Key insight - at the end of the CFSS Intensive Family Services (IFS) support journey, a high proportion of families engaged with CFSS IFS are reaching a level of safety and wellbeing at home where intensive family support is no longer needed.
Through structured data closure reports we now have greater visibility of service outcomes.
Closure reports submitted for referrals accepted during 2022–2023, show 66% of engaged referrals had closure reasons indicating that risk or safety at home or in community had improved to a point where intensive family support was no longer required.
Family Snapshot data collected by CFSS Practitioners is also helping to measure changes in safety and wellbeing for families who receive CFSS IFS. It captures individual, household and community factors that influence child safety and development. Data collection takes place at service commencement and service closure to measure the extent of change achieved through service delivery.
Family Snapshot data shows that families who have no strengths recorded at service closure are significantly more likely to have involvement with the Department for Child Protection.
This demonstrates that designing services that build family strengths is critical to disrupt the cycle of intergenerational trauma and improve safety and wellbeing outcomes for children and families.
“This is a job that is skilled at working with heart, a therapeutic role that takes significant practice wisdom.” CFSS Hosted Reflective Discussions, 2023