Parenting Assessment & Skills Development
Tweddle’s Parenting Assessment and Skills Development Service (PASDS) is available to parents who have children between ages 0 and 3 years who are currently working with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH).
The aim of the Parenting Assessment and Skill Development Service (PASDS)
This work is guided by goals set by the parents, the PASDS Coordinator and the DFFH protective worker (DFFH Case practitioner).
The Tweddle PASDS Coordinator and staff will look at areas of concern or areas of development and develop strategies to help address these. Together, Tweddle and each family undertakes an assessment focusing on some of the following areas:
- The child’s safety, developmental, physical, social and emotional needs.
- The family history and the impact/influence this has on current family/individual functioning.
- The parenting capacity – what areas is support needed and what areas are going well.
- The family and external supports.
From here, a skills development program will be created and implemented to build on areas of strengths and address any areas of concerns.
How PASDS Works
The caring and experienced team includes midwives, early parenting practitioners, social workers, psychologists, play-based educators, Maternal and Child Health Nurses, psychiatric nurses, and lactation consultants.
What PASDS Offers
PASDS can enhance attachment between the parent and their infant, improve the parent’s knowledge of child development and parenting skills and confidence. The PASDS teamwork with the families across a number of goals. These include:
- Life skills (cooking, multi-tasking, outings, budgeting, time management, forward planning, goal setting)
- Bonding and Attachment (getting to know your child through care tasks, play, observing and responding to cues)
A Peer Support Worker is Available
The Tweddle PASDS team includes a Peer Support Worker who is employed to support parents, families, and carers. Our Peer Support Worker has a lived experience of participating in the PASDS program and an understanding of what families might be going through. They have completed a Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work.
The Peer Support Worker can help with client advocacy, providing information around rights and responsibilities. The Peer Support Worker also supports families with problem-solving, sharing experiences, helping them understand the health system and providing useful tips. They assist clients to achieve their outcomes; fosters hope and provides support and mentoring.
Referrals to Tweddle’s PASDS Program
Child Protection contacts the Tweddle PASDS Program for a consultation and to discuss the process of making a referral.
- The Tweddle Program Manager works in partnership with Child Protection to discuss the referral, inform or eligibility and organises a time for an admission.
- Child Protection informs the family of the referral and ensures the family is fully aware of the period and intensity of service provision.
- Child Protection can arrange for a pre-admission meeting to occur with the family whereby the PASDS Coordinator and/or the Program Manager can introduce the family to the Tweddle staff and the facilities. Families are then able to see where they will be staying and can commence discussions regarding the reason for the admission, explaining the program and admission goals.
- Tweddle PASDS Care Coordinator and Child Protection liaise throughout the program to exchange information and obtain progress updates.
- Where possible, families are informed of every aspect of the assessment and how they are going.
- Upon case closure, a formal written report inclusive of recommendations will be provided to Child Protection within 21 days of leaving the PASDS.
