Casey's Future - A Plan for Children, Young People & Families 2017-2021

You told us:

• You want your children to be happy, healthy and whatever they want to be.
• You want your children to grow up in a safe, clean environment.
• You want your children to live in a safe family friendly community where they feel they belong, can interact with others and make lifelong friends.
• You are worried about negative societal and internet influences on your children.
• You want your children to have quality opportunities to play and learn.
• You are concerned about the impacts of rapid growth in your child’s community on affordable places in quality kindergarten and primary education; lack of infrastructure to meet your children’s need; and traffic chaos.
• You are worried that your children will find school difficult and would like more support for your children at school i.e. disability; additional needs; hearing loss; interpreters.
• You are worried about the availability of resources and supports after high school for special needs children.
• You would like more playgroups so your children will learn to speak English before they attend school.
• Your beliefs are important to you.
• You hope there are employment opportunities for your child when they are ready.
• You are worried about future employment for people with special needs.
• You would like affordable, secure accommodation to ensure your children receive stable education.
• You are concerned about the influence and impacts of drugs, crime and home invasions on your children.
• You are concerned that your child will be bullied.
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle was difficult due to high costs of living.

Educators and service providers

You told us:

• There is an increasing complexity regarding the presentation and treatment of young people’s mental health and the capacity of the service sector to meet the needs of young people.
• You have noted an increased use of drugs and alcohol by both young people and their caregivers.
• You have concerns regarding the observed impacts on young people of family violence, family breakdown and parent/carer mental health.
• Increasing numbers of young people are not accessing education, i.e. school refusal; and coming up against barriers to access employment.
• There is a lack of alternative school settings for young people who cannot access mainstream education.
• Young people struggle financially when family support was limited or not available, impacting on their education.
• Young people are being bullied either face to face or via social media.
• There is a lack of availability of outreach services for young people, especially those disengaged or isolated.
• Isolation, including geographic isolation, was in part related to lack of access to adequate public transport.
• Health and wellbeing is being impacted by lifestyle patterns including poor diets, poor sleeping patterns, recreational choices, such as gaming or large amounts of screen time, and poor hygiene habits.
• Appropriate accommodation for young people is not available or affordable.
• There is a gap in service delivery for young people 18-25 years, especially those who have been in out of home care.

What did we do with this feedback and research findings?

An internal steering committee of professionals’ representative of the Child Youth & Family department considered all responses received from children, young people and family’s along with Casey NEXT themes and Council Strategic Objectives.
Themes were identified and from these priorities and strategies to support were formed. The Child, Youth & Family staff were encouraged to reflect and respond to the priorities and strategies drafted by the steering committee. Feedback from the previous CP and YS reviews and current
research and evidence also informed the CYF Plan.
Based on the consultation process, review and research, five key priorities and associate strategies were developed to provide the City of Casey with a basis to guide planning, advocacy, and the delivery of services, programs, events and spaces for children, young people and families over the next five years.

Key priorities and strategies

1. Families

You told us:

Children: Your family is the most important thing to you.
Young people: Family relationships are extremely important to you.You like growing up in Casey because it is a family-oriented community.
Families: Your biggest hope for your children and young people's future was for them to feel happy, safe and included to become the best they can be.

In response, our priority is to support and strengthen Casey's unique children, young people and
families.

Strategies:
1.1 Provide a wide range of services, programs and events in response to need that will engage children, young people and families.
1.2 Provide spaces, services, programs and events where children, young people and families feel safe, welcome, respected and supported throughout their lifespan.
1.3 Strengthen children, young people and families capacity to be resilient.

What is the research telling us?

Families are the fundamental group unit of society and are entitled to be protected by society and the State. ¹¹
Positive attachment, interaction and relationships with family in early childhood and throughout life are crucial to a sense of belonging; defining identity and supporting a strong sense of
wellbeing. ⁶ A child’s earliest development and learning takes place within family relationships and as such families’ have a right to be consulted and recognised as their child’s most important educator. ⁹ ¹⁰
‘Building trusting relationships between families and professionals supports a context where
challenging or complex issues are discussed honestly and respectfully and where solutions are
negotiated rather than presumed or assumed’. ⁹ Mission Australia’s Youth Mental Health and
Homelessness Report states youth who reported having poor family functioning were more likely to have a serious mental illness and more likely to experience couch surfing (homelessness). Young people who reported they were very concerned or extremely concerned about family conflict, depression, coping with stress and suicide were far more likely to have spent time away from home increasing the likelihood of them experiencing homelessness in the future. ¹²

Related strategic plans

• Council Plan 2017-2021
• Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021
• Inclusive Casey Strategic Framework 2018-2021
• Accessibility Framework for Action 2018-2021

2. Community

You told us:

Children and young
people:

• Your friends are important to you.
• You feel happy when you are included in activities with your friends and community.
• You like to have places to go to.
• You are interested in sport and creative arts activities but find it hard to participate when they are not local making it difficult for you to access.
• You would like more local sporting activities, especially swimming pools and opportunities to connect with nature.

Families:

• You want your children to grow in a community that was family friendly and safe with opportunities to engage with the entire community.
• You would like more affordable, quality, accessible, local, learning and educational opportunities for your child and young person.

In response, our priority is to build a community where children feel safe, connected and included.

Strategies:
2.1 Celebrate, include and advocate for all children, young people and families.
2.2 Provide local high-quality services, programs, events and facilities that are adaptable to
communities changing needs and encourage social connection.
2.3 Embed a culture of continuous, efficient and effective improvement to support services, programs, events and community engagement.
2.4 Support quality learning across the lifespan through planning and provision of a variety of local
experiences for children, young people and families to participate.

What is the research telling us?

Relationships with friends and family, and a sense of belonging are central to children and young
people’s wellbeing. ¹⁴ Encouragement of children, young people and families to respect and celebrate their own and others’ cultural backgrounds, identities and choices, builds a connected community and a feeling of belonging. ⁸ All people are born free and equal in dignity and rights. ¹¹ Every person has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief. ¹¹
Quality services, events, programs and facilities support play and leisure time which is very important to children, young people and families and essential to learning, development and wellbeing. ¹⁰ UNICEF’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 31.1 ‘recognizes the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts’.¹⁸
When children and young people connect to their community they develop an understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities required for active community participation; become socially responsible and show respect for the environment; and respond to cultural difference with respect.⁶ Local opportunities for children, young people and families to participate in community groups and events alleviates often inadequate or absent public transport and car dependency. ¹⁶

Related strategic plans

• Council Plan 2017-2021
• Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021
• Inclusive Casey Strategic Framework 2018-2021
• Accessibility Framework for Action 2018-2021

3. Health and wellbeing

You told us:

Children: You have a very clear holistic understanding of what makes you healthy
including but not limited to healthy food, exercise, clean environment, dental hygiene, nature and rest. You have the most fun playing at outdoor parks and think we need to look after our environment and keep it clean.

Young people: Physical and mental health is very important to you. You want to feel confident and resilient to be the person you are.

Families: You believe affordable, accessible health care prevention and support is
required to provide opportunities for your children and young people to be
healthy and happy.

In response, our priority is to continue to provide, promote and improve health, wellbeing and developmental outcomes for children, young people and families.

Strategies:
3.1 Establish a staff and community culture that embraces positive health and wellbeing.
3.2 Maintain a high level of participation in services, programs and events.
3.3 Provide opportunities for children, young people and families to connect with Casey's natural
environment.