Provision of Specialised Residential Care Services for Children and Young People with Complex Needs

About

DCSSDS awarded a contract to The Trustee for Progressive Youth Care & Consultancy Trust for specialised residential care services, providing seven residential care places across a minimum of three locations at any one time for children and young people with complex support needs.

The service model includes a minimum of one worker to two children and young people at all times across each location, comprising awake support 16 hours per day plus an 8-hour sleepover shift, 7 days per week.

The service aims to improve personal safety, cultural identity and connections, social and community connections, life skills, stable and secure living arrangements, education and/or employment opportunities, and access to services.

For children and young people in non-family based services, the goal is to work toward achieving the most appropriate permanency option, either family reunification or an alternative long-term care option.

The provider is required to partner and build linkages with Government and non-government stakeholders, including Child Safety Service Centres, to support coordinated needs-based intervention, and must provide culturally safe services to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and young people to ensure their cultural identity and connection to family, kin, culture and Community is assisted, supported and maintained.

The service must facilitate meaningful engagement that recognises the diversity within cultural and ethnic groups and may be required to support children and young people with disability support needs and work collaboratively with other service providers to implement any National Disability Insurance Scheme plans.

The contract value is AUD 8,207,451, procured via a limited method under the Social Services category.