Download Early Years Service Funding - Integrated Service Delivery

INTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY
Case Study example
The George Street Neighbourhood Centre delivers a Child and Family Support Hub that supports the
provision of a wide range of activities that focus on parenting and early childhood development.
Target group
The hub delivers activities to parents/carers and their children aged birth to 8 years in the Mackay
region.
Case study
A single mother with an intellectual disability escaping domestic violence moved from Brisbane to
Mackay. The woman has three children between the ages of two and seven years. The mother has the
youngest of her children living with her and the other two children are currently residing with their
grandmother in Brisbane.
The mother presented to the hub with an inter-generational family history of domestic violence,
alcohol and drug abuse, mental health problems, and intellectual disability.
Activities
The George Street Neighbourhood Centre provided the mother with the following support activities:
 The Hub Parenting Educator conducted an intake and assessment interview to ascertain
parenting support needs
 Referrals to emotional support services, parenting/child development services and child
behaviour management services
 Mother is participating in one on one Triple P sessions on a weekly basis
 Mother and child are now attending playgroup on a weekly basis
 Referral for mother and child to a GP for health checks
 Referral made to QLD Mental Health for the mother as well as the child receiving a mental
health care plan and referral to a psychologist for support with behaviour management
strategies.
Emergent issues
Parents/carers have identified that they do not feel comfortable with parenting programs in a group
environment. They feel their parenting skills are judged by others. The result of this is that
parent/carers are not sharing their challenges and speaking freely. The introduction of an intake and
assessment process, which was used in this instance with the mother and child, allows the Parenting
Educator and parents/carers to decide if a one-on-one environment is more conducive to active
engagement.
Is anyone better off?
It has been observed by the Parenting Educator and also reported by the mother that they have
achieved the following outcomes:
Increased parental capabilities:
 More confident with regards to her parenting skills and is building her self-esteem daily
 Willing to go out and engage in the general community building friendships and connections
Increased parents/carers awareness of and engagement with their child/children’s development:
 Preparing to take on the responsibility of her other two children by December 2016
Increased connection and access to the right services at the right time for parents/carers and their
children:
 Accessing specialised services to ensure the health and wellbeing of herself and her child.