Children with Disability and Relinquishment Project Survey

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission is researching the prevalence and causes of families relinquishing children under 18 years of age with a disability into care.

The Commission is keen to find out more about the experiences of families seeking disability support services and any impact the lack of appropriate services has on families and children, including where this leads to families considering relinquishment. If you work for a community organisation, school, are a front line worker or are part of a support group you may wish to complete this confidential survey.

All information will be kept confidential. You do not need to provide your name or any other personal information. No individual, family or child will be identified in the research.

The Commission complies with Victorian privacy laws and the confidentiality provisions of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. Our privacy policy is available at humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/privacy

1. Are you from a:

Non government disability service provider
Non government children or family service
Advocacy organisation (including peak body)
Carers organisation or support group

Early Childhood Intervention Service (ECIS)
School
Government agency/department
Other Please enter an 'other' value for this selection.

3. During the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2011, how many cases are you aware of / worked with, where children with disability under 18 years/or their families were unable to access adequate support services? This question requires a valid number format.

5. During the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2011, how many families with a child with disability under 18 years that you had contact/worked with applied for Individual Support Packages but received no services at all? This question requires a valid number format.

6. During the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2011, how many families with a child with disability under 18 years that you had contact/worked with applied for Individual Support Packages but received an insufficient amount of services in the package? This question requires a valid number format.

7. For these families/children in the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2011, which of the following support services were not available or not adequate? (You may select more than one)

8. What is the effect of this inadequate support upon these families?

9. What is the effect of this inadequate support upon these children with disability?

10. During the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2011, how many families with children with a disability under 18 years you worked with/were in contact with do you think were at risk of, or reached family breakdown due to lack of adequate support services? This question requires a valid number format.

11. During the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2011, are you aware of any cases where a family considered relinquishing their child (under 18 years) to the Department of Human Services?

How many cases are you aware of? This question requires a valid number format.

12. Are you are aware of any cases where a family proceeded to surrender their child (under 18 years) to the Department of Human Services during the time-period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2011?

How many cases are you aware of? This question requires a valid number format.

Please tell us the postcodes of where the family/families were living at the time

What is the effect of this relinquishment upon children with disability?

What is the effect of this relinquishment upon families?

What would have made it less likely for the family to have relinquished the child? What types of support services would have made a difference?

Are there any other things that would have made it less likely for the family to have relinquished the child?

During the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2011 were there any patterns in relinquishment you can identify, including consistent service gaps, age of children, nature of disability, family size or geographical location? If so, please describe these

14. Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

Children with Disability and Relinquishment Project Survey - Organisations Survey

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