Evalution of the DHS Grandparent Adviser Programme...Programme General Manager George Thiveos Programme National Manager Nicole Pietrucha ... The Grandparent Adviser programme was

Evaluation of the Grandparent Adviser programme Department of Human Services July 2017

Evaluation: Grandparent Adviser programme, July 2017………. 2

Document details

Prepared by New Parents, Child Care, and Programme Improvement Branch

Date document was prepared July 2017

Version V1.0

Programme General Manager George Thiveos

Programme National Manager Nicole Pietrucha

Programme Director Matt McNeil

Division Families Division

Group Programme Design

Consultation Department of Social Services; Zone Sydney (operational accountability for Grandparent Adviser programme)


Contents 1 Summary and Recommendations ................................................................................ 4

1.1 Purpose .................................................................................................................... 4

1.2 Background .............................................................................................................. 4

1.3 Evaluation objective and criteria ............................................................................... 6

1.4 Evaluation Outcomes ............................................................................................... 7

1.5 Recommendations .................................................................................................... 8

2 Evaluation Findings ....................................................................................................... 8

2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 8

2.1.0 The Grandparent Adviser programme ............................................................... 8

2.1.1 Evaluation Approach ......................................................................................... 9

2.2 Outcomes ............................................................................................................... 10

2.2.0 Programme Demand ....................................................................................... 10

2.2.1 Programme Outcomes .................................................................................... 15

2.2.2 Programme Support ........................................................................................ 17

2.2.3 Communication and awareness ...................................................................... 18

2.2.4 Performance and Monitoring ........................................................................... 21

Attachment A – Departmental response to Inquiry report recommendations ............... 23


1 Summary and Recommendations

1.1 Purpose

This evaluation report has been undertaken to examine the effectiveness of the Grandparent Adviser programme, following a recent expansion, which is administered by the Department of Human Services (the Department). The report seeks to identify whether the programme is maintaining a high standard of service delivery to all States and Territories in order to meet the needs of grandparent and non-parent carers, stakeholders and government expectations.

1.2 Background

Many children in Australia are being raised by grandparent and other non-parent carers. There are often complex and challenging circumstances behind these arrangements, and the range of assistance available to grandparent and non-parent carers can vary depending on individual circumstances and the State or Territory in which they reside.

There are a number of Commonwealth payments and services administered by the Department that are available for grandparent and non-parent carers, and these include:

Family Tax Benefit – to help with the cost of raising children

Child Care benefit, Grandparent Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate – to help with the cost of child care

Medicare payments – to help with health care costs

Double Orphan Pension – to help with the costs of caring for children who are orphans or who can’t be cared for by their parents

Carer Payment, as relevant

Concession and Health Care Cards, including Foster Child Health Care Card – to help with accessing cheaper health care services and medicines, and

Child support.

All Service Officers within the Department are trained to provide information about, and connect grandparent carers, to these payments and services. The Department also has specialist staff who are available to provide additional support for families, including:

Social workers

Financial Information Service Officers

Indigenous Specialist Officers

Multicultural Service Officers, and

Grandparent Advisers.

The Grandparent Adviser programme was introduced in 2010 as part of the Delivering for Senior’s package to support and encourage older Australians in the workforce, tackle age discrimination, support grandparent carers and help meet the cost of living1. The programme was established in recognition of the fact that many grandparents in modern Australian society have a continuing, primary care role for young children. A freecall ‘1800’ telephone service was also introduced to support the programme, and allows grandparents to call and be routed to the nearest Grandparent Adviser in their state or territory. This service is also available to and used by other non-parent carers including foster carers.

1 Portfolio Budget Statement 2011/2012, Families Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Portfolio


The Grandparent Adviser programme objectives are to focus on the needs of grandparent and other non-parent carers, working to improve their access to Centrelink payments and services, and connect them to other supporting government and non-government services within their local community. This complements the services provided by other Service Officers within the Department of Human Services, who are trained to provide advice about the payments and services administered by the Department to all claimants, including grandparent and other non-parent carers. To date, funding for the Grandparent Adviser programme has been absorbed by the Department.

In 2014, the Senate Community Affairs References Committee conducted an Inquiry into grandparents who take primary responsibility for raising their grandchildren when parents are unable or unwilling to do so2. In relation to the Department of Human Services, the report made three recommendations aimed at better supporting grandparent carer access to Federal payments and services.

The Inquiry report recommended that the Department of Human Services:

Establish a sub-committee within an external stakeholder group, the Older Australian Working Group, to enable ongoing engagement with grandparents raising grandchildren (Recommendation 1);

Collect and review data received from the Grandparent Adviser phone line (Recommendation 1);

Investigate means of identifying kinship care arrangements in applications for Commonwealth benefits (Recommendation 2); and

Review the number and geographical allocation of Grandparent Adviser positions to ensure needs are being met in high demand areas as well as rural and regional areas and consider increasing the number of Grandparent Advisers if required (Recommendation 3).

On 15 January 2016, the Department of Social Services tabled the government response to the recommendations within the report, and committed to the following in relation to Recommendation 3:

The Australian Government supports this recommendation.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has been working in collaboration with

the Department of Social Service (DSS) to review the existing Grandparent Adviser

programme. Commencing in 2015-16, this programme will be expanded on a trial

basis until 30 June 2017, with two additional Grandparent Adviser positions and

funding for outreach activities.

Under the trial, the number of Grandparent Advisers will increase from six to eight,

ensuring coverage of all States and Territories, noting that grandparent carers in the

Australian Capital Territory will continue to be supported by the two Grandparent

Advisers based in New South Wales.

2 Senate Community Affairs References Committee Report - Grandparents who take primary responsibility for raising their grandchildren


In addition, the eight Grandparent Advisers will conduct outreach activities with

grandparent advocacy groups and organisations within their respective geographical

footprints to promote the Grandparent Adviser role within the community, and to

increase awareness of available supports and services.

The expansion of the Grandparent Adviser programme will boost service efficiency

and timeliness, as well as access to services and supports by grandparent carers. Prior

to the completion of the trial in 2017, the Australian Government will evaluate the

delivery of the Grandparent Adviser programme (including reviewing the funding for

all Grandparent Adviser positions) to ensure it is continuing to meet the needs of

grandparent carers, and that the long-term sustainability of the programme is

maintained.3

Pursuant to this response, in March 2016 the number of Grandparent Advisers was increased from six to eight officers, expanding coverage of the programme to all States and Territories. The Department also provided additional funding for Grandparent Advisers to conduct outreach activities within their communities throughout the period of the trial.

In 2017, pending the outcome of this evaluation, the Secretary of the Department agreed to continue funding of the Grandparent Adviser programme until 30 June 2018. Current operating costs for running the programme equate to approximately $1.05 million per year.

The expansion and evaluation of the Grandparent Adviser programme completes the Department’s responses to the recommendations contained within the Inquiry report. Further information about the Inquiry report recommendations and the Department’s actions in response to these can be found at Attachment A.

1.3 Evaluation objective and criteria

The objective of this evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of the Grandparent Adviser programme. This will be achieved by analysing the programme against its objectives, which are:

Reduce immediate hardship by connecting grandparent carers to the right payments and services.

Strengthen grandparent financial capability and skills to reduce risks of hardship.

Provide ongoing specialist assistance to grandparents who need additional support through the programme.

Encourage grandparents who can, to take up online technology to rapidly connect to payments and services and self-manage.

3 Government response: Grandparents who take responsibility for raising their grandchildren

(http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Grandparent_Carers/Government_Response)


1.4 Evaluation Outcomes

In conducting this evaluation, key elements of the administrative arrangements that support the Grandparent Adviser programme have been reviewed. Overall, the evaluation has found that the programme is effectively managed and that it delivers the services outlined in the programme objectives, with some areas identified as having scope for improvement.

Since reporting on calls began in October 2014, the number of calls made to the Grandparent Adviser ‘1800’ phone number has increased steadily. While the call volume has increased over time, the number of abandoned calls (callers who hang up before leaving a message with the provided voicemail service) has remained consistently low, which demonstrates that the Grandparent Advisers are managing the increased call volume effectively.

The Department has responded flexibly by introducing a national workload strategy to manage demand across Australia when the demand for the service in the newly created Darwin and Tasmania based positions was slow in comparison with other regions. This ensures the equitable distribution of workloads amongst the Grandparent Advisers while the demand for the programme builds within the newly established regions.

Analysis of the outcomes of contacts between grandparents and other non-parent carers and Grandparent Advisers clearly demonstrate that the majority of these contacts result in either the provision of relevant information or a connection to a payment or service provided by the Department. The analysis also shows that the Grandparent Adviser programme also serves to connect grandparent and non-parent carers with other services within the community that are not provided by the Department, and that contact with the Grandparent Advisers can also prevent otherwise unnecessary claims for payments.

The Department has invested resources into educating its staff and the Australian community about the Grandparent Adviser programme. Analysis shows that this investment has contributed to an increased demand for and awareness of the service with staff and grandparent and non-parent carers. The Department has established effective training and support services for the Grandparent Adviser staff, which assists in maintaining the quality of the services provided through the programme, and ensures that the Grandparent Adviser skillset is kept up-to-date.

Between August and November 2016, the Department of Social Services funded the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) to undertake a survey4 of non-parent carers titled “Working Together to Care for Kids: a survey of foster and relative/kinship carers”, which explored carer needs and experiences. Part of the survey was to consider non-parent carer’s knowledge of the support services available to them, and analysis of the survey results shows that most of the carers who accessed the ‘1800’ phone service found that the Grandparent Adviser service was of value to them.

Finally, the Department has established data collection, analysis, and reporting mechanisms to ensure that the interactions that Grandparent Advisers have within their community are recorded. The outcomes of these interactions are regularly examined so the Department can assess the ongoing effectiveness of its delivery of the programme as well as measure the outcomes for the grandparent and non-parent carers who access the service.

4 Source: Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS)


1.5 Recommendations

1. Maintain the Grandparent Adviser programme at the current level of eight Grandparent Advisers, with associated outreach and programme support funding to meet the demand effectively.

2. Continue to actively raise awareness of the Grandparent Adviser programme within the Department and community to ensure those who are eligible for support and payments access their entitlements.

2 Evaluation Findings

2.1 Introduction

2.1.0 The Grandparent Adviser programme

The Grandparent Adviser programme was introduced in 2010 to meet the needs of grandparent carers. The Department’s Grandparent Advisers assist and connect grandparent and other non-parent carers who require additional support to the payments and services provided by the Department and within the community. Through the Grandparent Adviser programme the Department provides tailored assistance for grandparents caring for their grandchildren and other non-parent carers including foster carers and kinship carers.

Research indicates that grandparent carers and children in their care may require additional support while adjusting to changes in their circumstances. The Grandparent Adviser programme helps to connect these grandparents and other non-parent carers with the Department’s specialist staff, such as Social Workers, Financial Information Service Officers, Indigenous Specialist Officers and Multicultural Service Officers to assist with this need. Grandparent Advisers also work directly with the community, other government agencies, and non-government organisations to share information and keep informed of the different support and assistance available to carers. Grandparent Advisers are available to help grandparents and other non-parent carers, regardless of whether they are currently receiving payments or services from the Department.

As highlighted earlier in this report, the Department funded an expansion of the Grandparent Adviser programme in March 2016, which increased the number of Grandparent Advisers from six to eight staff on a trial basis until 30 June 2017. The Department also provided additional funding in 2016 to facilitate outreach5 activities by Grandparent Advisers within their local communities.

5 The Department defines ‘outreach’ as an additional service offered by the Grandparent Adviser programme to better connect with community stakeholders and non-parent carers and provide programme and Department information.


The eight Grandparent Advisers provide coverage to all States and Territories and are located in:

Warwick, Western Australia

Caringbah, New South Wales

Penrith, New South Wales/ACT

Moorabbin, Victoria

Gympie, Queensland

Adelaide, South Australia

Darwin, Northern Territory

Hobart, Tasmania

2.1.1 Evaluation Approach

The objective of this evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of the administration and service delivery of the Grandparent Adviser (Grandparent Adviser) programme.

To form a conclusion against the evaluation objective, the following high level criteria have been adopted:

Programme Demand – Has the Department appropriately harnessed available resources to staff and support the Grandparent Adviser programme?

Programme Outcomes – What are the outcomes for grandparent and other non-parent carers following their contact with a Grandparent Adviser?

Programme Support – Has the Department implemented effective training and quality assurance mechanisms to support the delivery of the programme in accordance with the Department’s strategic priorities?

Communication and Raising Awareness – Has the Department established effective arrangements to raise awareness of the programme and its delivery?

Performance and Monitoring – Has the Department established sound monitoring and reporting arrangements to assess the effectiveness and service delivery impacts of the programme?

The evaluation methodology incorporates:

Collation and analysis of Grandparent Adviser management information data;

Discussions with key Departmental staff;

A review of relevant documentation, including the Grandparent Adviser Service Offer, duty statements and strategic priorities;

Consultation with key external stakeholders, including the Department of Social Services; and

Analysis of survey results conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies.


2.2 Outcomes

2.2.0 Programme Demand

Analysis

The current performance framework for the Grandparent Adviser programme is based on the collection of data which is sourced from the interactions that Grandparent Advisers have with the grandparent and other non-parent carers who contact them. The data is both qualitative and quantitative in nature and is aggregated and analysed on a monthly and quarterly basis.

Since October 2014, the Department has been collecting quantitative call data received through the Grandparent Adviser ‘1800’ phone service, which was supplemented by manual qualitative data collected by the Grandparent Adviser staff. The quality of this manual data collection was improved from November 2016 when a new reporting tool was introduced for the recording of Grandparent Adviser contacts. The Grandparent Adviser Reporting Tool enables a more comprehensive view of each Grandparent Adviser’s workload and outcomes for the grandparent and other non-parent carers who contact them.

When grandparents call the ‘1800’ phone line, the call is routed to the Grandparent Adviser situated in the State or Territory they are calling from. If the Grandparent Adviser is busy taking another call, the caller is diverted to the Grandparent Adviser’s voicemail to leave a message, and the Grandparent Adviser will generally return their call on the same day. This functionality differs from the Department’s ‘general’ telephony queues as it doesn’t provide callers with an engaged signal if the Grandparent Adviser is busy taking another call, nor does it route to the next available Grandparent Adviser. This is so that the caller is connected with a Grandparent Adviser who has an awareness of the support services available in their State or Territory and can make referrals to these local services.

Data analysis shows that demand for the Grandparent Adviser service has increased steadily over time. In 2016, the Department implemented a national Grandparent Adviser and Outreach Communication strategy to educate staff and grandparent carers about the Department’s Grandparent Adviser programme. The success of this strategy can be seen in the increased call volume to the Grandparent Adviser 1800 call line, in the outreach activities undertaken by the Grandparent Advisers, and by the caller’s outcomes recorded in the Grandparent Adviser reporting tool.

Table 1: National inbound call volume

2015/2016 Quarter 4

2016/2017 Quarter 1

2016/2017 Quarter 2

2016/2017 Quarter 3

2016/2017 Quarter 4

Total calls 4,804 Total calls 4,828 Total calls 4,248 Total calls 4,962 Total calls 4,676

Successful calls

95% Successful calls




97%

Abandoned calls

5% Abandoned calls

3% Abandoned calls

2% Abandoned calls

2% Abandoned calls

3%

Total calls=successful and abandoned calls. Successful calls=answered or diverted to voicemail. Abandoned calls=hung up before voicemail activation. Source: Channel Analytics Reporting (CAR)


Figure 1: National Inbound Call Volume

Total calls=successful and abandoned calls. Successful calls=answered or diverted to voicemail. Abandoned calls=hung up before voicemail activation. Source: Channel Analytics Reporting (CAR)

The 2016/2017 Quarter 4 call volume management information data reflects:

A 2% increase in successful calls received in the 2016/2017 Quarter 4 compared to successful calls received in 2015/2016 Quarter 4.

A decrease of abandoned calls for the same period from 5% to 3%.

The higher number of abandoned calls in Quarter 4 2015/2016 are likely due to the implementation of Federal Budget measures affecting families, such as the No Jab No Pay measure and reforms to Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part B. Similarly, the call volume increase in Quarter 1 2016/2017 correlates with end of financial year Family Tax Benefit reconciliation period.

The call volume decrease in Quarter 2 2016/2017 can largely be attributed to seasonal factors. Historical data for the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 Quarter 2 periods reflect a trend for the months of November and December to receive fewer calls through the Grandparent Adviser phone line. This may be due to children on holidays or children returning to their parents over the Christmas period.

When a grandparent or non-parent carer contacts the Grandparent Adviser 1800 line, their calls are diverted to the nearest Grandparent Adviser based on their geographic location. For the 2016/2017 Quarter 4, 4,556 successful calls were received through the Grandparent Adviser 1800 line. The following table represents the distribution of calls (total calls) between States and Territories.

571

1,776

1,561

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

2,000

Oct

-14

No

v-1

4

Dec

-14

Jan

-15

Feb

-15

Mar

-15

Ap

r-1

5

May

-15

Jun

-15

Jul-

15

Au

g-1

5

Sep

-15

Oct

-15

No

v-1

5

Dec

-15

Jan

-16

Feb

-16

Mar

-16

Ap

r-1

6

May

-16

Jun

-16

Jul-

16

Au

g-1

6

Sep

-16

Oct

-16

No

v-1

6

Dec

-16

Jan

-17

Feb

-17

Mar

-17

Ap

r-1

7

May

-17

Jun

-17

National inbound call volume

Successful Calls Abandoned Calls


Table 2: Call volume by State and Territory

State/Region 2016/2017 Quarter 2 2016/2017 Quarter 3 2016/2017 Quarter 4

Number of calls

% of call volume

Number of calls

% of call volume

Number of calls

% of call volume

VIC 1,444 34% 1,736 35% 1,403 30%

NSW 552 13% 695 14% 748 16%

ACT/NSW 637 15% 546 11% 561 12%

QLD 552 13% 546 11% 561 12%

WA 425 10% 496 10% 375 8%

SA 425 10% 546 11% 561 12%

TAS 128 3% 248 5% 280 6%

NT 85 2% 149 3% 187 4%

Total 4,248 4,962 4,676 Source: Telstra Files - Service Delivery Performance and Analysis Branch

Data indicates that Victoria, NSW and ACT/NSW continue to receive the most calls which broadly correlates with the relative population sizes of these regions with the rest of the country.

External and internal Grandparent Adviser and Outreach communication strategies have been successful in connecting callers to the new Grandparent Advisers in the Northern Territory and Tasmania which is reflected by the steady increase in the number of calls made to these regions since the positions commenced.

Due to the variance in the number of calls received across the different geographical regions, a national workload strategy was introduced by the Department in June 2016 to assist in managing call volumes equitably across the country. The national workload strategy is effective in assisting the Grandparent Adviser’s ability to share the workload and better manage call volume increases and spikes in workloads. For example, from March 2017, calls received from the Western Victoria region have been redirected to Tasmania, which has resulted in an increase in the number of calls answered by the Grandparent Adviser located in Tasmania and a corresponding decrease in calls to Victoria. To ensure a consistent quality of service to all States and Territories, information about locally based support services are shared between all grandparent Adviser staff.


Figure 2: Grandparent and non-parent carer profiles

Source: Grandparent Adviser Reporting Tool, Stakeholder and Community Engagement Team

From November 2016 to the end of June 2017, management information data collected from the Grandparent Adviser reporting tool reflects that on average:

66% of interactions with the Grandparent Advisers are with grandparent carers.

9% of non-parent carers are aged over 70 years old.

41% of non-parent carers are aged 55 or under.

10% of non-parent carers are indigenous.

All Departmental Service Officers are trained to assist grandparent and other non-parent carers and are familiar with the payments and services available to these recipients. To support their specific needs, staff are also encouraged to refer grandparents and non-parent carers to a Grandparent Adviser for further assistance.

Grandparent Advisers provide assistance to foster carers as well as grandparent and other non-parent carers. Foster carers account for approximately 18% of the call volume received by Grandparent Advisers. While Commonwealth assistance is available for foster carers in the form of access to Family Tax Benefit, Child Care Benefit, and Health Care cards, these carers are also provided with direct financial and other assistance through applicable State or Territory programmes. Grandparent Advisers are able to provide advice about the full range of services available to foster carers, and can manage the existing demand from foster carers without the need for further expansion or the establishment of dedicated specialist staff for this specific cohort.

Grandparent and other non-parent carers often contact the Department in difficult circumstances, and in many cases the situations they find themselves in are unexpected and traumatic. They may not be emotionally or financially prepared to cope with these sudden and dramatic changes in their lives, and contact with the Grandparent Advisers can assist them to access appropriate payments and local support services based on the grandparent’s individual circumstances. The following vignettes further highlight the complex and varied familial situations faced by Grandparent Advisers on a daily basis:

A grandmother wanted to send her 15 year old grandson to a boarding school as she said he is rather big for his age, she fears for herself as he is a handful and she may need to relinquish her care of him. She is concerned about possible domestic violence from her grandson.


Grandfather is widowed, 72 years old, living on his superannuation and caring for his 6 year old granddaughter through a formal care order and receives a state care allowance on top of his Family Tax Benefit and Child Care Benefit.

Grandmother is 54 years old, lives with her elderly dad and her husband who has Parkinson disease and is wheelchair bound. Four grandchildren have been placed in their care, aged 4, 5, 8 and 9 by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services.

Grandfather is 58 years old and has been caring for his grandchild who is 10 years of age and suffers from a genetic disorder. The grandfather is a recent widower and his grandchild came into his care soon after his wife’s death.

Grandparents are caring for their two grandchildren following the suicide death of the biological mother. Grandfather advised that there is an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) against the children’s father, and he was unaware of the father’s whereabouts and he said he may even be deceased or in prison.

A young child was in the care of his elderly grandparents. After a car accident the grandparents were assessed as not coping and the child was placed in his Aunt’s care. The child’s Aunt was in receipt of Disability Support Pension and Carers Allowance for her own three children when she took on the unexpected care of her nephew. Her nephew is 11 years of age and is severely traumatised by his life experience to date.

Conclusion

Since reporting began in October 2014, the number of calls made to the Grandparent Adviser ‘1800’ phone number has increased steadily. While the call volume has increased over time, the number of abandoned calls (callers who hang up before leaving a message with the provided voicemail service) has remained consistently low, which demonstrates that the Grandparent Advisers are managing the increased call volume effectively.

Demand for the service in the newly created Darwin and Tasmania based positions has been slow in comparison with other regions which may be due to population and demographics, however the Department has responded flexibly to this situation by introducing a national workload strategy to manage demand across Australia. This ensures the equitable distribution of workloads amongst the Grandparent Advisers while the demand for the programme builds within the newly established regions.


2.2.1 Programme Outcomes

Analysis

When grandparent and other non-parent carers access the Grandparent Adviser service, a Grandparent Adviser assists them to connect to payments and services based on their individual complex needs. In many circumstances, multiple grandparent and non-parent carer outcomes can be recorded from a single contact; for example, a grandparent or non-parent carer may initially call seeking general information, and through the course of that interaction could also be connected to a payment, and then referred to an external community agency.

Since the introduction of the Grandparent Adviser Reporting Tool in November 2016, there have been 8,466 recorded interactions with grandparents and other non-parent carers. The top two grandparent and non-parent carer enquiry reasons recorded within the Reporting Tool relate to the Family Tax Benefit (FTB) and Child Care Benefit payments.

The outcomes of grandparent and non-parent carer contacts with Grandparent Advisers from November 2016 until the end of June 2017 are reflected in the table below. During this period grandparent and non-parent carers had 8,466 interactions with Grandparent Advisers. The outcomes of these interactions included 43% which related to the provision of information, 17% related to connection to payments and 15% required further follow up. As noted above, a grandparent or non-parent carer can have multiple outcomes within one interaction. The following three outcomes have consistently remained the top three outcomes throughout this period:

Provision of information – e.g. community and other Department payments and services

Connect to payment – e.g. lodged a successful claim for a Departmental payment.

Additional follow-up required – e.g. the grandparent or non-parent carer may need to provide further information at a following appointment.

Table 3: Contact outcomes

Enquiry reason Volume Percentage

Provision of information 6,791 43%

Connect to payments 2,716 17%

Additional follow-up required 2,352 15%

Change of circumstances actioned 1,216 8%

Referral – internal (e.g. Social Worker, Financial Information Services Officer etc.)

1,266 8%

Referral - external 1,116 7%

Inappropriate enquiry 308 2%

GRAND TOTAL 15,765 100%



The most common example of inappropriate enquiries made to Grandparent Advisers relates to payment eligibility enquiries from grandparents who do not have ongoing caring responsibilities of their grandchildren, but rather ‘look after’ the grandchild while the parent who has primary care of the child works in their regular employment., These contacts can also serve to prevent otherwise resource intensive contacts, such as inappropriate claims for payments.

Another avenue for analysing the outcomes of interactions with Grandparent Advisers is through examination of the number of grandparent carers registered for the Family Tax Benefit payment.

Figure 3: Grandparents registered for FTB purposes

Source: Cognos Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) Family Tax Benefit Reconciliation

The chart above displays the number of grandparent carers in receipt of Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A over time. It is important to note that there are limitations to this data, as it relies on self-identification by grandparent carers. However despite these limitations, it is clear that the number of FTB recipients who identify as grandparent carers has increased over time. While it is difficult to determine whether this increase is caused by societal changes or other government initiatives (e.g. FTB B reforms), rather than interactions with the Grandparent Advisers, it is reasonable to assume a correlation between the increased demand for the Grandparent Adviser programme, the proportion of contacts that result in a connection to payment, and the increase in grandparents carers who receive FTB.

Conclusion

Analysis of the outcomes of contacts between grandparents and other non-parent carers and Grandparent Advisers clearly demonstrate that the majority of these contacts result in either the provision of relevant information or a connection to a payment or service provided by the Department. The analysis also shows that the Grandparent Adviser programme also serves to connect grandparent and other non-parent carers with other services within the community that are not provided by the Department, and that contact with the Grandparent Advisers can also prevent otherwise unnecessary claims for payments.


2.2.2 Programme Support

Analysis

The Grandparent Adviser programme operates within the Department’s service delivery operating model and national service strategy and has a dedicated Programme Support Manager. The Programme Support Manager oversees the operational administration of the programme and works closely with the national Families Division who have overarching accountability for the Grandparent Adviser programme. Each Grandparent Adviser sits within their respective geographic Zone structure, and is line managed by a local Zone programme manager, which provides for local support and pastoral care.

The Grandparent Advisers, Service Zones and Families Division hold regular meetings to discuss the delivery of the Grandparent Adviser programme and to share information, such as policy updates and better practice. There is also an annual national workshop conference attended by Grandparent Advisers and their respective Zone Leaders, which provides an opportunity for a shared learning experience, including best practices and planning for the year ahead.

Grandparent Advisers are employed at the APS5 level and their duties differ from regular service delivery staff, by virtue of their specialist knowledge and the higher profile that they have within community, particularly when representing the Department in external forums. New Grandparent Advisers are supported with induction training comprising of on-the-job training with an experienced Grandparent Adviser and the creation of a national Grandparent Adviser Individual Performance Agreement designed to monitor performance and identify development opportunities.

Internal support for technical and policy matters is primarily provided by fellow Grandparent Advisers, chiefly through online tools, such as Skype, a dedicated mailbox and email exchanges. For more complex policy issues Grandparent Advisers seek assistance from the national Families Division policy team who will provide advice, seeking policy department advice where appropriate. Grandparent Advisers are expected to familiarise themselves with relevant State or Territory legislation and the State/ Territory based programmes and community support structures available within their own region. Grandparent Advisers are expected to develop and maintain strong links to local community agencies and regularly engage in community and government forums as required.

Since 2016, the Grandparent Adviser programme has continued to implement improvement processes to support Grandparent Advisers to meet grandparent and other non-parent carer needs, such as:

A dedicated Programme Support Manager to oversee the operational tasks of the programme to identify continuous improvement opportunities.

A Grandparent Adviser and Outreach communication strategy to educate staff and connect grandparent and other non-parent carers to the Grandparent Adviser service.

The introduction of the Grandparent Adviser reporting tool to identify programme impacts to grandparent and other non-parent carers and the community as well as monitoring the volume of calls for staff resourcing requirements.


A national workload strategy to support the disparity of call volume between States and Territories who have a denser population.

Quality assurance activities on inbound and outbound calls.

A Grandparent Adviser Service Offer which outlines support and expectations of the Grandparent Adviser role.

An annual national work conference which supports the Grandparent Advisers in sharing best work practice to support a consistent service offer.

The implementation of a nationally consistent Individual Performance Agreement for Grandparent Advisers with appropriate internal guidelines expected to guide performance.

The introduction of strategic priorities for Grandparent Advisers 2016/2017.

In addition to the above, the Department continues to seek further opportunities for programme improvement and is currently examining further enhancements designed to increase the quality of each individual officer as well as to ensure continued alignment of the programme priorities with those of the Department.

Conclusion

The Department has established effective training and support services for Grandparent Advisers which assists in maintaining the quality of the services provided through the programme, and ensures that the Grandparent Adviser skillset is kept up-to-date. The Grandparent Adviser specialist role serves to connect grandparent and non-parent carers to services and payments which can reduce the volume of complex interactions to the service delivery network.

2.2.3 Communication and awareness

Analysis

In 2016, the Department implemented a national Grandparent Adviser and outreach Communication strategy to educate staff and grandparent and non-parent carers about the Department’s Grandparent Adviser programme. The success of this strategy is demonstrated by the outreach activities undertaken by the Grandparent Advisers to strengthen community partnerships and reach a wider non-parent carer demographic, appropriate staff referrals and an increase in demand for the programme’s services.

Outreach activities are generally undertaken where there is a need within the community, to reach grandparent and other non-parent carers who live in remote locations or who are unable to travel to meet with a Grandparent Adviser in person, and to represent the Department at Forums/Advocacy Groups so as to create stronger partnerships in the Grandparent Adviser’s communities.


From November 2016 until June 2017, there have been 191 outreach activities conducted by Grandparent Advisers across Australia. The breakdown of outreach activities conducted for this period are as follows:

59 Internal departmental activities, such as training, presentations

132 Outreach activities undertaken within the Grandparent Adviser’s region Figure 4: Outreach activities


Across the 191 outreach activities conducted between November 2016 and June 2017, Grandparent Advisers have connected with over 4,037 grandparent and other non-parent carers, and departmental staff.

The breakdown of attendees in attendance is outlined in the following table. Table 4: Attendees at all outreach activities

Outreach

Attendees

External outreach activities undertaken within the Grandparent Adviser’s region 3,298

Department of Human Services internal activities 739

GRAND TOTAL 4,037



Between August and November 2016, the Department of Social Services funded the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) to undertake a survey of non-parent carers titled “Working Together to Care for Kids: a survey of foster and relative/kinship carers”, which explored carer needs and experiences. Part of the survey was to consider non-parent carer’s knowledge of the support services available to them.

In the survey, carers were asked whether they were aware of the Grandparent Adviser ‘1800’ phone service, and if so, whether they had accessed it and found it helpful. It is important to note that the survey sampled a random selection of non-parent carers, and did not take into account whether or not the non-parent carer was a recipient of payments administered by the Department of Human Services.

The survey found the following:

28% of carers (grandparent and non-parent carers combined) were aware of this service, and 72% were not;

A higher proportion of relative/kinship carers than foster carers reported their awareness of the service (32% vs 23%);

Nearly four in ten grandparent carers (39%) said that they knew about the Grandparent Adviser phone line.

One quarter (25%) of carers who knew about the Grandparent Adviser phone line said that they had actually accessed it, which means 7% of all the carers interviewed had used it. Pleasingly, most (80%) carers who had accessed the Grandparent Adviser Phone Line indicated that the service provided by the service was “very helpful” or “fairly helpful”. Grandparent carers who knew about the service were more likely than other relative/kinship carers and foster carers to report having accessed the service (39%, 9% and 14% respectively).

The outcome of the survey provides another view to assess the reach of the Grandparent Adviser service and to identify opportunities to increase the awareness of the programme within the community.

A range of online information has been developed and published to provide information to staff, grandparents and non-parent carers about the Grandparent Adviser service. The Department has been collecting and tracking data from the Department’s Grandparent Adviser and non-parent carer webpages, and this demonstrates a continued demand for information through the online channels provided by the Department.


Figure 5: Department of Human Services external webpage views

Source: Communication Engagement Division

It can be seen from the above that there has been a decrease in webpage views since March 2017. This can largely be attributed to the inclusion of a “Families carousel” article titled ‘Do you provide ongoing care for your grandchild?’ which was published in February 2017 and then subsequently removed in early June 2017.

The number of webpage views to the specific ‘Support for grandparent carers’ webpage have steadily increased over the last few months.

Conclusion

The Department of Human Services has invested resources into the education of staff and externally to the Australian community about the Grandparent Adviser programme. This investment has contributed to an increased demand for and awareness of the service with grandparent and other non-parent carers. There are further opportunities to raise awareness of the programme within the community, particularly to non-parent carers to ensure those who are entitled to Commonwealth support and services are aware of those programs and access them.

2.2.4 Performance and Monitoring

Analysis

The data available to the programme is regularly analysed and current internal reporting is focused on monthly and quarterly activity data. Currently there are no formal performance measures or targets associated with the Grandparent Adviser programme.

8,407

9,294

4,871

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

Jul-16 Aug-16 Sep-16 Oct-16 Nov-16 Dec-16 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17

DHS external webpage views

https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/support-grandparent-carers


Quarterly reports are compiled and distributed to key stakeholders such as National Managers, the Grandparent Adviser programme Support Officer, Directors and Zone Leaders with Grandparent Adviser line management responsibilities. The Quarterly report provides quantitative high level information on the:

Number of phone calls to the Grandparent Adviser phone line;

Grandparent and non-parent carer interactions and outcomes resultant of the interaction;

Outreach activities undertaken within the community and internal to the Department;

The number of grandparent and other non-parent carers attending outreach activities;

Individual and national workload.

The Grandparent Adviser Reporting Tool (GART) was introduced in November 2016 to provide a mechanism for Grandparent Advisers to record each contact that they have with grandparent and non-parent carers, as well as the outcomes associated with that contact. Use of the tool has been enthusiastically adopted by the Grandparent Advisers, and the information recorded within the tool has provided some valuable insights into the demographics of the carers who access the programme, as well as information on the outcomes of their contact.

Conclusion

The Department has established data collection, analysis, and reporting mechanisms to ensure that the interactions that Grandparent Advisers have within their community are recorded, and that the outcomes of these interactions are examined. This supports the Department to assess the ongoing effectiveness of its delivery of the programme as well as measure the outcomes for the grandparent and other non-parent carers who access the service.

Attachment A – Departmental response to Inquiry report recommendations

Senate Inquiry report recommendations

Recommendation 1 Action taken

• Establish a sub-committee within an external stakeholder group, the Older Australian Working Group, to enable ongoing engagement with grandparents raising grandchildren.

• Collect and review data received from the Grandparent Adviser phone line.

• Departmental and Working Group attendees agreed a sub-committee is not required, however the role and needs of grandparent carers would be a standing agenda item for the Working Group.

• Ongoing collection of phone line data has been in place since October 2014. In November 2016, a Grandparent Adviser Reporting Tool was developed to capture qualitative data.

Recommendation 2

• Investigate means of identifying kinship care arrangements in applications for Commonwealth benefits.

• Claim questions for Family Tax Benefit request that claimants identify their relationship to the child in care, and recent changes to Family Tax Benefit Part B encourage a greater level of self-identification by grandparent carers.

Recommendation 3

• Review the number and geographical allocation of Grandparent Adviser positions to ensure needs are being met in high demand areas as well as rural and regional areas and consider increasing the number of Grandparent Advisers if required.

• From March 2016, a trial expansion of the programme was undertaken which increased the number of Grandparent Adviser positions from six to eight officers, providing coverage to all States and Territories. The Department committed to conduct an evaluation of the programme by 30 June 2017.

Documents

Evalution of the DHS Grandparent Adviser Programme...Programme General Manager George Thiveos Programme National Manager Nicole Pietrucha ... The Grandparent Adviser programme was