Fostering NSW Recruitment and Retention of Carers Program May 2013 – June 2018 End of Program Review Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT)
Project Overview This project has comprised three components: 1. State-wide foster care information & enquiry service 2. Fostering NSW public awareness campaign 3. Sector development (until June 2016) Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 2
Project Overview • Providing a one-stop-shop for people to find out about fostering, have their questions answered and seek assistance to find the right agency for them; • Pioneering the use of social media, particularly Facebook, to share great stories and content, build community and replicate the ‘word of mouth’ effect to attract new carers; • Running a ‘steady press office ’ for the pitching of positive media stories, particularly around key events such as Foster Care Week, Families Week, Youth Week, NAIDOC Week, Mardi Gras; Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 3
Project Overview • Using contemporary marketing research to inform the design of an integrated multi-platform marketing campaign with engaging, tailored and culturally appropriate creative and messaging; • Collecting and analysing enquiry data to improve campaign targeting; • Supporting NGO recruitment efforts with resources, collaborative work, training and advice. Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 4
There were challenges……… • Loss of key staff (May 2014, July 2015) • Push to change our branding to better reflect ‘ Safe Home For Life’ (Aug – Nov 2015) • Minister’s Office Daily Telegraph deal (Nov 2016) • New program tender and resulting uncertainty and short funding extensions (from July 2017 until May 2018!) Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 5
…… and many rewards! • Launch at Parliament House (May 2013) • Sydney Mardi Gras (March 2016) • The Importance of Belonging – Why Cultural Care Matters (Video) (May 2016) • Media Partnership – Mamamia (Aug- Oct 2016) • Safe – On Country and In Culture (June 2017) • Agency relationships (ongoing!) Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 6
Website and Enquiry Line – Continuous Improvements Website Enhancements: Enquiry and Referral Enhancements Easier navigation • Process automisation • Randomisation of postcode • Collection of more demographic • search results data Updated content to reflect • Streamlining of outcome options • reforms Better agency matching • Information sessions page • The ‘Nudge’ • Blog page • Self-Assessment Quiz • Goal setting • Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 7
DATA INSIGHTS: Website May 2013 – May 2018 • 549,784 visits to the website • averaging 9,163 visits per month • 56% enquiries submitted via website Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 8
DATA INSIGHTS: Website Trending – onwards and upwards • Note the movement from average of 5-6-7,000 to 7- 8- 9,000 per month. Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 9
DATA INSIGHTS: Website • Visitor Channels Channel % Visits Goal Conversion Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 10
DATA INSIGHTS: Enquiry Line May 2013 – May 2018 • 11,030 enquiries • 4,980 referrals to agencies • Conversion rate undetermined but could be as high as 13% Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 11
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 12
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 13
• Continued increase in enquiries across targeted groups Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 14
DATA INSIGHTS: Enquiry Line Who enquires? • 78% of enquirers are aged between 25 and 55 • 59% of enquirers are in a couple (35.6% with children in the home) • 69% of enquirers are working (30% full time, 39% part time or flexible) • 45% of enquirers have worked in education, health, childcare, OOHC, criminal justice, disability Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 15
DATA INSIGHTS: Enquiry Line What types of care are they interested in? Enquirers are FLEXIBLE. They mainly just want to help….. • 50% of enquirers would foster to adopt • 57% of enquirers would consider emergency care • 55% of enquirers would consider restoration care • 48% of enquirers would consider sibling groups (but often with the caveat that 2 might be enough….) Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 16
INSIGHTS: Social Media • 41,698 Facebook Followers – growing by 200 each month • Engaging content = great engagement = grow your audience • Social media was a key driver to our website and Facebook was 2 nd highest referral source. Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 17
INSIGHTS: Social Media • Videos • Info-graphics • Blog posts • Shared Media stories • Curated Content • Promotions Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 18
INSIGHTS: Media Exposure JULY 2016 – SEPT 2017 SEPT 2014 – MAY 2016 • 295 Media mentions • 875 Media mentions • Audience / circulation of • Audience / circulation of 5,000,361 4,439,071 • Advertising space rate of • Advertising space rate of $906,833 $1,398,805 • Highest audience = INTERNET • Highest audience = PRESS Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 19
INSIGHTS: Media Exposure • Sept 2014 – May 2016 • July 2016 – Sept 2017 Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 20
INSIGHTS: Enquirer Research • Survey sent out to all enquirers on database in early 2018 • 239 respondents • 40% prompted to enquire because they heard there was a need or it was the right time for their family • Between 53% and 68 % very satisfied with their experience of initial contact with Fostering NSW* • Between 53% and 71% very satisfied with experience with their agency* • Satisfaction dropped to average of between 30% and 50% with training, application and assessment process. *Note: People whose initial contact was by phone had a better experience. People who had a good or bad experience with FNSW, tended to report a similar experience with the agency. Satisfaction was less across the board with people who began with online submission – more full time workers applied online initially – does this tell us something about the gap between expectation and reality? Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 21
INSIGHTS: Enquirer Research Enquirers who responded positively said they found services helpful, prompt, encouraging, empathetic and had all their questions answered . They said they found the process emotional, informative, enlightening and powerful. Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 22
INSIGHTS: Enquirer Research Enquirers who responded negatively said they found services slow to respond , or that they had no response at all, communication was lacking . They said they found the process overwhelming, shocking and not what they expected at all . Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 23
Agency Collaboration – THANK YOU! Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 24
Take away messages • Word of mouth is still the best recruitment tool! • Carers feel more vulnerable than ever at the moment – they need to feel respected and valued. • Communication, communication, communication! • Key messages are getting through – recent focus groups used much of our educative language in their discussions e.g. kids need a sense of belonging, carers are part of a team etc . You are doing an amazing job - keep at it! • Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) / Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) 25
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