Brighter Futures delivers targeted early intervention services to families with children who are at high risk of entering or escalating within the statutory child protection system. The program services families with children aged under 9 years, or families expecting a child, by providing intervention and support that will achieve long-term benefits for children. The evidence shows that supporting families before problems reach a crisis point can enhance family resilience, promote healthy child development and reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect.
Brighter Futures is delivered by non-government agencies to provide a range of tailored services including case management, casework focused on parent vulnerabilities, structured home visiting, quality children’s services, parenting programs and brokerage funds.
Eligible families will have at least one of the following program vulnerabilities which impacts adversely on their capacity to parent and/or the child’s safety and wellbeing:
- domestic violence
- drug or alcohol misuse
- parental mental health issues
- lack of parenting skills or inadequate supervision
- parent(s) with significant learning difficulties or intellectual disability.
A key feature of the program is that families can access the full range of services and supports they require through one entry point; this central coordination promotes efficient and consistent service provision and reduces complexity for families.
PLEASE NOTE: These modules have been recently updated to reflect changes to the Service Provision Guidelines implemented on 1 July 2014
Module 1 – Introduction to DoCS Connect Brighter Futures
An introduction to the DoCS Connect Brighter Futures Program and the tasks involved in using DoCS Connect accurately (running time approx 8 mins).
Module 2 – Navigation & Tools
This module explores the features and navigational tools within the DoCS Connect portal (running time approx 13 mins).
Module 3 – The Engagement Process
This module looks at the Engagement process for families who are being considered for the Brighter Futures Program (running time approx 15 mins).
Module 4 – Participation: Changes To The Family
This module goes through how to report changes in family make-up during their participation in the Brighter Futures Program (running time approx 9 mins).
Module 5 – Exiting The Program
This modules demonstrates how to enter and submit case closure details in DoCS Connect when case management of a Brighter Future family ends (running time approx 8 mins).
Module 6 – Final Assessment
This is the final assessment module. This is mandatory for those needing access to the live DoCS Connect site. An 80% pass mark is required (running time 5 mins approx).