Who else matters?

During periods of chaos, children and families can become disconnected from their formal and informal support networks. Wherever possible, assistance needs to be provided to help families to re-establish or recreate these networks so that support can be sustained.

Effective service delivery includes the development of partnerships with families and communities and across systems of support to ensure that outcomes are broad and sustainable. The importance of linking children to trusted adults who can continue to support them is recognised and built into transition plans.

Booklet: Who Else Matters?

This booklet provides information on what children say they need from services working together to support them, tips on connecting children to their natural networks, and tools and resources for making service partnerships work.

Booklet: Who Else Matters? (PDF, 2.9MB)

Poster: Who Else Matters? (PDF, 583KB)

Tools

Some of the tools from the Kids Central Toolkit are also available to download below, including:

• Tool 6A: People in Our Lives and 6B: People in My Life (PDF, 273KB)
  Can be used to help identify important others in the lives of children and families, and to identify resources and supports.
• Tool 6C: Helping Hands (PDF, 230KB)
  Can be used to help children identify important people and supports in their lives, celebrate their connections to others, and help workers find formal and informal supports for families over time.
• Tool 6D: My Supporters (PDF, 252KB)
  Can be used to help children identify support people and recognise they are not alone.
• Tool 6E: It Takes a Village (PDF, 250KB)
  Can be used to help identify community resources, and the supporters that children might be connected to as part of their case work.
• Tool 6F: Sharing My Story (PDF, 230KB)
  Can be used to reach an agreement with children about what they are happy for workers to share with their parents, other family members and workers.
• Tool 6G: Holding It Together (PDF, 209KB)
  Can be used to help plan ongoing support for children and families, alleviate children's fear about losing support after exiting a program, and to identify alternative options.
• Tool 6H: Mapping the Service System (PDF, 165KB)
  Can be used to develop a better understanding of the services and supports available to children and families in their local area.