Abstract
Emergency Relief (ER) is a key component of the Commonwealth Government’s suite of social services. ER assists people facing a financial crisis by providing financial and material aid, and referrals to other support programs. ER aims and objectives include:
- assisting people to deal with their immediate crisis situation;
- delivering services in a way that maintains the dignity of the individual and families;
- referring people to other relevant services, to help them pay bills or reduce the risk of being unable to pay their bills; and
- encouraging greater self-reliance.
In 2019-20, the ER system supported 443,475 vulnerable people (Service Users). The Department of Social Services (DSS) funds 197 community organisations (ER Providers) to deliver ER in all local areas across Australia. ER is traditionally a transactional service type, providing immediate support and referrals. In some cases, providers have developed a range of service delivery models that go beyond ER requirements, to provide holistic, wraparound support in a variety of local contexts.
The Emergency Relief National Coordination Group (NCG) was established in April 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to advise the Minister for Families and Social Services (the Minister) on the implementation of ER. To inform its advice to the Minister, the NCG partnered with researchers from the University of Canberra. The research involved an on-line survey which all Commonwealth ER Providers were invited to participate in, and interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 18 ER Providers. The surveys and interviews focused on ER Providers’ perceptions of the strengths, weaknesses, future challenges, and areas of improvement for the ER system. The trend of increasing case complexity, the effectiveness of ER service delivery models in achieving outcomes for Service Users, and the significance of volunteering in the sector were investigated.
The research also presented the opportunity for sharing performance insights across the ER sector. This data is presented in this summary report which will be distributed only to Commonwealth ER Providers and provide a resource to enhance future planning and evaluation.
- assisting people to deal with their immediate crisis situation;
- delivering services in a way that maintains the dignity of the individual and families;
- referring people to other relevant services, to help them pay bills or reduce the risk of being unable to pay their bills; and
- encouraging greater self-reliance.
In 2019-20, the ER system supported 443,475 vulnerable people (Service Users). The Department of Social Services (DSS) funds 197 community organisations (ER Providers) to deliver ER in all local areas across Australia. ER is traditionally a transactional service type, providing immediate support and referrals. In some cases, providers have developed a range of service delivery models that go beyond ER requirements, to provide holistic, wraparound support in a variety of local contexts.
The Emergency Relief National Coordination Group (NCG) was established in April 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to advise the Minister for Families and Social Services (the Minister) on the implementation of ER. To inform its advice to the Minister, the NCG partnered with researchers from the University of Canberra. The research involved an on-line survey which all Commonwealth ER Providers were invited to participate in, and interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 18 ER Providers. The surveys and interviews focused on ER Providers’ perceptions of the strengths, weaknesses, future challenges, and areas of improvement for the ER system. The trend of increasing case complexity, the effectiveness of ER service delivery models in achieving outcomes for Service Users, and the significance of volunteering in the sector were investigated.
The research also presented the opportunity for sharing performance insights across the ER sector. This data is presented in this summary report which will be distributed only to Commonwealth ER Providers and provide a resource to enhance future planning and evaluation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Emergency Relief National Coordination Group |
| Commissioning body | Emergency Relief National Coordination Group |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Publication status | Published - 13 Sept 2021 |
