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Developing Throughcare in the ACT

an innovative partnership

Simon Rosenberg & Melanie Saballa

Chief Minister & Cabinet Directorate

Community Sector View

Simon Rosenberg Chief Executive Officer,

Northside Community Service

Three ways to “do” policy

• Consultation

• Advocacy

• Partnership - Throughcare as a case study

1. Policy by Consultation

Govt identifies a policy issue Govt develops a draft policy paper for consultation;

seeks reaction through forums, submissions Community sector organises its response Govt accepts, adapts or ignores sector input Govt provides feedback on the outcomes – sometimes!

2. Policy by Advocacy

Community sector identifies unmet needs Sector does research, consults internally on the issues

and solutions Position developed to present to govt, media Govt accepts, adapts or ignores sector views

3. Policy by Partnership – “co-design”

Community sector – or govt – identifies unmet needs Sector approaches govt – or vice versa – to work on

issues and solutions Positions developed; may be joint, separate or both, but

with common aims Govt and sector maintain their accountabilities, but work

together as far as possible; eg constraints of Cabinet process

Ideally, a final policy position emerges that has govt and sector ownership

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Community Integration Governance Group (CIGG)

2009: Problem identified: - new ACT prison with rehab and human rights aims, but no planning or coordination of throughcare to help prevent reoffending

Seen as whole-of-govt and whole-of-community (WoG/WoC) problem

CIGG developed initial policy position on Throughcare, with explicit aim to work with govt on developing the policy, not just discussing service implementation

ACT Government responded cautiously but positively

CIGG achievements

Participation of all relevant sectors - credibility CIGG members agreed to act strategically - not as

organisational representatives Comprehensive submission to Prison Review. Cabinet agreement to development of Throughcare

Policy collaboratively between ACT Govt and CIGG. Opportunity to brief Cabinet Cabinet signed off on new policy November 2011Joint implementation now underway

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What made it work?

Trust and opennessRole clarityAccountability‘Selling’ the value of the community sector’s inputPatienceThe Partnership evolved slowly and carefully;

seen as genuine

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What are the risks?

Confidentiality breachesCo-optionRole confusionDelayChanges to Govt funding commitments

What are the benefits?

Better informed policy; better programscommunity sector input at an earlier stage means implementation issues get clearer consideration

Particularly useful for ‘wicked problems’ – where WoG/WoC joined up approach is needed

Greater understanding of each other’s positions and constraints

Enhanced trust & respect; basis for further joint work

A practical expression of the Social Compact

Throughcare for Offenders A social policy partnership

Melanie Saballa Senior Manager, Social Policy and Implementation

ACT Chief Minister and Cabinet Directorate

Parameters & Context

• Policy responses to enduring challenges

• Co-design and co-production

• 2011 Hawke Report - ACT One Government

• Community engagement

Policy history• Community Inclusion Board activities focus on prisoners and

their families- inclusion agenda • September 2008, Alexander Maconochie Centre opened• Mid-2009 Policy Forum requested CMD map ACT Government

Throughcare services (Late 2009 CIGG formed)• Policy Forum considered a paper in March 2010. Sought

further analysis of available data and research on co-ordination of services across the Throughcare continuum

• Concept meeting with Corrective Services and CIGG in August 2010, CMD invited & offer to coordinate

• Three fora (CIGG, ACT Govt, combined), Policy Forum- follow up saw five recommendations evolve.

Testing the policy path

Commonly the 4th step after considerable work by government

Cabinet process

Essentially brings the consultation forward- expand from engagement to co-design of policy options

Needs

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LiteracyLiteracy

VET, PD

VET, PD

Gateways (yr 10, 12) Gateways (yr 10, 12)

ResidentialResidential

CommunityCommunity

Child & familyChild & family

AdvocacyAdvocacy

CulturalCultural

CentrelinkCentrelink

Budgeting and financial literacy

Budgeting and financial literacy

AMC employment manager and

programs

AMC employment manager and

programs

Skills, trainingSkills,

training

Job servicesJob services FamilyFamily

FriendsFriendsCase managerCase manager

MentorsMentors

Expectations , biases and

stereotypes

Expectations , biases and

stereotypes

CrisisCrisis

ManagedManaged

TransitionalTransitionalTenancy advice

Tenancy advice

PrivatePrivate

SocialSocial

Alcohol and drugs

Alcohol and drugs

PrimaryPrimary

AcuteAcute

AdultAdult

YouthYouth

SecureSecure

PreventionPrevention

SpecialistSpecialistForensicForensic

GeneralGeneral

MentalMental

Dental Dental

PublicPublic

PrivatePrivate

CommunityCommunity

Effectiveness

Governance

Inclusion

Education & trainingEducation & training

LegalLegal

HousingHousing

HealthHealth

Individual CohesionCohesion

Community services

Community servicesIncomeIncome

EmploymentEmployment

TransportTransport

Throughcare policy

• Options paper- Seeing it through – options for

improving offender outcomes in the community

• Set of principles and key elements

• Governance structures

• Reporting requirements

Outcomes

• Policy Forum paper yielded across Govt. buy in

• Cabinet agreed to an extended model of Throughcare

• 2012-13 Budget- 2 year Throughcare pilot

(coordination unit and brokerage funding)

• Reference Group maintained and Governance Group

established

• Lessons feeding other processes

Enablers• Community sector voluntary participation and

leadership• Line agency desire for the change, but limited capacity

to lead across government change• Leaders with a tolerance for novel design, approaches

to policy and uncertainty• Committed teams and people• Governance structures to support innovation and

enable process • Geography and scale

Risks and challenges

• Momentum over time

• Maintaining engagement (Government officers,

decision makers and community sector)

• Focus (big groups, diversity of views)

• Deliverables- uncertainty of outcomes

LessonsFor Government

• Co-design of policy-across agencies and sectors

• Expanded thinking - no one entity has the answers

• Building commitment• Currency of goodwill• Not just $$ resources

Thank you

Simon Rosenberg simon.rosenberg@northside.asn.au www.northside.asn.au

Melanie Saballa melanie.saballa@act.gov.auhttp://www.cmd.act.gov.au/