Forced adoption support services scoping study Daryl Higgins, Pauline Kenny, Reem Sweid and Lucy Ockenden Report for the Department of Social Services by the Australian Institute of Family Studies February 2014

127.1Broader service delivery implementation implications

Overriding themes are:

education/awareness for all professionals;

improvements in knowledge of who to refer clients to, across the continuum of care needs; and

recognition and support for diversity, multiple entry points and pathways (and re-entry over time) across the search-contact-reunion continuum, underpinned by access to support and counselling.

Principles:

Recognise the wide range of service needs across the search-contact-reunion continuum, underpinned by access to support and counselling, as well as specific treatment services for recognised mental health problems. The literature highlights the importance of both psychoeducation, such as providing information and supportive counselling, and psychotherapies for people who are experiencing mental health problems such as PTSD, depression, anxiety or complicated grief.

Consider the capacity of both the current service delivery sector and the role of other community organisations.

Recognise the tension between wanting to have a single service provider who provides an “end-to-end” service, covering all dimensions across the continuum of service, and the need for diversity.

Recognise the role of informal peer supports, formal peer-based organisations, and professional agencies that are based on a self-help model that includes workers who have personal experiences of the issues.

To be aware of the “political” context of stakeholder groupings and organisations.

To not undermine the role of existing community organisations, and the central, cohesive role they play in the lives of many affected individuals who have already sought, or are currently receiving support.

Balancing the expertise, credibility and history of existing post-adoption support agencies (including government departments running post-adoption support services themselves), with the capacity constraints, and the increased accessibility that could result from including other generic welfare providers in the service mix. Some of the answers to this will be jurisdiction specific, dependent on the current level of servicing that’s available—as demonstrated in the service mapping exercise (see Chapter 7).

Be cognisant of who is qualified to make mental health diagnoses (psychiatrists, psychologists and GPs).

Capacity to be trauma-informed, sensitive, humble and sensitive to a vulnerable client group. Trauma-informed services are supported in the literature as a critical component of a comprehensive service system. Trauma-informed services decrease the risk of re-traumatising clients, and allows for a correct diagnosis and treatment plan to be established.

Existing service providers have a vested interest in maintaining (and expanding the funding for) their services.

Sustainability ($5M won’t go far).

As a funder of a wide range of child/family welfare agencies through funding streams such as the Family Support Program , the Australian Government Department of Social Services (DSS) is in a unique position to influence the approach taken by agencies to address the needs of those affected by past adoptions—whether through undertaking actions based on restorative justice principles, or in other ways, such as re-focusing services to prioritise and engage those affected by forced adoptions. This could be effected through a range of strategies, such as:

explicit contractual obligations for agencies receiving funding;

explicit inclusion of past adoption issues in the program guidelines; and

leveraging opportunities through relationships with the funded peak body for service providers (Family Relationships Services Australia).

127.2Local network implementation options

Enhancing (or creating) services in rural and regional areas was identified as a priority. However, for professional networks to be effective, there needs to be a critial mass of services. Therefore, a staged implementation may be the most effective:

Commence with one network in each state.

Existing state/territory-funded post-adoption support service could be asked to host or facilitate.

In the Northern Territory, where there is no separate territory-funded post-adoption support service, either the relevant government department would need to host, contract another agency to play this role, or combine with an adjacent state (e.g., South Australia).

As the network matures, implement a strategy of developing local networks in more discrete regions, appropriate to the geography and population density of the jurisdiction.

Once this has occurred, a more local set of relationships may evolve, and natural alliances can form (e.g., Northern Territory might naturally sit with a Far North Queensland local network).

Ideally 10–20 networks would organically develop, based on existing service expansion and capacity building, as well as coordinated outreach services.

128Implementation considerations

The following section provides a high level summary of a set of tensions that underpins many of the options presented in the Scoping Study.

128.1Peak vs diversity

Fund and create a single national peak body. Note: Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants have three funded national advocacy services, each representing different issues on behalf of their members.

vs

Recognise the existing diversity of perspectives, support/advocacy group, and services, and work within this complex framework.

This did not emerge spontaneously in the stakeholder consultations and workshops. It would be difficult to achieve consensus, given the three key groups’ (mothers, fathers, adopted persons) different perspectives (e.g. on how adoption should be viewed—and whose view is legitimate; the conceptual basis of service provision for those affected by past practices; and the role of mothers, fathers and other family members).

Although having such a peak body would make it easier to establish and operate many of the services suggested in this scoping study (web portal, development and implementation of resources, training and information tools, referral networks for mental health services, and enhancing post-adoption counselling and support), the time, cost and risks of further fragmentation of the sector are likely to outweigh the benefits.