The Family Inclusion Network ACT Inc. (FIN A.C.T.) is a not-for-profit organisation which promotes the needs of parents, children and families who are involved in the child protection system.

Aims

FIN ACT acknowledges the trauma experienced by a parent when a child is removed or is at risk of being removed to out of home care by child protection authorities. It is within the context of trauma, recovery and rehabilitation that FIN ACT will aim to offer services to assist parents to determine personal, long-term, clear and considered goals, to work towards those goals and to fulfil their statutory responsibilities. FIN ACT aims to utilise professional skills in counselling, advocacy and mediation as well as developing linkages with specialised services from whom clients may require assistance.

FIN ACT recognises the intergenerational nature of child removal and believes that in-depth intervention with parents will assist in breaking the cycle leading to out-of-home care. In order to facilitate realistic planning for children who are in out-of-home care, parents must be assisted to a position where they are able to make long term decisions about their relationship with their children and to be committed to the changes that those decisions entail.

FIN ACT considers that children and young people are fundamentally part of their birth families.  While FIN ACT acknowledges that some children need to be apart from their families, it believes that, as key stakeholders in the lives and futures of their children, parents and families must be involved in decision-making processes that affect them. FIN ACT believes that natural justice processes need to be followed and human rights afforded to families involved in statutory child protection systems.

FIN ACT is part of an Australia wide FIN network.