AbSec is pleased to announce that a new service will be available soon for Aboriginal children and young people on guardianship orders, their guardians and carers, to access the supports and services they need following their shift to guardianship. This new service will be trialled in the Hunter and South West Sydney areas of NSW, commencing later in 2021 and continuing until 2023.
This new model of support is a result of AbSec’s work with guardians, carers, Aboriginal community members, practitioners and government project partners to design provisions that children and families want for better lives under guardianship.
“Aboriginal-led commissioning of community-designed supports is a new and exciting venture for AbSec,” said John Leha, AbSec CEO. “We are looking forward to working closely with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations to provide the supports that families helped develop.”
“AbSec sincerely acknowledges the terrific insights, advice, time and effort given by all of these involved in the service co-design for the two trial areas. We thank you all!”
The service model will be administered by AbSec under our newly created Aboriginal Commissioning Framework and funded by the Department of Communities and Justice.
ABOUT THE NEW SERVICE
Service components to be delivered include a community hub – a welcoming, local culturally supportive safe space, providing:
- Information advice and referral
- Family support
- Advocacy support
- Community connections
- Support for cultural connections
- Networks and partnerships to deliver supports that service-users want.
Information for Aboriginal community-controlled organisations interested in providing the service will be advertised on AbSec’s Commissioning opportunities page. Key dates are:
- Provider bids open Monday 5 July
- Online briefing sessions are:
- South West Sydney – Thursday 15 July 10am
- Hunter – Wednesday 21 July 10am
- Provider responses close Monday 16 August 5pm
- Contracting of providers – September 2021
- Contracts start from October, services to start by December 2021.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
- Visit the AbSec Commissioning website: www.absec.org.au/commissioning.html
- Email the AbSec Commissioning team at commissioning@absec.org.au
- Phone AbSec on (02) 9559 5299.
