Brighter Futures Program

Our Brighter Futures program Information for Parents factsheet is also available in 12 community languages.

Referrals

Community referrals can be made directly to their local Brighter Futures agency. Department of Education, NSW Police and NSW Health staff can make a referral via their respective Child Wellbeing Unit.

Updated Brighter Futures Service Provision Guidelines

Following extensive review and consultation with stakeholders, new Brighter Futures Service Provision Guidelines came into effect from 7 August 2017.

A factsheet on Changes to the Brighter Futures Service Provision Guidelines is provided to help to explain the key changes and improvements to the Brighter Futures program.

Some key new features of the Service Provision Guidelines include:

• Revised, reformatted and rewritten content and associated forms and tools. These are now current, shorter and easier to understand and navigate.
• New forms and procedural documents provided separately in anticipation of the introduction of the ChildStory Reporter Community from late 2017.
• Changed eligibility criteria and the addition of exclusionary criteria to ensure that referrals to the program are made for those families most likely to benefit.
• All cases where a SARA has been completed prior to referral must have a safety assessment of ‘safe’ (an outcome of ‘safe with plan’ will not be accepted).
• Families referred must have had no more than 3 child protection reports within a 12 month period – these reports can be 3 separate incidents or issues.
• Referral distribution of 90% (DCJ) and 10% (community), with 90% of vacancies to be occupied by DCJ referrals.
• Families can now receive 18 months of BF service provision with a possible extension of 6 months.
• Children can provide consent for participation at 14 years.

For further information, or to provide feedback, on the new Brighter Futures Service Provision Guidelines:

Contact Brighter Futures

FamilyPreservation@facs.nsw.gov.au