Objective

Actions

Indicators

Children and young people receive timely, comprehensive case planning and case management services.

Review and update case management policy and procedures to ensure that the needs of children and young people in care and their families are being thoroughly assessed and comprehensive care plans inform planned interventions.

Ensure that relevant policies and procedures promote the full participation of all stakeholders, including children and young people, their carers and birth families.

Case management policies and procedures are reviewed and updated.

All children and young people in OOHC have a current case plan.

Full participation rates of children, young people and carers in the development of the case plan.

Tools are developed to promote children and young peoples, carers and birth families full participation in case planning.

Children and young people placed in OOHC are safe, and not exposed to further harm.

Audit all Places of Care to ensure that carer registrations and safety clearances are up to date.

Review Abuse in Care policies and procedures to ensure that children and carers receive sensitive , timely responses.

A review of Abuse in Care policies and procedures is to inclusive of an examination of ways to prevent / address systems abuse.

Improved compliance that all children are placed with registered carers with up to date clearances.

Identification of issues that inhibit information compliance and identification of ways to address these.

Allegations of abuse in care policies and procedures are updated, and improved procedures to address allegations of abuse in care implemented.

There are improved ways to manage abuse in care incidents.

NT FCA participated in implementation of new policies.

Objective

Actions

Indicators

Key ’demographic’ information about children and young people in OOHC is maintained.

Consult with FACS operational staff to determine ways in which systems can be improved.

Review and streamline existing procedures to promote maintenance of current client information.

Implement standards for information to be provided to carers at the time of placement.

The current placement and authority type for all children and young people in care is known at any point in time.

Standards for information sharing have been developed and implemented.

Objective

Actions

Indicators

All OOHC placement types receive timely services appropriate to their needs.

Examine ways to more effectively deliver Placement Support services.

Develop and distribute a survey, or via alternate means of consultation, seek the views of carers about:

• what they define as support
• what support means to them; what support they require the level of need across all Placement types.

Develop placement support guidelines to enhance the delivery of Placement Support services to all OOHC Placement types.

Conduct exit interviews with carers who discontinue caring in order to use their feedback to inform change.

Mechanisms to identify a clear understanding exists of what constitutes Placement Support for carers across all Placement types have been implemented.

Gaps in Placement Support service delivery identified.

A decrease in the number of carers ceasing caring.

Reduced, avoidable placement breakdowns.

Carer surveys reflect an increased amount of support extended to carers.

Qualitative information exists to inform ways to improve carer retention.

Alternative means of service delivery are identified.

Work collaboratively with birth families to plan the most appropriate interventions to ensure the care and protection of their child.

Continue to explore ways in which intensive support can be offered to families to prevent children and young people entering OOHC.

Develop and implement Family Group conferencing policies and procedures to create a mechanism where alternate options to provide for the care and protection of the child (other than entry into OOHC) are planned.

Where entry to OOHC is the most appropriate course of action, FGC is utilised as the mechanism to plan the most suitable placement options.

Increased intensive family support options available to children and families.

Enhanced placement matching of children and young people.

Increased placement stability for children and young people.

Build and nurture communication and collaborative partnerships with OOHC stakeholders

Maintain the OOHC Partners Reference Group to ensure that stakeholders have a say in the current and future delivery of OOHC services.

Develop alternate ways of seeking the views of all OOHC stakeholders by way of:

• Surveys
• Training feedback sheets
• Consultative forums
• Exit interviews (young people and carers).

Ongoing OOHC Partners Reference Group meetings are held.

Reduced complaints concerning poor communication between the Department and other providers.