Our Residential Services deliver individually tailored support in a homelike setting for people with additional support needs.
Residential Care is a program funded by the Department of Families Fairness and Housing (DFFH) that aims to provide accommodation, individualised care, stability and safety for vulnerable children and young people who are unable to live with their families or in home-based care. The young people who are supported in Residential Care are typically aged between 12 and 17 years of age, and from varying backgrounds and cultures. Due to the vulnerabilities of young people in Residential Care, they often present with complex needs and require a specially trained team of caregivers who can support their needs and development.
MASP operates three residential care homes in Mildura. Each home is designed to ensure that young people always have access to a caregiver and a safe place, no matter the time of day or night. MASP delivers Residential Care in accordance with DFFH’s Program Requirements for Residential Care in Victoria, along with other key practices and frameworks including Looking After Children (LAC); the Best Interest Framework; Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Systems and the Framework to Reduce Criminalisation of Young People in Residential Care.
Residential Care aims to provide a safe and stable place where vulnerable children and young people can live and grow up. MASP provides individualised support and planning for each young person, and goals will vary according to individual circumstances and needs. Length of stay varies from a few weeks to several months or longer depending on the best fit for the young person. MASP also provides a transition into independent living for young people who are getting ready to leave residential care.
MASP is committed to working collaboratively with young people and other services in the person’s best interests. Each young person has a care team to ensure that everyone is working together and that their goals and developmental needs are being achieved to the best of their ability.
Entry to the Residential Care program is solely through DFFH referral. Placement into Residential Care is based on an assessment of needs and includes consideration of the Aboriginal Child Placement Principles. Where possible, the priority is always for children and young people to reside with family and in their own communities.
For further information about MASP’s Residential Care program, the referral process or becoming a Residential Care staff member, please contact Jack Chirgwin, Manager of Residential Services by emailing jchirgwin@masp.org.au.
The aim of the program is to provide a safe, stable, caring, trauma informed and supportive living environment in which young people can develop and practice independent living skills in a shared and supported environment, without the direct care of a residential or foster carer. Lead Tenants are live-in mentors who work to create a safe, stable, caring and supportive living environment for young people. The Lead Tenant acts as a positive role model for the young people, leading by example and showing young people how to take responsibility for all elements of independent living such as cooking, budgeting and household maintenance and health routines, and more broadly in their personal conduct within the community.
Through the program MASP provides ongoing 24-hour on-call support to the Lead Tenant.
For further information about MASP’s Lead Tenant program and the referral process please contact Jack Chirgwin, Manager – Residential Services by emailing jchirgwin@masp.org.au.
The Lead Tenant Program is a two-year program that supports vulnerable young people aged 16-18 who are transitioning from out-of-home care.
