Bringing our 2020-2025 Strategy to life
Two years ago, we developed a new purpose-driven strategy to work together to meet the changing needs and aspirations of people in their communities. This strategy has been embedded across every facet of our organisation and is the guiding principle for all that we do, every day.
Below is an update on how we apply our three strategic areas of focus to everything we do at Bethany.
Children have a good start in life
We are committed to ensuring children get a good start in life and that families feel safe and supported. We have continued to offer a range of services to ensure children and families feel safe and supported. This will always be integral to the role we play in the community.
Our Program Highlights
Welcome Clifton Springs Preschool to our network of Bethany Kindergarten Services (BKS)
We were thrilled to welcome Clifton Springs Preschool to our network of Bethany Kindergarten Services (BKS) in 2022. The selection of BKS as the Approved Provider of this preschool is a wonderful reflection on the exceptional expertise, knowledge and innovation BKS demonstrates within the early childhood education sector.
Support for families to access quality early childhood education, navigate entry requirements and help overcome barriers to participation
BKS supports families to access quality early childhood education and supports families to navigate entry requirements and ensure any barriers to participation can be overcome. Access to a kindergarten/preschool program will enhance every child’s opportunity for the best start in life.
Parent feedback
“Just a short note to say thank you so much for your time and understanding yesterday with my concerns. You were able to empathise with how I felt as a parent and provide positive options for our child’s Kindergarten to implement immediately – this put me at ease so much. I hope you are recognised for your diligence, professionalism and kindness.”
BKS parent
“Our daughter certainly has warmed to all the teachers. She has absolutely loved kinder this year which was exactly what I wanted for her! The quality and variety of daily activities on offer, the many educational experiences, the nurturing environment – I’m so grateful. I’m sure she will always look back fondly at her kinder year just as I do.”
BKS parent
This year, we were successful in securing funding for two new programs focused on the education and wellbeing of children
This year, we were successful in securing funding for two new programs focused on the education and wellbeing of children; Access to Early Learning (AEL) and Early Help Family Services Trial Site.
AEL is a family centered program which engages young children from families experiencing hardship and/or with complex needs to sustain full participation in three-year-old kindergarten. The program also provides outreach to support the in-home learning environment and enhance collaboration between families, kindergarten services, educators and other support services. Pleasingly, the program operated at capacity in 2022 and supported 15 families to maximise educational opportunities for their children in kindergarten.
Successful tender, in a consortium of three agencies, to to deliver the Early Help Family Services trial
In April 2022, a consortium of BCYF, Bethany and Cultura, successfully tendered to deliver the Early Help Family Services trial in the Barwon Area. The three agencies work in collaboration with Our Place (an initiative of the Coleman Foundation) at the trial site that encompasses Northern Bay College’s Wexford Campus, Korayn Birralee Family Centre and the surrounding area.
The Early Help pathway strives to improve the quality of parent child interactions and their overall wellbeing
The Early Help pathway is targeted to families with emerging needs and strives to improve the quality of parent child interactions and in turn, their overall wellbeing. Activities comprise individual family support and a range of group work programs including supported playgroups, parenting programs, peer support groups and community engagement activities. This trial is funded to June 2023 and employs 3 people to deliver the service. During 2022, Early Help provided 790 hours of support to 121 families which has undoubtedly had a huge impact on the lives of both the children and carers involved.
School Readiness Funding has allowed us to expand our service offering to kindergartens to ensure families are connected to their child's education and wellbeing.
School Readiness Funding is a Victorian Government needs-based initiative to address educational disadvantage and supports children’s development. The funding has allowed us to expand our service offering to kindergartens to ensure families are connected to their child’s education and wellbeing.
Pleasingly, 2022 has been a period of growth for the School Readiness Funding Program with two new modules accepted by the Government. The program now offers six modules for the Educators and three modules for the parents of the kindergarten students. A survey completed by participants at the end of the training session has consistently highlighted the positive impact of this program. Notably, 100% of educators said that the module provided them with a better understanding of children who suffer from anxiety.
Bethany’s integrated services, aim to increase parenting confidence and capacity
Bethany’s integrated services, including our Connect Up and NEWPIN programs aim to increase parenting confidence and capacity which leads to better opportunities and outcomes for children. Connect Up places Family Services practitioners within local kindergartens, schools and community hubs to provide a range of group and individual family service responses which facilitates positive educational, health and wellbeing benefits.
The return to delivering services from within the community post Covid-19 has required a rebuilding of relationships between families, sites, and services. Online platforms continue to be particularly helpful for supporting families to connect with medical appointments.
In the wake of the pandemic, there continues to be increased financial stress and need for financial and material assistance. Families are presenting with more complex needs and requiring longer periods of support, so our services are needed now more than ever. During 2022, Connect Up provided 877 client sessions to families and almost 4,000 service hours including individual support, parenting group work and playgroup. Cases like the one detailed below showcase the profound impact of our early engagement services.
Newpin has been able to deliver its complete program of centre-based sessions for mothers and their children
In 2022, Newpin has been able to deliver its complete program of centre-based sessions for mothers and their children (0 – 4 years) which has comprised parent therapeutic and educative groupwork programs and individual family support. Our sessional program focuses on supporting secure parent child attachment. During 2022, there was 863 attendances (parents and children) at Newpin’s sessional program – this equates to an astounding 6,339 hours of support. The recent addition of a dedicated ‘calm area’ within the centre has enhanced the opportunities for connection within this therapeutic setting.
“Newpin has had a tremendous impact on my family’s life. Without the help and support that NEWPIN gave, I would have been completely lost.”
Newpin service user
“Newpin is amazing, the workers are amazing. I know that they will always be there to help me when I reach out for support.”
Newpin service user
Families are safe, loving and connected
We are committed to increasing the opportunity for individuals and families to experience safe, loving and supportive relationships.
Our Program Highlights
In 2022, we once again witnessed an increase in the demand for our specialist family violence services. Alarmingly, the number of women and children (424) referred to our family violence program increased by almost 20% year. The increase in referrals is likely due to an increase in reporting of family violence incidents and victim survivors self-referring for support.
Commenced Barwon Orange Door's development of an integrated approach
Throughout 2022, work commenced on the development of an integrated approach to the screening, identification and triaging and to assessment and planning functions within the Barwon Orange Door. This work will result in improved workflow, risk management and assessment of cases referred into the Barwon Orange Door. The outcome of this work will be evidenced in 2023.
Court Support 4 Kids Program supporting Women & Children
The Court Support 4 Kids Program supported 157 women and children at the Geelong Magistrates Court in 2022. These mothers and children have all attended the Geelong Magistrate’s Court seeking legal protection because of their experience of family violence.
Secured funding for ROAR support group
We were delighted to secure funding from Geelong Community Foundation to bring together women who have experienced family violence through our ROAR support group. The ROAR program was co-developed and is now co-delivered with women who have a lived experience of family violence. It provides a very valuable response to women who are working to gain recovery from this experience.
Continued response with Men’s Family Violence Intervention Centre
The Men’s Family Violence Intervention Centre continues to provide a coordinated response, designed to increase accountability of men who choose to use violence in their relationships. The impact of the pandemic over the past year has been significant for this service user group. It has compounded current stressors and created additional challenges and complexities which has led to a higher demand for specialist perpetrator case management response.
Men assessed as suitable for the Men’s Behaviour Change (MBC) program doubled
During 2022, we supported 374 men across our men’s family violence program areas and the number of men assessed as suitable for the Men’s Behaviour Change (MBC) program doubled.
Significant increase in the number of individuals and families seeking our specialist Counselling services
We also experienced a significant increase in the number of individuals and families seeking our specialist Counselling services, with many of these being first time users of Bethany services. Key drivers reported by our service users include family breakdown and relationship tension, anxiety, isolation, bereavement, fear, stress, and depression resulting from job losses.
Children’s Contact Services increasing funding has impact
The Children’s Contact Services team received an increase in funding in late 2021 which has meant an increase in service delivery hours and an increase in available times for Supervised Contacts and Facilitated Changeovers to occur.
The service provided a total of 2224 sessions in 2022, which is an increase of 52.78% from 2021. Wait times, which have historically posed a challenge, have reduced from an 8-10 month wait in 2021 to a 2-3 month wait in 2022.
Kinship Care program is undoubtedly growing
Our Kinship Care program is undoubtedly growing and recent funding for 24 new targets in our case contracted program has allowed for the recruitment of two new fulltime employees.
Kinship Care supported 190 children through direct case management in 2022 and supported 167 Carers via direct case management which includes group work or via the information and advice line. The key focus across all programs is to support both the Carer and child to improve outcomes for children in care.
Over the past year, we have completed 16 Permanent Care Order assessments which aims to attain stability and permanency in a young person’s life. We have also guided six individuals through the departure of care process. The BCYF Better Futures program and Home Stretch funding has been instrumental in ensuring that young adults and their Carers can comfortably navigate the journey to independence.
Opportunity for everyone
We work to address barriers that create disadvantage and to support people to participate in the community in ways they choose.
Our Program Highlights
Received more than 23,917 calls, from people in our community requiring advice or support
In 2022, Bethany’s Reception and Directions team received more than 23,917 calls, from people in our community requiring advice or support. This is an increase of 17% from 2021, demonstrating the ever-increasing need for our services. Over 55% of these calls were immediately passed onto a Bethany Intake Caseworker to provide guidance and consultation. The remainder of the calls were resolved by the reception staff who provided the necessary advice.
Financial stress continues to impact the community with high demand for Emergency Relief (ER) Program
Financial stress continues to impact the community with Bethany experiencing high demand for its Emergency Relief (ER) Program across both Barwon and South-West Victoria. The cessation of COVID related payments coupled with increased costs in living has resulted in a heightened number of people seeking ER support from Bethany to assist with the cost of essentials such as food, fuel, medical services, electricity, and rent. During 2022, we received 2,484 requests for ER – more than double the number of requests made in 2021.
Homeless Support Program assisted almost double the number of people supported YOY
Our Homeless Support Program team supported 264 service users during 2022, which is almost double the number of people supported during 2021. Likewise, the time spent with service users has tripled in the past twelve months. Close to 50% of the service users assisted in this program reported family violence as their primary reason for housing assistance.
Tenancy Plus and Families at Risk programs noticed an increase in the complexity of service users
Tenancy Plus and Families at Risk programs noticed an increase in the complexity of service users including mental health issues, family violence and hoarding/squalor issues. Tenancy Plus continued working with social housing providers to improve outcomes for community housing service users and were successful in supporting service users to prevent tenancy failure.
Gaming venues re-opening has led to a notable increase in people seeking support for problem gambling
Gaming venues re-opened in 2022, and as a result, there has been a notable increase in people seeking support for problem gambling, particularly in the Great South Coast region. We continue to provide the Gambler’s Help Program across Barwon and the South-West areas and we have refined new models of support for those affected by gambling harm. The lifting of COVID restrictions also allowed us to deliver in-person support to gaming venues and recommence the in-school education program.
Bethany finalised the co-design of the Geelong Integrated Network Model.
In October 2021, Bethany finalised the co-design of the Geelong Integrated Network Model. Funded by Give Where You Live, the model arose from recognition that people’s experience in their transition from prison into the community can present a multitude of problems and highlights a need for greater support.
We were successful in obtaining funding for a capacity building project in 2022-23.
The Geelong Integrated Network Model is a place-based community-led approach. It seeks to overcome the barriers justice-involved people experience in accessing supports. The Model provides central coordination and integration of community-based supports for people transitioning back to their community after prison. The purpose of the Network is to improve the health and wellbeing of these individuals and their families, and to facilitate their social inclusion in the community.
Bethany has been seeking funding to implement this model as a demonstration pilot. While we have not secured the implementation funding, we were successful in obtaining funding from the Percy Baxter Trust for a capacity building project in 2022-23.
