Best Practice Forum

Supporting Residents of Caravan Parks: Principles of Promising Practice

In 2006 the Caravan Project conducted a best practice forum which brought together key practitioners and service providers to discuss principles of practice for those working with and on caravan parks.

The resulting publication, Supporting Residents of Caravan Parks, was launched on 10 December 2007 at the Family Action Centre. A copy of the report is available to download free (file size 2.3MB); to obtain a printed copy please contact Lesley Asher by phone on 02 4921 5758 or email.

The nine principles of promising practice

Nine principles of promising practice were agreed upon by the delegates at the forum. Each of these principles is reproduced here (click on the links to go to the relevant page) with the opportunity for you to provide comments. Please note that this not a live, moderated forum. Your comments should be emailed to the Caravan Project coordinator via the link. Comments may be edited.

Principle 1: Services will make the building of a strong relationship with residents a high priority.

Principle 2: Services will be flexible and creative.

Principle 3: Services will work with park management.

Principle 4: Services will build on the strengths of park communities.

Principle 5: Services will go to caravan parks.

Principle 6: Services will build strong partnerships with networks.

Principle 7: Services will advocate on behalf of residents.

Principle 8: Services will pay particular attention to the needs of children.

Principle 9: Services will have well-supported, skilled staff.

Caravan and Residential Park Support Services (CARPSS) news group

The Caravan and Residential Park Support Services (CARPSS) group is for staff of community services who support residents of caravan and residential parks in Australia. It is an opportunity to share experiences, successes, challenges and questions. The group is managed by the Caravan Project at the Family Action Centre, University of Newcastle. To become a part of the group, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CARPSS and click on the blue "Join the group" button.