4.2: Family Services

The 1997-1998 Portfolio Budget Statements, informs Senators and Members of Parliament of the proposed allocation of resources to portfolios outcomes and their objectives and targets including the agencies within the Health and Family Services portfolio.

In this section:

Budget Measures

Objective

To respond flexibly and efficiently to support families and people in crisis, with a particular focus on assisting disadvantaged families, children at risk and homeless people.

Priority outcomes

To promote the independence and self-reliance of homeless people through implementation of the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program's (SAAP) reform objectives.
To help community welfare agencies respond to the immediate needs of the most disadvantaged in the community.
To provide national leadership in supporting families in raising children.

Strategies

Implement, in conjunction with States and Territories, the SAAP's reform strategy.
Review administration procedures and policy to ensure proper accountability and efficiencies are in place for the Emergency Relief Program.
Develop an agreed strategy with stakeholders to implement the Commonwealth's directions in the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
Administer the Family Resource Centres Program, the Youth Activities Services Program, and the Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Agencies Program.
Establish and evaluate a number of pilot projects to assess the capacity of the community sector and government agencies to support young people and their families where young people are homeless or there is a risk of homelessness.

Performance assessment: indicators and targets

Effectiveness

Indicator	Target	Information source and reporting frequency
Extent to which eligible clients seeking assistance from the SAAP program have their needs addressed (Priority Outcome 1; Strategy 1)	100 per cent have their needs addressed	Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Biannual reports from SAAP National Data Collection
Number and coverage of Emergency Relief Program service delivery outlets (Priority Outcome 2; Strategy 2)	Improved coverage	Emergency Relief Program management information system
Results of pilot projects to assist young homeless people and their families (Priority Outcome 3; Strategy 5)	Factors which lead to success or failure in family interventions identified	Interim Report in August 1997 Final Report in October 1998

Efficiency

Indicator	Target	Information source and reporting frequency
Quality of administration of Emergency Relief Program (Priority Outcome 2; Strategy 2)	Fewer errors and more timely payments to services	Emergency Relief Program management information system
Administrative costs (Departmental) as a percentage of Program costs for Youth Activity Services, Family Resource Centres, and Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Agencies (Priority Outcome 3; Strategy 4)	Reduction in administrative costs as a percentage of outlays	Administrative data
Numbers of young people assisted by the projects funded under the Youth Homelessness Pilot Program to reengage or maintain links with family, work, education, training and the community (Priority Outcome 3; Strategy 5)	Performance comparable with equivalent services provided through other community sector or government agencies under other programs (including pilots)	Projectrelated data collection

Quality

Indicator	Target	Information source and reporting frequency
Percentage of Supported Accommodation Assistance clients satisfied with the level of support provided (Priority Outcome 1; Strategy 1)	100 per cent satisfied	AIHW Client Satisfaction Survey

Equity

Indicator	Target	Information source and reporting frequency
Percentage of children accompanying adults using the SAAP whose needs are met through use of a case management approach (Priority Outcome 1; Strategy 1)	100 per cent satisfied that needs are met	SAAP National Data Collection
Percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people assisted by the SAAP (Priority Outcome 1; Strategy 1)	Not applicable	AIHW Biannual Report
Percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people able to access and receive assistance under the Emergency Relief Program, relative to their representation in low income population (Priority Outcome 2; Strategy 2)	Not applicable	Ongoing data collections

Performance assessment: evaluations

Supported Accommodation Assistance Program: National, State and Territory evaluations of reforms under the SAAP III will commence during 1997-98, with a report due to Commonwealth and State Ministers responsible for SAAP in December 1998.

How the program is resourced: reconciliation of appropriations to the program and summary of portfolio outlays (Excel 57 KB)

Variations to Program Outlays 1996-97 to 1997-98 (Excel 21 KB)