Raising the profile of a small fish to change the conversation

10 years ago, OzChild was relatively unknown within the sector operating a foster and kinship care program only in south-east Melbourne and delivering a few family, disability, and law services in pockets around the state.

“We weren’t known, seen or part of any sector meetings, nor did we have a seat at the table when it came to representation on ministerial committees – we had no presence other than within the small circles we delivered services in,” reflects Lisa. An appointment to the Ministers Advisory group in Victoria was a proud moment for Lisa, but also an opportunity for a shift in the conversation around child protection services in Victoria.

“Conversation then did not focus on outcomes for kids but rather the number of children under the age of 12 who were living in residential care. I started to think about all the programs being delivered overseas that aimed to keep families together and wondered why there wasn’t more talk about investing in what was needed and what the evidence says works rather than only delivering what was available.”

This provided Lisa the opportunity to discuss with the then Minister, Jenny Mikakos, the potential of trialling evidence-based programs in Australia. “Having conducted my own research on early intervention and prevention programs used overseas, the Minister visited the US to see firsthand how an evidence-based approach to supporting children and families could improve outcomes for young Victorians.”

As a result, the Victorian Government invested in TFCO, and other programs implemented by like-minded organisations in the child and family welfare sector.

These initial conversations about outcomes, evidence-based practices, and models have been pivotal in the state’s ongoing reform journey, leading to significantly improved outcomes for many children and families.

“Today, Victoria prides itself on having one of the most evidence-informed systems for delivering programs to support child protection and youth justice, it is wonderful that OzChild has been a part of that,” says Lisa.