Women's Early Intervention Service (Pilot)

⁠⁠⁠The Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women (the department) is seeking to procure a specialist early intervention service for women in contact with the criminal justice system to address their immediate and ongoing support needs to prevent them from entering or re-entering the custodial system.

As homelessness is a primary reason for women being remanded in custody, achieving a housing outcome will be an essential service delivery element. Specialist workers will provide trauma informed practical and emotional support and act as a service system navigator and advocate to actively facilitate women’s access to support services, including a specific focus on addressing women’s housing needs.

The new service will be located part time at the Brisbane Magistrate’s Court to ensure immediate assistance can be provided to women when needed. The service will work in partnership with the existing Court Link program in Brisbane Magistrate’s Court, leveraging off their established presence within the criminal justice system, including the Brisbane Watch house and arrest courts.

Referrals from a dedicated women’s Court Link worker will be the key point of entry into the service. However the service will also accept referrals from police at the Brisbane watch house.

The service will also accept referrals for women who have not yet entered prison but are on probation and parole orders within the geographic catchment of the Brisbane Central probation and parole office. The service will be required to develop and maintain effective partnerships with probation and parole, negotiate specific service eligibility criteria and establish clear referral pathways.

Funding of up to $380,000 (excluding GST) per annum is available for the delivery of the service from February 2019 until 30 June 2021.

The new service will be delivered as a place based pilot over this period and will be subject to ongoing review and evaluation that may result in modifications to the service model.

Request for Clarification Cut Off: 2PM (AEST) Monday 10 December 2018