealth’s funding, which amounts to $600,000 a year for three years, and its recognition of the importance of improving the coordination of services to better support disadvantaged Canberrans.
“While Canberra is a wealthy community where disadvantage is less concentrated than in other cities, we know that too many ACT families experience inter-generational disadvantage and vulnerabilities that can affect the long-term outcomes for their children,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“Supporting families to address issues early can prevent problems from escalating and compounding, with better outcomes for children, their families and the community as a whole.”
She said the challenge was to create a joined-up service system so that families could get the support they needed, when they needed it, within their local community.
“The place-based initiative builds on achievements under the Human Services Blueprint, such as the introduction of OneLink, and aligns with a number of ACT Government priorities focused on improving outcomes for Canberra’s families,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
Federal Minister Responsible for Children and Families, David Gillespie said the Commonwealth looked forward to the opportunity of working with State and Territory Ministers towards resolving some of the most critical issues that Australia was facing concerning the wellbeing of children and young people.
