ac.care

3. Standards of care and Expectations

The Standards of Alternative Care in South Australia set a benchmark for quality care provision to children and young people. It was developed in a bid to ensure consistent outcomes for children and young people in Out of Home Care. Here are some of the standards that are crucial in the provision of quality care:

Section 2.2: The Department for Child Protection is required to have face-to-face contact with a child they are case managing at a minimum of once per month.

Section 3.3.6.2 The agency is required to conduct home visits at a minimum of every 8 weeks.

Section 3.3.6.4 The agency needs to ensure the Placement Support Worker observes the child or young person on a regular basis and is in an informed position to comment on the relationship between the carer and the child.

Section 3.3.8.1 The agency needs to ensure all carers are reviewed at 12 monthly intervals and immediately after any special investigation.

It is a requirement of initial and on-going registrations that carers hold a Department for Communities and Social Inclusion, Child Related Employment Screening (DCSI Screening). DCSI Screenings are required to be updated every 3 years. The agency will send out a web link for details to be completed online and lodgement.

Carers are required to hold a current Safe Environments for children and young people certificate (previously known as Child Safe Environments). This needs to be updated once every 3 years through attending a refresher course run by the agency (or through other avenues provided).

Carers providing care to children under the age of 2 years old need to complete Safe Care of Infant training. This needs to be completed every 2 years to ensure carers are kept up to date with the latest recommendations and practices in caring for infants.

First Aid is currently non-mandatory for on-going registration however the agency encourages carers to maintain this and will cover the cost of the course.

Care Concerns / Carer Registration

Care Concerns can be defined as acts or situations that indicate there has been a failure to meet the agreed or minimum standards of care or where a report has been made to the Child Abuse Report Line (CARL) and there is a suspicion that abuse or neglect has occurred to a young person in care by a foster carer. Every report made that involves a child in care is investigated. The agency will be informed that there is a care concern and is required to contact carers to let them know that this needs addressing and the care concern score.

The agency does not have any authority to share information around the nature of the care concern. Often, Placement Support Workers will not know the content of a care concern up until the time comes to address it. Care concerns are addressed through face-to-face conversation with the Department for Child Protection and Agency staff. Care concerns can be scored as minor, moderate or serious.

Possible outcomes of a care concern are:

• Action plans put in place for further supports
• Restriction placed on a carers registration
• In serious cases, removal of the child
• Carer de-registration
• In serious cases where South Australian Police (SAPOL) are involved, potentially criminal charges.

Protecting yourself from care concerns

The agency suggests the best way to avoid care concerns or serious allegations is to be as open and upfront with Placement Support Workers and Social Workers. It is best practice to notify workers of any situations that have occurred and have the potential to be misinterpreted. It is also a requirement for a carer to contact the Crisis Care line outside of hours for any emergencies. In addition to this it is always wise to keep a journal and read documentation around foster care. It’s important for foster carers to familiarise themselves with the Who can say okay booklet developed by the Department for Child Protection. Certain decisions and permissions need to be made or given by the Department for Child Protection. Failure to follow such guidelines can result in care concerns. This can be decisions such as haircuts, piercings and medical treatments.