index_img1.gif North Central Child and Family Services Alliance Child FIRST
Introduction to the NCCFSA & Child FIRST Enacting Legislative Roles Referrals through Child FIRST or local agency Describing Child FIRST Allocation meetings Indigenous Child First liaison Child Protection - Integration and Interface with Child FIRST and Family Services Agencies Reporting Responsibilities Key Practice Frameworks Agency Contacts Service Tools & Practice guidelines
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10/6/08
Dear Alliance members,
Re: Introduction to the first draft of the Child FIRST Operations Manual
DHS funding has been provided to St Luke’s to support the development of the Child FIRST Operations manual over the first 6 months of NCCFS Alliance and Child FIRST commencement.
What follows is the first draft of the manual. Draft 1 aims to provide an initial description of the key principles, agreements and procedures for Child FIRST which we believe are important to promote a successful “start-up” of the Child FIRST intake model on June 30. Further discussion and feedback from Alliance members, via the Operations group and Executive, will ensure that we develop the detail in this manual to the necessary level.
It is important that the details described are relevant to Child FIRST, Child Protection and local Family Services providers. The manual needs to describe the preferred practices between these agencies and clarify the respective roles & responsibilities required to promote a seamless and coordinated service system. 
Our aim is to provide this manual as a web based resource, which can be accessed in its most up to date form, via the internet on the St Luke’s Website. The format for presenting this information on the web is indicated in the next couple of pages. The intention here is to provide a central point for all NCCFSA providers to access the necessary procedural guidelines, practice guidelines and service tools that we require to effectively implement the Child FIRST service model in our region.
The web based format allows us to continue to add further details, to maintain up to date information and to ensure that all relevant background information and DHS resources are easily accessible for staff in one central place. This format allows us to link in a range of resources that we believe will prove helpful to our Alliance staff and support us to implement the key practices described in the Strategic framework, Legislation, Child FIRST model and Best Interests Case practice model.
The copy of the manual you have is the same information that will be provided in the web based “Mind Map” format. However, the draft you have is not formatted to be produced as a paper document and is therefore not presented in its final format.
The manual includes a number of key sections from the Child FIRST tender document. These sections provide relevant background and demographic information for our catchment and also describe the agreed service model and operating principles, as developed by Alliance members in conjunction with Mike Tierney.  Details included relate to both the broader Alliance and Child FIRST.
It’s important to note that a number of important details will be added to the manual over the next month. These include:
  • A revised Shell agreement between Child FIRST and Child Protection – The next Shell agreement is due to be released over the next couple of weeks and the Alliance will need to consider inclusions in the “local agreement” section of this agreement.
  • The Best Interests Case Practice tools and practice guidelines are also due to be released in the next couple of weeks. We are working on the assumption that the practice tools will provide us with the key resources needed to further define our assessment and case practice approaches.
  • The detailed procedural guidelines for IRIS and the required practices for inter-agency referrals and client tracking will be provided during the planned IRIS training on June 19th.
  • Further practice guidelines for conducting the Request for Service (referral) process will also be included in the manual after orientation is provided on this material at the orientation/training days scheduled for the 24th and 26th of June.
  • Final copies of the agreed referral tools
    • For community and self referrals to Child FIRST or Family Services Agencies.
    • For Child Protection referrals to Child FIRST
We look forward to further discussion and feedback about the contents of the manual. Please take out your red pens and keep track of key questions or comments about the current contents and any details you would like to see that are yet to be included.
Further discussion about the manual contents will occur through the Operations group, commencing at the meeting on the17th of June. You are also encouraged to forward any questions/feedback directly to myself or John Bonnice, via email or over the phone if that’s easier. 
Regards,
Grant Gibson
Manager, Early Intervention and Children’s Services
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