3.5.4 Funding for care arrangement with Out-of-Home Care Providers
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Last Modified:
13-Dec-2023
Review Date:
30-Jun-2010
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| Overview |
The costs associated with providing care to a child or young person in a care arrangement with an Out of Home Care (OOHC) Provider are partly determined by the type of care arrangement, and the child or young person's assessed needs as identified in the Needs Assessment Tool (NAT).
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Information and Instructions- OOHC Providers’ funding model
- Caring Allowance
- Child Support Costs
- Care Arrangement Support Costs
- Exceptional Case Support Costs
- Existing Non-panelled arrangements
- Extension and payment of current non-panelled care arrangements
- Concerns for care provided by non-panelled agencies
OOHC Providers’ funding model Communities has service agreements in place with OOHC Providers for the provision of care arrangements for children and young people in the care of the CEO. All funding arrangements for OOHC Providers are managed by the Business and Operational Support Services. The funding provided to an OOHC Provider is determined by the care arrangement type, the child or young person's NAT level, and the Placement Administration Cost agreed to in the OOHC Provider's funding contact. In addition, the following funding categories support a care arrangement: - Caring Allowance
- Child Support Costs
- Care Arrangement Support Costs.
Caring AllowanceThe Caring Allowance are payments to carers that reimburse them for the typical costs of raising a child or young person in Western Australia. The Caring Allowance replaces the current carer subsidy and elements of Case Support Costs. The clothing allowance and pocket money are included in the Caring Allowance. The service agreements provide payment of a Caring Allowance to the OOHC Provider for an agreed number of care arrangements for children or young people. The Caring Allowance is expected to cover costs such as basic transport, food, clothing recreation, pocket money, and general household goods. The Caring Allowance applies to the following Care Arrangement types:
- Emergency Care
- Community Foster Care.
Child Support CostsChild Support Costs relate to the items and activities that may incur expenses while raising a child or young person in the care of the CEO. A payment for Child Support Costs is included in the service agreement for each funded care arrangement. It is intended to meet expenditure that would normally be met from Case Support Costs for activities or items provided to a child or young person in a care arrangement. Categories of Child Support Costs include, but are not limited to: - day care
- entertainment
- furniture
- medical and dental
- mentoring
- recreational and leisure activities
- school fees and books
- supervision contact
- tuition.
Child Support Costs applies to care arrangement types: - Emergency Care
- Community Foster Care
- Temporary Care
- Group Foster Care
- Complex Care.
Care Arrangement Support CostsThe Care Arrangement Support Cost (CASC) is a set amount of funding to maintain the care arrangement through additional resources to the carer as well as working to meet the child or young person's support needs as detailed in the NAT. CASC replaces elements of Special Purpose Funding and Case Support Costs and applies to care arrangement types below: - Community Foster Care
- Group Foster Care
Case workers, with input from the Care Team, must complete a CASC Funding Plan during their assessment of the child or young person's needs when completing the NAT. The NAT describes the additional services or activities that should be implemented by the OOHC Provider. For more information about completing the NAT refer to chapter 3.4 Needs Assessment Tool. When CASC is implemented, the Care Team should meet regularly to discuss the child or young person's individualised needs, and when required, review the support provided. The CASC Funding Plan is flexible and can be amended by reviewing the NAT to adapt the support according to changes to the child or young person's current needs and complexities. Table 1 below provides examples of activities or services funded by CASC.
Type of support |
Examples may include
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Carer support
| Additional supervision/support provided to the carer Excessive transport required to support child's additional needs
| Specialist carer training
Additional resource (financial or other) to carers
Additional carers
Additional short break support
Excessive transport support |
Specialised supports and interventions
| Additional therapeutic support
Additional allied health and medical support
Additional social and cultural support
Additional educational support | Allied health or psychological assessment
Allied health or psychological intervention (ongoing)
Cultural supports – healing, mentoring, events
Drug and alcohol rehabilitation/treatment
Drug and alcohol rehabilitation/treatment
Education support/tutoring
Medical assessment
Medical intervention (ongoing)
Mentoring
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Physical resources
| Specialised support items, equipment, and aids
Excessive medication required
| Education aids
Disability or medical aids
| Expenditure to be agreed by the Care Team and approved in the NAT and Care Plan * Referrals for psychological support must follow the current referral process using approved Communities' psychological or other counselling services. Ownership and permission to share any psychological reports is the responsibility of Communities in its capacity as the legal guardian of the child.
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Exceptional Circumstances
In exceptional circumstances a proportion of CASC can be used for the following reasons:
1. To fund visits to Country for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people whose care arrangements are away from their Country and connections.
A Cultural Support Plan must be incorporated into the child's Care Plan and included in any proposals to the Children's Court along with care planning proposals, to demonstrate how the Department plans on meeting the child's cultural needs (refer to chapter 3.4 Cultural Planning). All planned Return to Country visits must be documented in the child or young person's Care Plan and Cultural Plan following agreement from the family, APL, and other care team members and approved by the team leader. If there is a request to consider additional cultural activities consult with and obtain agreement from the family, the child or young person (if age appropriate), the care team, APL and OOHC Provider. You must document the amended CASC Funding Plan in the NAT, and in the Care and Cultural Plans and seek team leader approval before organising any proposed activities.
2. To stabilise care arrangements for a negotiated period with the district when an OOHC Provider requests additional staff, such as a 2:1 staff ratio care model.
Staffing ratios of 2:1 to care for a child or young person must support individual responses to the needs of the child or young person and have the capacity to keep the child or young person safe while minimising occupational violence and aggression. Examples of potential 2:1 staffing scenarios are:
When a child or young person has been discharged from Secure Care, detention or a hospital facility and additional support is required to stabilise their care arrangement.
When a child or young person expresses situational suicidal ideation and is not admitted to hospital or other mental health facility, and requires additional supervision.
When a child or young person's dysregulated behaviour places them at extreme risk of harm to themselves or others, requiring additional supervision and therapeutic intervention.
The care team recommends that a child or young person requires additional therapeutic staff to settle them into their care arrangement to establish nurturing relationships.
When CASC funds have been exhausted the care team should meet to: - discuss strategies to stabilise a child or young person, and
- approval for funding to resource additional care staff should be sought from the Executive Director Statewide Services.
TopExceptional Case Support CostsAny proposed exceptional Case Support Costs requested from the OOHC Provider should be discussed with the case worker. The case worker must consult with their team leader before any payments are agreed. Case Support Costs are paid by the district. The OOHC Provider must submit quotes for any items or services before their purchase or provision. Payment of Case Support Costs is a district director's decision and an OOHC Provider cannot commit to any additional costs without consultation and approval from the district.
Existing Non-panelled arrangements👉 This guidance is provided to support existing non-panelled care arrangements only; no new non-panelled care arrangements are permitted. Existing non panelled arrangements may have changes in staffing or address. Districts must:
1. Undertake screening: Contact the Screening Unit with the names and DOBs of staff providing direct care of child by email via screeningunit@communities.wa.gov.au. If email is unavailable, contact by phone (08 6277 5878.
Use subject: "Non-panelled Agency Worker" or if email is unavailable, by phone: (08) 6277 5878. Link the returned email confirmation from the Screening Unit as a linked document. If, screening has not occurred, the district must initiate it.
2. Complete an environmental check:
Complete and environmental check using the 'Environmental Checklist for non-panelled agencies' in related resources. This check is different to the one used for carers.
3. Add the new site on Assist.
To add the new site address on Assist please refer to the the process set out in the flowchart 'Workflow Process - ASSIST Agency for Placements' in related resources.
TopExtension and payment of current non-panelled care arrangements
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Non-panelled care arrangements
New or short term non-panelled care arrangements are no longer permitted.
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The Hub will provide consultation on whether a non-panelled care arrangements can be extended with possible timeframes and discuss with the District. 👉 Transition timeframes will need to be considered. The Hub will continue to receive and process invoices for children and young people being cared for by non panelled agencies (excluding short break) and raise a Case Plan Review record in Assist for electronic approval of payment. All payment queries or invoices should be forwarded to cahubaccounts@communities.wa.gov.au. Extension of existing short break care arrangements with non panelled agencies require ongoing screening and environmental checks in consultation with the Hub, however a Special Purpose Funding request must be undertaken for payment to be made.
TopConcerns for care provided by non-panelled agenciesThe district and agency deal directly with each other about any concerns relating to the non-panelled agency, including issues relating to environment or provision of care. Record the concerns, actions and outcomes in writing and forward to the Senior Intensive Support Officer, the Director and Assistant Director at the Hub for recording. Follow necessary processes in relation to CSIs and DOCU. Any concerns relating to contractual obligations are managed by the allocated Senior Intensive Support Officer at the Hub.
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