Evaluation of the Bringing them home and Indigenous mental health programs

3.2 The Link-Up Program

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The Link-Up Program funds organisations to provide family tracing, reunion and support services to assist Aboriginal people who were separated from their families and communities as a result of past laws, policies and practices of the Australian government.

3.2.1 Location and funding of Link-Up services
3.2.2 History of Link-Up services
3.2.3 Funding conditions
3.2.4 Reporting requirements
3.2.5 National guidelines

3.2.1 Location and funding of Link-Up services

There are currently 11 Link-Up services nationally – one each in Queensland, NSW, SA and Victoria, two in NT and five in WA.

In most States, OATSIH is the sole funder of the Link-Up Program (and the other three programs being evaluated here). However in some States, State government departments contribute to the funding for Link-Up services. For example, in WA the Link-Up Program is funded jointly by a partnership arrangement between OATSIH and the WA Department of Health, and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been developed between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of WA to formalise this. This program is called Building Solid Families (BSF). The BSF Program is administered by the Office of Aboriginal Health within the WA Department of Health, to provide Link-Up and Youth Counselling Services throughout the State. There are currently five BSF services in WA.

3.2.2 History of Link-Up services

Link-Ups originally arose in response to community demand for reunion services, and several existed before the creation of (the former) ATSIC, which managed the Link-Up program between 1998 and 2003 (ATSIS 2003, p6). For example, the NSW Link-Up Service was the first service established. It was founded in 1981 and received government funding from 1998 onwards.

Up until 1998-1999, Link-Up services had evolved on a State-by-State basis. It was decided in 1998-1999 that a national Link-Up program should be established, at which time ATSIC commissioned KPMG Australia to review the existing Link-Ups to develop a best practice model of Link-Up service provision, and to suggest what should be done to set up or enhance the Link-Up in each State/ Territory.

The review found that there had previously been little consistency in service standards or expectations and identified 13 service activities that might constitute a 'full and comprehensive range of Indigenous family tracing and reunion services' (KPMG 1999a, p2). The activities were considered to fall within three broad core service groups, namely:

• information dissemination and community contact
• access to records and family reunion processes
• establishing and maintaining service standards and networks.

The 13 core activities were as follows:

• information dissemination and community contact
  • community contact
  • dissemination of information
• access to records and family reunion processes
  • initial contact discussions
  • client assessment for Link-Up services
  • advice on family history and search avenues
  • records search assistance
  • counselling for clients
  • family counselling and support during reunion process
  • organising the reunion
  • ongoing support for individuals and families immediately after reunion
• establishing and maintaining service standards and networks
  • Indigenous cross-cultural awareness training
  • Link-Up process training for those directly involved
  • administration and data management (KPMG 1999a, pp69-79). Top of page

3.2.3 Funding conditions

Administration of the Link-Up Program transferred to DoHA on 1 July 2004. Under the funding contract, Link-Up services are required to:

• assist Aboriginal people trying to trace and locate living relatives from whom they were separated as a result of past removal policies and practices by:
  • searching for and locating relevant records and files pertaining to the clients and/or their families
  • obtaining information on behalf of clients
  • providing general emotional support and guidance
  • referring clients to professional counsellors if needed.
• manage reunions (throughout the pre-reunion, reunion and post-reunion phases) of Indigenous people who have been successful in tracing and locating living relatives.

There are also a number of further specific funding conditions which require Link-Ups to undertake activities required by DoHA for the development and maintenance of the national Link-Up network including, but not limited to:

• appropriate representatives attending all national workshops, training, meetings, conferences or forums for Link-Up organisations
• assisting other Link-Up organisations with family tracing and family reunions
• assisting any consultant engaged by DoHA, to facilitate the national network
• use, maintain and progressively replace IT software and hardware
• use and maintain any microfiche reading equipment and support materials provided by OATSIH
• use, maintain and pay annual licensing fees for the Client File Management System
• liaise with State/Territory record-holding bodies about access to the records of Aboriginal peoples.

Specific funding is provided for both Link-Up and BTH Counsellors, which needs to be acquitted separately. The services are expected to determine their local priorities and use the funding provided to employ staff to achieve the intended aims of the program there.

The 2003 evaluation of Link-Up (ATSIS 2003) resulted in rebasing Link-Up's core funding to be more comparable between States/Territories and to reflect need. Top of page

3.2.4 Reporting requirements

Link-Ups are required to provide information to OATSIH annually against a set of Performance Indicators set out in the funding agreement. In relation to support and referrals, these indicators include:

• description of activities undertaken to ensure/improve the quality of the service provided
• number of clients by status (active/inactive/closed)
• number of clients by type (new/continuing/transferred in/transferred out)
• number of clients reunited with families/grieving reunions/family members participating in reunions
• number of field/out of office visits by status (client's home/to view documents/other)
• number of formal applications to assist client searches (including listing of applications)
• listing of existing MoUs
• number of searches undertaken (including listing of sources searched)
• number of non-client contacts
• extent of case closures and reasons for closure that arise from other than achievement of a family reunion.

In relation to support and referrals, the indicators include:

• number of Link-Up referrals of a client to a BTH Counsellor
• number of support group sessions held.

The funded services are also required to provide performance information reports in the agreed formats contained in the Client File Management Information System, and to respond promptly to all DoHA requests for information.

In WA, where Link-Up is part of the BSF Program, the services are required to complete a pro-forma against various indicators. These are largely the same as the above indicators, with a few additional items (eg strategies undertaken to reduce the length of time clients have been active since the last reporting period, and client needs in regards to available counselling, and how services to clients could be improved).

In addition to the specific contractual requirements of Link-Up services, OATSIH is also currently implementing a phased implementation of the Service Development and Reporting Framework (SDRF) for all the services it funds (including those funded under the four programs being evaluated here). Under this Framework, funded services are required to prepare and implement an Action Plan describing their aims, strategies and measures, timeframes, management, community involvement and community linkages, and report against them at six monthly intervals. Most of the services funded under the four programs are currently operating under the SDRF, and full implementation of the SDRF is expected to be completed for all OATSIH-funded services by 2007-2008. However, the data provided by services under the SDRF is qualitative, and therefore cannot be aggregated or compared at the State, national or program level. Top of page

3.2.5 National guidelines

Some national guidelines documents are in place for the Link-Up Program. However, they are only very general in nature, and hence are open to varied interpretation. They are not detailed enough to guide day-to-day practice, or to ensure national consistency in service delivery.

In 2005 a MoU between National Link-Up Services was approved by OATSIH and signed by all Link-Up Boards. This MoU:

• Sets out a series of principles for how the services are to operate (eg providing a culturally specific client-focused service underpinned by confidentiality and a strong connection to clients, their families and their community; supporting staff with appropriate training and development and culturally sensitive debriefing).
  
  
• Requires that the Link-Up Coordinators communicate regularly through a number of specified formal and informal processes eg 'share information, research and processes between all Link-Up services to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery to clients', 'adopt a standard procedure for referral of clients between services', 'share information regarding best practices, achievements, client stories, institutional reunions, workshops, programs, funding/sponsorship sources, new partnerships, new MoUs, new staff, special offers, healing activities etc'.
  
  
• Has a number of attachments which provide a standard procedure for referral of clients between Link-Up services, a standard procedure for collaboration on reunions involving more than one Link-Up service, a National Code of Ethics, and a standard Grievance Procedure. In September 2005 the Link-Up Coordinators also developed suggested employment best practices for the Link-Up services. The suggested best practices included duty statements, and performance monitoring programs and policies relating to the duty of care of Link-Up staff while attending reunions. The employment best practice manual was endorsed by the Link-Up services and distributed by OATSIH to the Link-Up services in 2005.

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