| Overview |
The Establishment Payment is a one-off payment of $1000 which aims to support a family member or other significant adult (significant other) who looks after a child, with the consent of the child's parent, during Departmental safety planning in a Child Safety Investigation (CSI) or period of Intensive Family Support (IFS). The payment is intended to help with the initial costs of accommodating the child.
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Private family arrangements are common practice in many cultures including Aboriginal Cultures. If the child is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, consult with an Aboriginal Practice Leader to assess any cultural aspects of the private family arrangements that need to be explored and or considered. If the family is engaged in the Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making (AFLDM) process, the family may propose a private family arrangement. AFLDM is currently in the pilot stage of development, see Sharepoint for information on the pilot program. Families who identify as Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) have varied forms of culturally acceptable care arrangements – for further information on working with CaLD families refer to the CaLD Hub in Sharepoint. Advice can also be sought, where necessary, from the Cultural Diversity team in the Specialist Child Protection Unit - email: SCPU_Cultural_Diversity@communities.wa.gov.au
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Note: CEO refers to the Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Communities (the Department). For the definition of 'family' refer to s.3 of the
Children and Community Services Act 2004 (the Act).
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| Rules |
Under a private family arrangement, the parents retain parental responsibility for the child, unless a court order is made granting parental responsibility for the child to another person. This should be made clear to the family. Where a family is considering a private family arrangement for a child, you must give the child the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process and express their wishes and views freely, with regard to be had to the child's age and level of understanding. In making a decision regarding a private family arrangement, you must consider the best interests of the child and the support required to promote the child's wellbeing within the private family arrangement. For example, a child with a trauma history may require additional support. You should explore with the family members or significant others what additional supports they may need to provide a private family arrangement for the child, and address their individual needs as required. There is an expectation that the child's parents, family members and significant others are offered family support services and it may be appropriate to provide information on accessing the Family Support Network (FSNs) or local community sector organisations to address any issues to promote the child's wellbeing. If the private family arrangement concerns a high-risk infant, the case should remain open until the infant is no longer considered to be at high-risk, the safety plan has been successfully tested and the safety network has demonstrated that the private family arrangement is sustainable. The protocols for managing the safety of high-risk infants should be followed, including information sharing with relevant professionals, and providing the family with information on safe sleeping and Abusive Head Trauma.
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| Process Maps |
Refer to the flowchart Establishment payment to family members or significant other adults.
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Information and Instructions- Considerations for safety planning during a Child Safety Investigation or period of Intensive Family Support
- Additional considerations for those looking after the child
- The Establishment Payment – approval and payment
- Other assistance and supports
Considerations for safety planning during a Child Safety Investigation or period of Intensive Family Support At times, a parents may seek assistance from family members and other significant adults (significant others) who have an enduring relationship with a child and/or the child's family to look after their child. Family members and significant others may agree to look after a child in their family, or a child known to them, because they are concerned about the child's wellbeing. These informal family-led arrangements are referred to as "private family arrangements". The Department acknowledges the importance of, and seeks to support parents, to develop strategies to care for and safely raise their children, including through private family arrangements. In circumstances where the Department is involved with a family through a CSI or Intensive Family Support (IFS) activities and a private family arrangement is being considered by the family, a rigorous safety plan should be developed. In developing a safety plan, the Department should consider the actions which need to be taken by the safety network in instances where the safety plan is not working, or should the child continue to be at risk of harm. The safety plan should be driven by the family with the support of the Department, and the parents must consent to the private family arrangement. It is important to include in the safety plan the steps and actions that will be taken if the private family arrangement changes. For example, if the parents withdraw their consent for the private family arrangement or the family members or significant others are no longer willing or able to look after the child. Avoid coercing parents, family members or significant others into agreeing to a private family arrangement. The private family arrangement should generally be time-limited and reviewed at different intervals by the Department and the safety network to ensure that any arrangements are sustainable, and to provide the safety network an opportunity to test the safety plan. Where a decision is made to close Departmental involvement while a child remains in a private family arrangement, it must be documented how the safety plan will be monitored by the safety network – this may include a transition plan home to parents over time or that the arrangement is now a long-term arrangement.
Additional considerations for those looking after the childIt is important to discuss and consider any issues the family members or significant others may face should they agree to look after the child, including: if the home is appropriate for the child and if the family members or significant others need assistance to make the home safe and ready for the child. stress on the physical and mental health of the family members or significant others. Caring for an at-risk child, especially where there are complex family dynamics, can be extremely challenging and the family members or significant others may need to carefully consider if they have the capacity to look after the child. This is particularly important if the family members or significant others proposed to look after the child under the private family arrangement have an existing physical or mental health condition. there can be significant challenges with managing the needs and behaviours of a child impacted by trauma, a chaotic family life and the stress of shifting their primary carer. This challenge can be even greater where the child also lives with disability and requires ongoing professional support and access to services. disruption to other family members in the household, and possible increased financial strain. Parents should be advised that a private family arrangement is likely to impact any family assistance payments they may receive from Centrelink.
Give the family members or significant others persons looking after a child a copy of the fact sheet Establishment Payment for family members & significant others to support the private family arrangement. Record all consultations, rationales, decisions, and actions in the case plan or in case notes on Assist including any APL consults or CaLd consults.
The Establishment Payment – approval and paymentThe Establishment Payment is a one-off payment of $1000 paid to the primary family member or significant other looking after each child under a private family arrangement. The Establishment Payment is intended to assist the person looking after the child with the initial costs of setting up the home to meet the child's needs, such as furniture, bedding, clothing, age-appropriate toys and equipment, and to make the environment child safe. The Establishment Payment is to be paid to the persons looking after the child under the private family arrangement once only, regardless if the private family arrangement ceases and then recommences at a later date. If you decide it is in the best interests of a child to provide an Establishment Payment to the person looking after the child under a private family arrangement, you must consult with and gain endorsement from your Team Leader before requesting District Director approval via the funding component in Assist. For more information, refer to Establishment Payment to Family members & Significant Others Flowchart and Establishment Payment Fact Sheet in related resources.
To enter a payment on Assist: Record a cost item for each child. Cost type is 'case support costs' and the expenditure item is 'establishment payment'. The planned cost is $1000. You must record an end date, equal to the start date (i.e., the same date). Record the name of the person receiving the payment in the 'family group'.
You must record the person's bank account name, BSB and account number in the person details screen of Assist. Once approved, the District Director must forward an email to the Subsidies Processing Unit, Business Support and Coordination at subsidies@communities.wa.gov.au Include the child and recipient's names and ID numbers in the email.
Subsidies will arrange for a one-off EFT payment (or cheque) for $1000 to be made to the family member or significant other. For more information, see Assist User Guides - Establishment Payments.
Other assistance and supportsWhere a child is looked after by family members or significant others as part of a private family arrangement, you should provide information on local services and support agencies in the community the family members or significant others may be able to access, such as: - playgroups and childcare centres
- Family Support Networks (link in related resources)
- community centres and carer support groups
- counselling services
- education and training services,
- Intensive Family Support Services (IFSS) and Aboriginal-in-Home Support Services
- Ngala Family Services – Parenting Line, and
- Wanslea Family Services Grandcarers Support Scheme $1000 per child peryear funded by the Department.
Where required, support the family by making appropriate referrals to best support the child's needs. You should explore whether the person looking after the child is eligible for Family Assistance and/or other support payments and allowances from the Australian Government. If the parent is receiving a payment, this may need to be transferred to the person looking after the child. There is a 'Centrelink Letter – Family Arrangements' in related resources that should be used when clarifying factual information about a change of a child's living circumstances due to a private family arrangement. Encourage the primary family member or significant other looking after the child under a private family arrangement to visit their local Services Australia office (Centrelink) or visit the Family Assistance website for information and eligibility criteria. Department of Human Services Grandparent Advisers are also available to offer advice and help with accessing payments and services. The number for the Grandparent Adviser Line is 1800 245 965. The booklet Grandfamilies: A Resource Guide for Western Australian Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (in related resources) is a practical guide that includes telephone numbers and websites of relevant government and non-government agencies and support groups. You can also download the booklet from the Resources for Grandfamilies website.
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