The Child Wellbeing program works with school-aged children, young people, and their families. Their work centres on children enrolled with an education site (such as an early childhood centre or public school) who are experiencing complex issues and may be at risk.
Child Wellbeing practitioners also improve safety and wellbeing in the family home. They work in partnership with education sites, education support services, child protection services and families.
How the Child Wellbeing program works with families
The Child Wellbeing program aims to provide high quality, tailored intervention services. This can include:
- supporting families are to make meaningful changes in the short, medium, and long term
- encouraging children and young people to contribute their views about positive changes within their families.
The program recognises that children and young people have needs that must be met, such as:
- emotional
- physical
- developmental, and
- practical needs.
Children and young people must be provided with safe and nurturing environments in which to grow and learn.
The Child Wellbeing program delivers their services with openness, honesty, and transparency. They have difficult and challenging conversations with families about child protection risks.
The program is culturally responsive. Staff ensure that Aboriginal people, families, and communities are supported by services that believe in self-determination and true partnership.
Likewise, the program ensures that Cultural and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) families are supported in ways that acknowledge and recognise cultural diversity and practices.
The Child Wellbeing program supports staff from Department for Education who need to know about referral pathways and available supports for families.