OPEN provides a range of services to support Victoria’s child, youth and family sector to become more evidence-informed.
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Berry Street’s Take Two program provides therapeutic outreach support to infants, children and young people who are displaying emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties as a result of abuse, neglect and/or family violence.
Delivered by the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, OPEN connects and supports the sector to use, build and share evidence about what works to deliver the best outcomes for children and families.
OPEN has something for anyone interested in strengthening evidence informed practice and making a difference fo children and families:
OPEN Knowledge Translation – Evidence, resources and tools, from inside and outside the Network, about what works to support the best outcomes for children and families. Explore the OPEN Portal today!OPEN Events and network building – Sector and external experts share innovative programs and the latest evidence about what works to support the best outcomes for children and families. Learn more hereOPEN Training and Advisory Services– Easy access to the expertise and support you need to help you build skills, knowledge and confidence in using and building evidence. Obtain advice and support, for evidence practitioners participate in our networks, or get involved in our Student Opportunities. Read more below!
OPEN provides an advisory service to support Victoria’s child, youth and family sector to become more evidence-informed – prompt help online, ongoing project support, training and workshops and sector-led communities of practice.
OPEN brings together practice, implementation, research and evaluation expertise to help you plan and demonstrate the difference you make, your program or your organisation makes, and how you can improve.
We can help you with undertaking, supporting or training in:Evidence review or needs analysisProgram logic or outcomes focused design and measurement using evaluation toolsIn-house or externally commissioned evaluation, research, data collection and outcome measurementImplementation processes and measurementFoundational micro skills or practicesTaking your promising practices or evidence based program to the next levelOr other work customised to your needs.
Insights, Data, Evaluation Advice & Support (IDEAS) Projects are short, time limited support services offered free to DFFH-funded OPEN members.
OPEN is an excellent resource for students who are interested in working in child and family services.
Check out our Student Opportunities page to find out more.
OPEN has a number of Advisory and Special Interest Groups that inform our work, and share evidence practice among peers.
‘The work carried out and the report produced by the OPEN project has been a huge support … A community program being able to source free expert support such as this is extremely valuable; it builds capability in evaluation and supports the development of evidence-based practice which ultimately supports families and children in our communities.’
Project Worker, Community Service Organisation
‘Again thank you so much for your time and generous sharing of knowledge. It was so very reassuring to talk with an expert about our situation and hear that some of my thoughts and plans are appropriate options to take this work forward. Those resources you have passed on look great and I look forward to considering them carefully as I place this puzzle together.’
Program Manager, place-based strategy, Community Service Organisation
Our program has been working closely with the Centre since early 2019 to complete an evaluation. Mandy and her team have been patient, supportive and directive when needed in helping us produce our program logic, evaluation plan and table. Mandy has helped us clarify our outcomes and logic clearly and concisely which has meant that we as a program have a clearer idea of our program model and our objectives. Without Mandy’s assistance we would not be at the point we are as a program and has inspired us to present our work at the World Infant Mental Health World Congress in 2021. The skills and knowledge we have gained from working with the Centre have now inspired our Department (Family Youth and Children) to evaluate and ensure our programs are informed by evidence-based thinking with program logic and ongoing evaluation processes in place. With these measures in place, this will ensure we assess the outcomes we want to achieve while remaining in a continuous improvement and collaborative framework.
We cannot thank Mandy and the team at the Centre enough for the work and knowledge they have provided us over the past year and a bit. We value the collaborative work, time and effort Mandy has put in to our program evaluation and our service/program vision has improved significantly since we have been working with the Centre.
Team manager, Family Support Services, Local Government Organisation
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OPEN Team
open@cfecfw.asn.au
