Keeping indigenous kids safe in south west WA

By PETER ROWE

The South West Aboriginal Medical Service has been awarded a five-year service contract to deliver the Regional Family Support Hub in the South West, providing intensive support to families facing complex challenges and those most at risk of involvement with the child protection system.

The hub is an integrated service system comprised of three service streams, providing increasing levels of support according to the needs of families.

“We know that better outcomes are achieved for Aboriginal children and families when they are supported by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations like SWAMS,” Child Protection Minister Sabine Winton said.

The South West Aboriginal Medical Service will now be able to provide Out of Home Care to local families.

“I would like to acknowledge Centrecare and its partners, Wungening Aboriginal Corporation and Lamp Inc, for successfully establishing the hub in the South West.”

Regional Family Support Hubs also operate in the East Kimberley and the Pilbara. It is one of four programs delivered in partnership with the community services sector under the Earlier Intervention and Family Support Strategy, which seeks keep children safely at home with their families.

The Department of Communities will work closely with SWAMS to support the transition for families currently engaged with this service.

The award of the hub service to a local ACCO was a key objective of the commissioning process, in recognition of the pivotal role they play in delivering culturally secure and locally led services to Aboriginal children and families across Western Australia.