In this issue
- QPS Corner – 2023, yes that is correct we are in 2023!
- Good News Story
- Referrals Process Reminder
- Adding Comments to Referrals
- Welcome to the Police Referrals Network
QPS Corner
2023, yes that is correct we are in 2023! Our QPS Police Referrals team have started the year with excitement after a long wait time, we have been appointed a permanent Inspector overseeing the Police Referrals team amongst other portfolios within our Domestic and Family Violence and Vulnerable Persons Command. …
QPS Corner
2023, yes that is correct we are in 2023!
Our QPS Police Referrals team have started the year with excitement after a long wait time, we have been appointed a permanent Inspector overseeing the Police Referrals team amongst other portfolios within our Domestic and Family Violence and Vulnerable Persons Command.
Inspector Quinlan comes to our command with a substantial background engaging with vulnerable persons, most recently the Officer in Charge of the South Brisbane Vulnerable Persons Unit. Inspector Quinlan has been extremely proactive since his commencement in late January by meeting with several service providers within our Police Referrals network.
Should any of you wish to meet with Inspector Quinlan in relation to Police Referrals or Vulnerable Persons policing, please reach out to my team in QPS to make the necessary arrangements.
Referral Volumes
You are not alone in thinking referral volumes are increasing. Referrals are increasing across the whole Police Referral program, and I continue to work with service providers and QPS to enhance the quality of the Police Referrals to ensure the at risk and vulnerable persons are connected with relevant support services and the referrals contain appropriate and relevant information to enable you to conduct your engagement with the referred person.
If you notice any patterns in relation to specific officers, specific stations etc please reach out to RMCS or the QPS police referrals team via email so targeted education can be conducted to enhance the quality of Police Referrals.
Developments
Coming in early March 2023, we are providing you the ability to remove a client from a referral within the Police Referral database. There have been a few cases where referrals have been accidently associated with the incorrect client by the receiving service provider, resulting in significant time, effort, and investment by our teams to remove the referral from the incorrect client. You can now unlink the referral from the client.
Good News stories
I know, you see me ask this every bulletin, but we need Good News Police Referrals stories. Early next year the QPS Police Referrals team will be highlighting Good News Police Referrals stories from 2022.
I’d really like to highlight to QPS members the incredible difference you make to our most vulnerable Queenslanders. De-identified Good News stories, help us to showcase Police Referrals externally during stakeholder engagement sessions, in our Year in Review documentation, and in many other events throughout the year.
To do this, I need your help! Please take a moment or two to submit some Good News stories (de-identified of course) via email to the QPS Police Referrals team at Police.Referrals@police.qld.gov.au.
Good News stories provide an opportunity for our team to showcase the effectiveness of Police Referrals. By sharing this information on our internal QPS communication platform Workplace (a platform very similar to Facebook) I can:
- share stories about the referred client’s Police Referral journey
- share the outcome of Police connecting vulnerable persons with a support service
- highlight the value of connecting with supports
- enhance the quality of future referrals
- showcase providers who have joined our Police Referrals network
- update officers about providers who are no longer within our network
- remind officers about matters you raise with the Police Referrals team, including:
- referring against the most appropriate category
- appropriate information within a referral
- confirming contact details and recording safe to contact methods correctly
- parent/guardian information in referrals for youth under 16 years.
As always, I welcome the opportunity to strengthen our relationships, to understand the support you provide to our referred clients, and to identify opportunities for improvement. Should you wish to arrange a meeting, please contact the team at Redbourne via rmcs@redbourne.com.au or the QPS Police Referrals team via Police.Referrals@police.qld.gov.au.
Until next time, thank you for all your work in helping to build safe, caring, and connected communities, but most importantly, stay safe and well.
Project Coordinator Amanda Hagaman
Good News Story
We thank MISA – Mens Information Support Association for sharing the below Good News Story. QPS Police Referral “Good News Story” – From Physical …
Good News Story
We thank MISA – Mens Information Support Association for sharing the below Good News Story.
QPS Police Referral “Good News Story” – From Physical Conflict to Therapy Date Day
QPS job: Physical altercation at a family house party. Previous police involvement for other verbal conflicts. One prior referral sent.
Upon arrival of QPS the couple explained to QPS that they had on-going verbal arguments but that this was the first time that it had turned physical. The couple went on to explain that they had both been struggling with their mental health. The couple explained that they have been managing a number of external stressors; loss of business, struggling financially, navigating parenting, strained relationship with kids, navigating kids with their own mental health issues, and navigating their own childhood traumas. The couple expressed that “anger outbursts” and conflict had become their norm.
Following the job QPS officers send a referral to MISA.
The couple accepted the referral and engaged with MISA for couples counselling. The male party also engaged for individual counselling.
Nine months later the couple recognised that they were sliding down the same slope as they were on in 2021 when the police attended for the physical conflict and the couple decided to re-engaged with MISA for couples counselling.
In 2022 the couple committed to engaging in regular couples counselling sessions at MISA. This equated to 18 couples counselling sessions in 2022. The couple grew to enjoy coming to MISA for counselling and started to refer to their couples counselling session days as their “date days”. They began engaging not only in the couples counselling together but also after their sessions, would make a point to go and do something together.
The couple reported being able to better regulate their emotions, increased self-awareness, ability to navigate situations where they may have opposing views and respectfully communicate their point of view, both having a voice in the relationship, and as a whole reported having a happier family unit. The couple also reported one of their children commenting to them on how much happier they both seemed.
The couple continues to engage with MISA on an as needed check-in basis. The couple have not had any further involvement with the police.
Referrals Process Reminder
****Accepted Referrals – where the referral has not been closed correctly**** We are seeing a number of outstanding referrals where user’s who are ready to …
Referrals Process Reminder
****Accepted Referrals – where the referral has not been closed correctly****
We are seeing a number of outstanding referrals where user’s who are ready to close the referral have hit the ACCEPT button at the bottom of the referral, selected a Service Provider Action from the drop down list however have NOT hit the UPDATE button to finalise. To close and finalise a referral you must follow the 3 steps below;
- Select the ACCEPT button at the bottom of the referral
- Select your Service Provider Action from the drop down menu
- Hit the UPDATE button
Where required reminder emails to services to action ‘Accepted’ referrals will be sent and the steps to finalise can be found by clicking on this link.
Any questions, please call 1300 058 910.
Adding Comments to Referrals
For services wishing to share feedback to QPS by way of a comment on a referral there is only one place to put this comment …
Adding Comments to Referrals
For services wishing to share feedback to QPS by way of a comment on a referral there is only one place to put this comment so it can be viewed by the referring officer and that is in the comment box after you select your Service Provider Action. Any comments made prior to selecting your Service Provider Action are only viewed by those that have access to your workgroup and are not shared with QPS in relation to updates made by your service regarding referral actions.
Welcome to the Police Referrals Network
Everything Esuarve Inc – Gold Coast District Momentum Mental Health – Darling Downs District Mission Australia – Going places street to home – Far North …
Welcome to the Police Referrals Network
Everything Esuarve Inc – Gold Coast District
Momentum Mental Health – Darling Downs District
Mission Australia – Going places street to home – Far North District
Headspace Roma – Darling Downs District
CQID – Family Violence Support Service – Wide Bay Burnett District
Gumbi Gunyah Women and Children DFV Shelter – Capricornia District
Mens and Co Services – Brisbane South District
Busy at Work – Darling Downs District
