Working with vulnerable children, young people and their families may at times involve considering if you should refer a concern to The Orange Door.
Making a referral to The Orange Door
Working with vulnerable children, young people and their families may at times involve considering if you should refer a concern to The Orange Door.
The Orange Door is a free intake and assessment service for:
- individuals and families experiencing family violence
- adults using family violence
- young people using violence in the home
- families requiring support for their children or young person’s wellbeing or development
- young, isolated, or unsupported families
- children, young people or families needing parenting support.
How can The Orange Door help?
The Orange Door works with all types of families and support can be tailored to meet the diverse needs of the families you are working with.
All families can experience difficult times and sometimes need extra help and support for a range of reasons.
The Orange Door can help if:
- there are concerns about the wellbeing and/or development of child(ren) or young people
- support is needed to strengthen parenting skills and develop positive family relationships
- the family you’re working with needs help to get through stressful times, which may be caused by a range of reasons including separation, mental health, grief, drug and alcohol abuse, financial worries, illness or living with a disability
- extra help is needed to help manage the behaviour of child(ren) or young people
- someone within the home is making any family member, child or young person, feel unsafe or afraid
- a member of the family you’re working with is pregnant or a new parent, in need of support and advice
- there are concerns for a vulnerable child or young person in the community.
Support includes:
- listening to the family to understand the difficulties they’re facing
- helping the family to explore their options and think about what they want to do next
- working with them to improve their and/or their family’s situation
- connecting them to services that can help, such as parenting support groups, services for children and young people, family violence support, counselling, financial help, or legal assistance
- supporting them to access funding for basic living expenses and other costs
- providing information and advice to professionals if you are worried about a vulnerable child or young person in the community.
Staff at The Orange Door will listen to the family you’re working with to understand the difficulties they’re facing, what the family needs and ask what they would like to happen next.
The Orange Door will work with the families you refer on, to improve their situation and help children and young people get the support they need.
The Orange Door is open to all kinds of families
The Orange Door welcomes:
- step families
- kinship families
- rainbow families
- foster families
- nuclear families
- extended families
- clans
- people who are not blood relatives and live together.
People who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander can choose to be supported by a worker in the Orange Door employed by an Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisation (ACCO), or be referred to an Aboriginal Service.
The Orange Door works alongside local Aboriginal services and communities to meet the needs of individuals and families and support Aboriginal self-determination. This includes supporting the choices of individuals and families with the services they are referred to.
Cultural and religious preferences are respected. The Orange Door works with multicultural communities to meet the diverse needs of individuals and families.
The Orange Door welcomes everyone, regardless of migration status. Individuals and families can seek help or support if they are a migrant or a refugee or do not have permanent residency.
Referring someone to The Orange Door
Before you refer someone to The Orange Door, please talk to them about your plans. Talking to them may help them to accept The Orange Door’s support. It also lets them know The Orange Door could be in contact.
You can refer someone you are working with by contacting The Orange Door nearest to them. That Orange Door location will then be able to advise you on the next steps to support a referral.
Individuals or families do not need referrals to access The Orange Door. They can make direct contact by attending, calling or emailing their local Orange Door.
To find The Orange Door locations, visit support near you.
Secondary Consultations
The Orange Door provides secondary consultations for service sector professionals.
The Orange Door, can consult and discuss next steps with you regarding:
- whether a referral to The Orange Door is appropriate
- what support services are available
- how to support families experiencing family violence or need support with the care, wellbeing and development of a child or young person
- whether a report to Child Protection is needed or if concerns can be managed without statutory involvement.
The Orange Door must determine if all secondary consultations meet the information sharing and risk management requirements set out in the:
- Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme
- Child Information Sharing Scheme
- Children Youth and Families Act 2005
- other relevant laws.