Family Care Support Services

The Children and Community Services Ministerial Body, through the Department of Communities (the State Party, also referred to as the Department) is seeking responses from suitable Respondents for the provision of Family Care Support Services (the Services). The Services are aimed at supporting family carers to maintain existing family care arrangements by providing flexible, in home practical support. The Service Provider will deliver an intensive, in home, culturally secure and responsive, trauma informed, attachment focussed service that will support and sustain family care arrangements by improving carer wellbeing and building their capacity to safely care for children. This includes supporting the child or young person to remain connected to family, country and community.

The Service Provider will work intensively with the carer family (the family), to address the areas of need and specific goals identified in the referral. Services will be provided primarily in the family home and the carer’s community. The Service Provider, in collaboration with the family and the child or young person will develop and implement strategies to support the safety and wellbeing of the child or young person with a view to stabilising and maintaining the care arrangement. Specific goals relating to improving or gaining new parenting routines and practical life-skills will be developed with the family to improve stability and the safety of the child or young person. Families will be encouraged and supported to build on their strengths to increase their ability to provide safe, stable, secure and nurturing care arrangements.

The Department and Service Provider will prioritise Aboriginal children and young people in family care arrangements and their family carers.

Consistent with the Delivering Community Services in Partnership Policy, July 2011 the Department intends to engage with the not-for-profit community service sector and Local Government Authorities for the provision of this service.

Two non-mandatory briefings to Respondents will be conducted at/on:

Perth Metropolitan Area

Date: Tuesday 1 August 2017

Time: 11.00am – 12.30pm

Location: Child Protection and Family Support, Department of Communities

Theatrette, Ground Floor

189 Royal Street, East Perth WA 6004

Regional Area via Video Conference

Date: Thursday 3 August 2017

Time: 2.30pm – 4.00pm

Location: Video conference – the closest video conference location will be provided on RSVP.

Please confirm your organisation’s attendance by no later than 4.00pm on Thursday 27 July 2017 by contacting:

Amanda McCurry, A/Principal Policy and Project Officer

E-mail: [email hidden]

Telephone: [phone hidden]

The closing date for the Family Care Support Service Request for Tender will be extended to 2.00pm 6th October 2017.A follow-up briefing session will be held as per details below:

Metropolitan Briefing

Date: Tuesday 22nd August 2017
Time: 10am-11.30am
Venue: Child Protection and Family Support,
Department of Communities,
Theatrette, Ground Floor
189 Royal Street, EAST PERTH 6004

Regional Briefing
Date: Tuesday 22nd August 2017
Time: 1.00pm-2.30pm
Venue: Video Conference
Video conference details to be sent upon RSVP

Refer to Addendum 12 for further information.