Catalyst for Care
In 2024, the Queensland Government released Queensland's Residential Care Roadmap which recognised that residential care is an important component of the out of home care system and plays a vital role, including for children and young people with high needs, with disability and some sibling groups.
PeakCare has been commissioned by the Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services (DCSSDS) to deliver as the Catalyst for Care Program three of the recommendations from the Roadmap.
Catalyst for Care will:
- Develop a decade-horizon residential care workforce strategy to meet the needs of the sector and children and young people in residential care.
- Expand Queensland’s Hope and Healing Framework to provide workforce with essential knowledge and skills.
- Establish a sector-led residential care forum to celebrate and value workers, showcase and recognise best practices
Our commitment to improved outcomes for children and young people from high quality residential care is steadfast. We believe every young person in care deserves the best care, provided by the best workforce, no matter where they are in Queensland.
We also believe our workers deserve the best possible opportunities and to be celebrated and valued for the work they do every day. By addressing workforce challenges and improving job satisfaction, we aim to attract, train, and retain dedicated care staff.
Our approach
Information and ideas will be generated from multiple sources, collated, categorised and reviewed. PeakCare and advisors will provide analysis and advice on strategies to respond to the generated information for both the workforce and the expansion of Hope and Healing.
We will establish a sector-lead reference group to test ideas for practical implementation and providing direct feedback about what employers and employees will need to create a viable and stable workforce.
See below how you can take advantage of opportunities to participate.
Engagement opportunities
Your input is essential
We are committed to providing meaningful opportunities for you to engage with the program's activities. Stay tuned for a full guide of engagement opportunities!
We welcome your input and feedback at any time, confidentially or for anonymised inclusion on our communications channels and reporting, to the Catalyst for Care team.
Contact the Catalyst for Care team at any time by email to workforce@peakcare.org.au
Where are we now?
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Catalyst for Care is in the process of conducting its first round of statewide consultations. To keep up to date on the program's progress, subscribe to our eNews by clicking the button below.
Frequently Asked Questions
We understand you are likely to have questions about the program, what it means for the sector, for organisations, for workers and for the young people you support
See below for our most recent FAQs. If there is anything you would like to see or discuss, we welcome you to contact us at anytime to workforce@peakcare.org.au
Workforce Strategy:
Why does the sector need a workforce strategy if the Queensland Government has committed to reducing the number of young people in residential care?
Workforce is currently identified as the most significant challenge across all sectors in Queensland. A strong, supported workforce is essential to addressing the complexities in the child and family welfare landscape. By addressing workforce challenges, providing necessary training, and improving job satisfaction, we aim to attract, train and retain our dedicated care staff, leading to more stable and high quality care environments. A robust workforce strategy will directly benefit the young people for whom residential care is the most suitable option by ensuring they receive the best possible support and care from well-trained, motivated, and supported staff.
Will the workforce strategy address immediate concerns for our organisation such as probity requirements?
Catalyst for Care is committed to supporting workers and enabling the provision of the best possible care for all children in Queensland. While the Workforce Strategy is not designed to resolve immediate concerns, our engagement processes will contain vital insights and feedback for relevant government agencies on what is working well within the system, and what could be improved. Your sustained input and engagement is essential to informing the development of this strategy – let us know what the most pressing concerns and limitations are for you and your organisation to workforce@peakcare.org.au
Hope & Healing Framework:
Will there be changes to Hope & Healing?
Catalyst for Care will review and refresh the overarching Hope & Healing Framework to ensure currency of theoretical underpinnings and applicability to emerging research. We will work with experts and researchers to create a curriculum framework with associated learning outcomes and customised assessment that supports workers to provide the best possible services to the children for whom they care. We will refresh and revise the existing Hope & Healing modules and content, tailored to the learning styles of the workforce to maximise utilisation of content to support professional development. In particular, new Masterclass content that we develop will facilitate increased interactivity with content, creating enhanced learning outcomes. We are excited for the refreshed and revised content we will be able to provide to the workforce, informed by your needs and the ways in which you like to consume, utilise and apply content.
Will workers need to re-take the course?
Existing successful completion of Hope & Healing foundational and Masterclass content will remain valid. However, with the renewed content we will be providing, you might feel like re-engaging with previously completed content at your leisure to refresh your learning and take advantage of new examples, contemporary theory, and accessibility features.
Will there be improvements to the administration of the course?
Catalyst for Care recognises that employers face increasing pressures on their time including ongoing compliance activities. As part of our review, we will be looking to address administrative burden and take advantage of opportunities to streamline efficiency for use of the platform and user management. We look forward to engaging with providers and Hope & Healing Admins on what this might look like to you.
Consultation and engagement:
How will regions and special interests be captured?
We are committed to broad representation to inform an effective and sustainable workforce strategy. To ensure we are able to capture this, we will be travelling to each region in Queensland to seek your views on the issues most relevant to your region, and your thoughts on how they might be most effectively addressed. We will be holding specific forums in various geographic locations to ensure input from different areas, and invitations to communities of interest to share their unique perspectives. Every voice matters in shaping the future of a residential care workforce in Queensland that is inclusive and effective.