DIMA Annual Report 1997-98
Sub-program 3.3: Humanitarian Settlement
Objective
Description
Performance information
Financial and staffing resources summary
Performance outcomes
Objective
To settle refugee and humanitarian entrants by providing specialised services, which complement those directed to all Australians.
Description
This subprogram delivers settlement services to meet the special needs of refugees and eligible humanitarian program entrants within the framework of the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy, as part of the National Integrated Settlement Strategy (see subprogram 4.3).
Humanitarian settlement services, provided in partnership with other government agencies and many community organisations, include:
- community support through the Community Refugee Settlement Scheme (CRSS);
- On Arrival Accommodation (OAA);
- case management of entrants' settlement needs; and
- assistance to minors under the Unaccompanied Humanitarian Minors' Program.
The Humanitarian Branch in the Department's Central Office coordinates policy and planning of these special settlement services. Services are delivered by State and Territory offices, following referral from 13 overseas posts.
[ Top Of Page ]Performance information
Outcomes are measured by the efficiency and effectiveness with which specialist settlement services are planned, integrated and delivered for refugees and eligible humanitarian program entrants. The particular focus for 1997-98 can be measured by:
- the successful implementation of the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS);
- improved budget coordination of elements of this sub-program into one appropriation;
- settlement of eligible entrants from the Humanitarian Program under the CRSS and in OAA; and
- provision of assistance to Unaccompanied Humanitarian Minors.
Financial and staffing resources summary
1997-98 |
1997-98 |
1996-97 |
|
| Budgetary (cash) basis | |||
| Components of appropriations | |||
| Annual appropriations | |||
| Running costs | 2 584 |
1 413 |
n/a |
| Other program costs | 11 345 |
10 912 |
n/a |
| Total appropriations | 13 929 |
12 325 |
n/a |
| Less adjustments | 0 |
0 |
n/a |
| Total outlays | 13 929 |
12 325 |
n/a |
| Total revenue | 0 |
0 |
n/a |
| Staffing | |||
| Staff years (actual) | 49 |
21 |
n/a |
Due to program restructures in both 1996–97 and 1997–98, sub-program figures for 1996–97 actuals are not meaningful for comparative purposes to 1997–98 figures. They have therefore not been included in this table.
[ Top Of Page ]Performance outcomes
(i) Implementation of the IHSS
The IHSS was established in 1997–98 to take a more holistic approach to settlement services for humanitarian program entrants.
This strategy provides a national framework for improving humanitarian settlement services for those most in need.
The framework incorporates needs assessment, information and referral as appropriate to specialised services, such as torture and trauma counselling services, and to broader settlement services, delivered by a network of government and community-based organisations.
In May 1997, in the context of Budget announcements of new funding of $20.8 million over four years for implementation of the IHSS, the Minister stated that the additional funding would be directed to:
- providing a more comprehensive
- case-by-case needs assessment of refugees and humanitarian entrants enabling service providers to target new arrivals most in need of assistance;
- improving the quality of information to proposers who support the settlement of humanitarian entrants into the community;
- training and equipping volunteers who assist humanitarian entrants, particularly in the Community Refugee Settlement Scheme (CRSS); and
- increasing the level of material assistance, including clothing, household goods and basic furnishings, available to needy entrants.
Needs assessment and service coordination
A network of community-based organisations has received funding to provide assessment and referral services to refugees and Humanitarian Program entrants during their initial settlement in Australia.
It has also facilitated coordination of the range of settlement-related service providers in a particular locality.
A case management approach aims to ensure that the special needs of humanitarian entrants are identified and addressed in a timely way, by linking them with settlement services appropriate to their particular circumstances.
Funding of $4.3 million was directed in 1997–98 to 37 community-based organisations to provide support and assistance to refugees and humanitarian program entrants.
An important component of these funds was awarded to the National Forum of Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma for establishment of an early health intervention program for refugee and humanitarian program entrants.
Using a case management approach, and working closely with health and other service providers to develop coordinated and responsive services, funded agencies offer physical and psychological health needs assessment and, where necessary, arrange the provision of health and other support services. In particular, people who are assessed as needing more intensive support, often as the result of torture and trauma related experiences, are offered specialised health and counselling services.
Settlement information
An early priority for action in 1998–99 is the development of appropriate settlement information to be provided to entrants and their proposers.
Considerable preliminary work, including consultation with overseas posts and collection of data from other sources about specific information needs, was undertaken in 1997–98.
Supporting volunteers
Funding was also provided for a number of major projects to develop and deliver a training and support strategy which may have national application.
These projects include a pilot program to assist CRSS groups conducted by the Australian Red Cross in Queensland; and a joint project by the Baulkham Hills, Holroyd, and Parramatta Migrant Resource Centres and the Refugee Council of Australia to deliver a professional training and accreditation strategy for CRSS volunteers and funded workers.
Material assistance
The level of material assistance provided to entrants has been addressed by increasing the grant to CRSS groups and the level of assistance available through the Clothing Reimbursement Scheme (CRS).
Pilot projects aiming to develop a material assistance strategy to coordinate distribution and collection of material aid have also started. The outcomes of these projects will be considered in the context of a Material Assistance Review to be conducted by the Department in 1998–99.
(ii) Budget coordination
To improve overall budget coordination for Humanitarian Settlement Services, the new funding to implement the IHSS, together with existing funding for the provision of OAA, CRSS services and assistance to unaccompanied humanitarian minors, was brought together under one new appropriation in the Budget for 1997–98.
(iii) Settlement under CRSS and in OAA
Support under CRSS and OAA is available to refugees and certain Special Humanitarian Program entrants. Entrants in need of these services are referred by the Department's overseas offices at the time of visa issue. In 1997–98, there were 5 677 entrants assisted under CRSS services and in OAA (compared with 4 483 entrants in 1996–97).
[ Top Of Page ]CRSS services
The CRSS enables voluntary groups to provide support for eligible humanitarian program entrants for six months after their arrival.
A grant is paid to the group to assist with the initial expenses involved in settling the entrants.
Training and support was provided to the CRSS groups to enable them to effectively link entrants into services such as Centrelink, employment agencies, health programs and schools.
Promotional activities resulted in an increase in the number of CRSS groups willing to assist entrants (252 groups in 1997–98 compared to 173 groups in 1996–97).
It was anticipated that 33 per cent of refugees and humanitarian program entrants would be settled under CRSS in 1997–98. This estimated outcome was exceeded, with 37 per cent of the 8 746 eligible entrants being settled under CRSS, at a cost of $1.9 million.
[ Top Of Page ]Table 3.3 (a): CRSS outcomes: Comparative analysis 1996–97 and 1997–98
| Humanitarian Program |
1996–97 Number assisted |
% |
1997–98 Number assisted |
% |
| Male entrants | 1 125 |
0.47 |
1 551 |
0.48 |
| Female entrants | 1 273 |
0.53 |
1 669 |
0.52 |
| Totals | 2 398 |
1 |
3 220 |
1 |
Note: Nearly all entrants settled under CRSS are from the offshore component of the humanitarian program. The 3 220 people assisted in 1997–98 included 32 protection visa holders released from Immigration Detention Centres.
[ Top Of Page ]On-arrival Accommodation
Refugees and eligible humanitarian program entrants not being settled through the CRSS may use short term accommodation provided by the Department. This accommodation is provided in 276 flats in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
These entrants are provided with orientation to accommodation and general services, and are linked to a wide range of settlement services (for example Centrelink, health services and employment agencies).
For 1997–98, it was anticipated that approximately 34 per cent of the eligible offshore component of the Humanitarian Program would use OAA.
The outcome was that 44 per cent of those eligible were assisted through OAA, at a cost of $4.03 million. Tenants contributed $0.99 million towards these costs. This compares with 38 percent of eligible entrants, at a cost of $3.6 million in 1996–97, with tenant contributions of $0.88 million.
Table 3.3 (b): OAA outcomes: Comparative analysis 1996–97 and 1997–98
| Humanitarian Program component |
1996–97 Number |
% |
1997–98 Number |
% |
| Offshore entrants | ||||
| male | 1 063 |
0.51 |
958 |
0.39 |
| female | 721 |
0.35 |
894 |
0.36 |
| Sub-total | 1 784 |
0.86 |
1 852 |
0.75 |
| Onshore | ||||
| male | 261 |
0.12 |
504 |
0.21 |
| female | 40 |
0.02 |
101 |
0.04 |
| Sub-total | 301 |
0.14 |
605 |
0.25 |
| Totals | 2 085 |
1 |
2 457 |
1 |
Note: The 894 offshore female entrants provided with OAA in 1997–98 included 28 Women at Risk. In 1996–97, there were 77 Women at Risk accommodated in OAA.
The increased number of eligible refugees and humanitarian program entrants assisted through OAA in 1997–98, reflects better use of available accommodation, including closer attention to the length of stay of residents.
The average length of stay for those residents who departed during the financial year was 92 days (100 days in 1996–97), against a target of 90 days.
Under the non repayable Rent Rebate Scheme, $0.2 million was provided to 823 families to assist them with the initial costs of moving into nonOAA accommodation ($0.2 million for 852 families in 1996–97).
A total of 1 123 refugees and humanitarian program entrants referred for OAA also received assistance under the Clothing Reimbursement Scheme at a cost of approximately $0.06 million. This compares with 870 people referred for OAA and CRSS assisted in 1996–97 at a cost of $0.06 million. The Clothing Reimbursement Scheme for CRSS entrants was rolled into, and now forms a component of, the grant paid to CRSS groups.
[ Top Of Page ]Unaccompanied minors
Unaccompanied minors are accepted for resettlement in Australia only where it is in the best interests of the minor and, generally, not where parents or other close relatives are still alive and traceable and if the minor is able to join them.
The unaccompanied refugee minors program recognises the need to assist those children and young people who are accepted for resettlement.
Unaccompanied minors granted bridging or protection visas, are also covered by this program. The program provides support for care-givers to maximise the successful settlement of the minor.
The Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs is empowered under the Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act 1946) as the guardian of unaccompanied refugee minors, to delegate his guardianship to the appropriate State/Territory Government authorities.
The unaccompanied minors program is therefore implemented on the Department's behalf by State/Territory Government child welfare agencies.
Workers employed by State government child welfare agencies provide counselling and settlement support to the minors and their care-givers to prevent breakdown in care arrangements.
Assistance is available until the minor reaches the age of 18 years or until the end of the school year in which the minor turns 18 years of age.
Under the Commonwealth-State cost-sharing program for refugee minors, the Department shares with these welfare agencies the costs of providing settlement assistance.
In 1997–98, $0.1 million was spent to assist 194 minors who were eligible for assistance under the Commonwealth State Cost Sharing Program for Supervision and Welfare Support of Refugee Minors without parents in Australia (compared with $0.1 million for 200 minors in 1996–97).
In addition, the Commonwealth provides funding for payment of a maintenance allowance for eligible unaccompanied minors. In 1997–98, $0.034 million was spent on the maintenance allowance for unaccompanied minors (compared with $0.031 million spent in 1996–97).