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3.4.21 Care Arrangement Referral

Last Modified: 06-Mar-2024 Review Date: 01-Apr-2018

 ‭(Hidden)‬ Legislation

Overview

Interim or long-term out-of-home care arrangement options are available for children in the CEO's care who cannot reside safely with their parents.

The type of care arrangement should meet each child's best interests and matched their needs as recorded in the Needs Assessment Tool (NAT). Children who require complex support may need a specialist care arrangement. Care arrangements must plan to keep the child safely connected to their family, networks, community, traditions and culture.

The Care Arrangement Referral (CAR) is a critical planning and service delivery document.  It should be completed accurately on Assist for each child in the CEO's care. It is used as: 

  • a referral form to match the care arrangement to the child's needs, and 
  • as information to be provided to carers so they can ensure the child's needs are being met.

👉 Throughout this entry, the term 'child' is referred to for both children and young people.  The term "placement arrangement" is used in the Children and Community Services Act 2004 (the Act) to refer to an arrangement made under s.79(2) for the placement of a child.  This is usually referred to as a "care arrangement" in practice, with the same meaning. 

CEO refers to the Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Communities (Communities).

Rules
  • ​Department officers must observe the principles in set out in s.9(g), (ga) and (gb) of the Act when planning a care arrangement for a child who is in the care of the CEO.  

  • The Aboriginal Child Placement Principle (s.12 of the Act) and CaLD Placement Guidelines must always be applied when making a care arrangement for an Aboriginal child or a child from a culturally and linguistically diverse background (CaLD). 

Information and Instructions

  • Referrals to the Care Arrangement Hub
  • Completion of the Care Arrangement Referral (CAR)
  • OOHC Provider response timelines to a CAR
  • Responsibilities when an OOHC Provider accepts referral
  • If the referral is declined by an OOHC Provider
  • When a child enters a care arrangement
  • Care arrangement transition meetings - for district carers and OOHC Providers
  • Supporting the child's transition with OOHC Providers
  • Dispute resolution process
  • Referrals to the Care Arrangement Hub

    Before seeking a care arrangement with an OOHC Provider the district must exhaust all local and regional options.  If the district cannot locate a suitable care arrangement the referral process to the Hub is outlined in the section below 'Completing the Care Arrangement Referral'.  When completed, the team leader must endorse the referral on Assist before it is sent to the Hub for external distribution.  Team leaders can endorse the CAR verbally or by email if they cannot endorse it on Assist, and delegate responsibility for endorsement when required.  

    The Hub reviews all referrals and CARs.  It matches children with the most appropriate care arrangement to meet their individual and long-term needs where a district-based care arrangement is not available. 

    The Hub assesses the most appropriate type of care for the child and matches them with a suitable care arrangement based on the their needs, the OOHC Provider's care arrangement capacity, and other relevant other factors, such as location. 

    When a care arrangement is identified the Hub sends the CAR to the OOHC Provider for consideration.  The Hub makes the final decision about the suitability of a care arrangement in consultation with districts, OOHC Providers and Business and Operational Support Services. 

    Referrals to the Hub occur for:

    • Emergency Care (weekdays between 3-5pm)
    • Temporary Care
    • Community Foster Care
    • Group Foster Care
    • Complex Care 
    • Residential Care

    👉  For more information about the OOHC Provider care arrangement types, see the Care Arrangement Policy and the Care Arrangement Types – Parameters Table, both in related resources.
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    Completion of the Care Arrangement Referral (CAR)

    ​The CAR and NAT level inform the selection of a care arrangement, the likely services required and provide essential information to the Hub, OOHC Provider and the possible carer for the child. The CAR should be reviewed and updated as the child's needs change. 

    Before making a referral to the Hub the case worker should:

    • check and update the CAR and NAT so that they are current and up to date.

    • provide enough detail to accurately represent the child's needs before transition. 

    • identify any safety risks for the child with their initial safety planning; this will be developed with the OOHC Provider at the Care Transition Meeting.

    For more information about completing and updating the NAT refer to Chapter 3.4  Needs Assessment Tool.  

    If more information or updates are required, the Hub may return a CAR the district.  The district must provide evidence and clear rationales when they review and update the CAR and NAT. The contents must also be consistent.  This enables the child to access all available care arrangement options to meet their needs. 

    District team leaders must approve the NAT.  Any disagreement between the Hub and district on NAT evidence are discussed between Hub and district team leaders. 

    The district continues to be responsible for organising care arrangements. Caseworkers liaise with Hub staff to assist in the identification and facilitation of matching possible care arrangements. When a care arrangement is identified by the Hub caseworkers must liaise with the Hub on relevant information sharing requirements such as the child's Care Plan and Cultural Support Plan. 

    Assist 

    If more information is learnt about a child's needs or risks posed to, or by the child are identified that impact matching in emergency, temporary or long term care arrangements, case workers must update the CAR in Assist.   When it is updated the district must send the updated referral on Assist to the Hub. The Hub closes the open referral with the out-of-date CAR and uses the updated referral to allocate and match care arrangements.  

    If the care arrangement proceeds, the Hub, district and OOHC Provider plan for the child's entry into the care arrangement (including transport to the care arrangement). 

    On occasion a child's exceptional circumstances may require that a care arrangement is sought outside the care type parameters. These circumstances can be negotiated between the district, Hub and OOHC Provider. 

    When a child begins a care arrangement with an OOHC Provider the Hub updates the child's living arrangements in Assist.    

    Referrals to Secure Care require a separate process. For more information refer to chapter 3.3 Secure Care Arrangements.
    arrangement.

    Do not approach any OOHC Provider directly to discuss possible referrals. Staff at the Hub liaise directly with possible providers. A child under three years of age cannot be placed in any Communities operated residential group homes. 


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    OOHC Provider response timelines to a CAR

    ​Response times required by an OOHC Provider depends on the type of care arrangement.  On receiving a referral from Communities:

    • Emergency Care – the OOHC Provider must transition the child into the care arrangement within two hours of receipt of referral.

    • Temporary Care - the OOHC Provider must respond to the referral within four hours  - two hours to respond to the referral receipt and then two hours to transition the child into the care arrangement if they accept the referral. 

    • Community Foster Care - Referrals are received by the Hub during working hours, unless under extraordinary circumstances. The OOHC Provider must: 

      • respond to the referral within two working days, and where required, complete a transition meeting within two business days of accepting the referral. 

      • organise the care arrangement to be available for the child to occupy within 24 hours of the transition meeting.

    • Group Foster Care - Referrals are received by the Hub during working hours, unless under extraordinary circumstances. The OOHC Provider must: 

      • respond to the referral within two working days and where required, complete a transition meeting within two business days of receiving the referral.

      • organise the care arrangement to be available for the child to occupy within 24 hours of the transition meeting.

    • Complex Care - the OOHC Provider must respond to the referral within two working days and commence the transition of the child or young person into the care arrangement within seven working days after accepting the referral.


    For further details refer to the Timelines Information Sheet – One Referral Pathway in related resources.

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    Responsibilities when an OOHC Provider accepts referral

    The Hub, District and OOHC Providers have a shared role in identifying, consulting, and supporting the process of matching and placing a child or young person in a care arrangement. 

    When the CAR is accepted, the Hub, District and OOHC Providers are jointly responsible for care arrangement negotiations and planning for the child to enter the care arrangement. Refer to the  One Referral Pathway flowchart. 

    In preparation for the Transition meetings with the OOHC Provider, case workers liaise with the Hub and share relevant information, such as the child's Care Plan and Cultural Support Plan. 

    Refer to and follow steps in the sections below:  'Care arrangement transition meetings' and 'Supporting the child or young person's transition with OOHC Providers' below.

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    If the referral is declined by an OOHC Provider

    If the referral is declined by the OOHC Provider they must discuss their rationale within the care arrangement referral timeframes with the Director Out of Home Care Hub before they formally decline the referral and follow-up with a written rationale.  The Director Out of Home Care Hub notifies the child's caseworker.  

    In consultation with the team leader and the Hub, the caseworker arranges a meeting to explore other care arrangement options that may meet the child's individual needs, while they continue to seek a district-based care arrangement where possible.

    If there is a care arrangement available in a Group Foster Care house, it is expected that the referral is accepted unless there are exceptional circumstances.  Exceptional circumstance may include significant safety concerns for the child who is entering the house, concerns for other children's safety if the child enters the house, or there is a cultural reason which makes it inappropriate. 

    👉 If a child does not have a care arrangement that day, and there are no district based care arrangement alternatives, the case worker must contact the Hub immediately and update the CAR advising that the care arrangement is deemed 'URGENT'.

    The Hub can seek an Emergency Care arrangement between 3-5 pm weekdays.  When a child is matched to a care arrangement type but none are available and they are placed into Emergency care, the CAR remains "active", and the Hub continues to seek a longer term care arrangement based on the original CAR.  

    After hours

    After 5 pm send the updated CAR to Crisis Care: CPFrontDesk_MS-CC_Crisis_Care@communities.wa.gov.au for an Emergency Care arrangement.

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    When a child enters a care arrangement

    Before making a care arrangement for an Aboriginal child, the caseworker must consult with:

    • The child, according to their age and level of understanding
    • Aboriginal members of the child's family
    • an Aboriginal Practice Leader (APL), and 
    • an Aboriginal person who has relevant knowledge of the child or young person, their family or the child's community.

    Complete the information on Form 456 Request for Aboriginal Practice Leader Consultation and send the form to the APL for recommendations. On Assist, open the "Case Plan Consultation" and record all received recommendations.  

    For Aboriginal and CaLD children and young people, care arrangements must uphold the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle and observe the CaLD placement Guidelines. For more information, refer to chapter 3.4  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle and Guidelines for the placement of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.   

    The case worker must update Assist to record relevant information how the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle or the CaLD guidelines were upheld.  For example, if the child or young person is Aboriginal, which family and Aboriginal community members were consulted, the reasons as to why the child or young person entered a care arrangement with an Aboriginal carer or non-Aboriginal carer. 

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    Care arrangement transition meetings - for district carers and OOHC Providers

    If a child is at risk of harming others, has seriously hurt another child in their care arrangement, or displays behaviours including using extreme violence or exhibiting harmful sexualised behaviours, you should do the following: 

    • Recognise the child is at risk of harming others and requires support. Use trauma-informed practice when working with the child as their behaviour is likely due to their own trauma experience.  
    • Ensure the immediate safety of all children involved and within the care arrangement. This may include seeking medical advice and/or police involvement.
    • Contact the district responsible for the child who has been harmed or who is believed to be at risk. The district may want to be involved in safety planning.
    • Invite the child who is at risk of harming others, the carers and the family to participate in the safety planning process and provide the details of the safety plan once it is created to them all.  Send the updated the safety plan to everyone if any changes are made.  
    • Caseworkers must organise a new care arrangement if the risk is considered too great and not manageable through safety planning. 
    • A new care arrangement must be organised where a child is in a residential care home or setting with other children (including siblings), and caseworkers become aware they have reporting conditions under the Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Act 2004. 
    • Consider if the current care arrangement can be maintained in a manner that ensures the safety of all parties involved.
    • Create an alert on Assist if the child who is at risk of harming others is to remain in the care arrangement with a safety plan in place. The alert must be removed if the child moves or if they are no longer at risk of harming others. 
    • Caseworkers must talk to the child who was harmed or who is at risk of harm in the care arrangement. It is important that they have the opportunity to raise any safety concerns and that their opinions and wishes are considered.

    Major transitions occur when a child enters the care of the CEO, or when their care arrangement changes. Some transitions may be unplanned, for example, bringing a child into the care of the CEO, or when a care arrangement breaks down and a new care arrangement is required. Transitions can be stressful and traumatic for the child, carers, parents, and family. 

    Where possible and appropriate organise care arrangement transition meetings to plan for the child's transition into the new care arrangement, whether it is district based or with OOHC Providers. These meetings are an opportunity to:

    • inform how the care arrangement will uphold the best interests of the child and meet their needs for their individual care arrangement requirements, the care plan and contact arrangements between agencies and significant others for the child, and 

    • consider how the child and carer will be supported, including how frequently Communities visits and other relevant information for the care arrangement.

    Children must be included in important decision-making processes and have a right to decide if they wish to participate in the care arrangement transition meetings.

    If the child states they do not want to be a part of the meetings, the best interests of the child must be at the forefront of decision-making and the child must be provided with a full explanation of decisions made and why they were made.  

    District-based care arrangements:  A care arrangement transition meeting should be held with the carer and other relevant care team members before the child  begins their new care arrangement.  If a care arrangement transition meeting has not taken place before the beginning of a care arrangement, it should be held as soon as possible. 

    Referrals made to the Hub:  Care arrangement transition meetings occur as part of the matching process.  Liaise with the Hub during this process. The Hub coordinates transition planning and, where appropriate, facilitates meetings with the OOHC Provider. 

    Transition planning should occur between the district, Hub and OOHC Provider when a care arrangement is identified and approved by the Hub.  The case worker should liaise with the Hub to agree who coordinates and facilitates transition meetings. 

    Depending on the care arrangement and legal status of the child, the care arrangement transition or post care arrangement, planning meetings should occur within the following timeframes:

    Interim placement arrangements: Within five days of the child or young person beginning the care arrangement, so that a case planning decision about whether to proceed with a carer assessment for ongoing care can be made. For further information, refer to chapter 3.1 Interim Placement Arrangement (formerly s.79(2)(b) assessment). 

    Provisional protection and care: Within seven working days of the child or young person coming into the CEO's care so that the provisional care plan can be completed. For further information, refer to chapter 3.4 Provisional Protection and Care and Care Planning. 

    Residential care arrangements: Within 10 days to allow the completion of the child or young person's residential care plan. For further information, refer to chapter 3.4  Residential Care Services and the Residential Care Practice Manual Chapter 3.1 Placement and Transition of a Child into and out of Communities Residential Group Homes (Metro and Country). 

    Secure Care: Within two working days of the child or young person being admitted to Secure Care, an initial planning meeting should be held. 

    Care Arrangements with OOHC Providers: Within 10 working days. 

    Moving care arrangements:  As soon as possible modify the child's care plan on Assist to include the new care arrangements and reflect any other changes.

    Where a care arrangement cannot be found, arrange a care arrangement strategy meeting between the district and the Hub. Caseworkers should liaise with the Hub.  At this meeting, identify interim strategies any further information that needs to be obtained to update the CAR. Where new information is identified, or where a referral has been ongoing for at least four weeks, submit a new referral to the Hub. 

    When the child is transitioning to a new care arrangement, the case worker should support both the child and carer and include both in the planning process. 

    Check that the child has been provided with the age-appropriate Charter of Rights for Children and Young People in Care and arrange to explain it to the child in a way that they can understand.  For more information and for the Charter of Rights for Children and Young People, refer to chapter 3.4 Charter of Rights for Children and Young People in the CEO's Care

    At the commencement of all care arrangements (Communities and OOHC Provider), provide the following to carers:

    The case worker should discuss these documents with the carer or OOHC Provider so that they have a full and accurate knowledge of the child. 

    The case worker should accompany the child to the care arrangement, introduce the carer to the child and support them to settle in and be comfortable. The amount of support needed when taking the child to the care arrangement depends on their age and the relationship they may have with the carer. Answer any questions the child, or carer may have.

    To assist the child and carer, where relevant, the case worker should accompany the carer to show the child around the home and explain the child's known routines and self-care abilities. This may include helping the child understand where and how they can:

    • play and spend time with the family and others in the care arrangement
    • eat
    • sleep and spend time alone
    • wash and toilet
    • dress
    • discuss any rules and expectations
    • confirm any contact arrangements with family and friends
    • highlight critical information from the CAR about the child or young person's health needs
    • establish that there are no inappropriate or dangerous items being brought to the care arrangement by the child or young person, and
    • advise the child or young person and the carer of:
      • the case worker's contact details and details of the next visit
      • specific dates and/or frequency of ongoing visits, and
      • care team members (where known) and how they will support the care arrangement including arrangements about when the next care team meeting will be held.
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    Supporting the child's transition with OOHC Providers

    The voice of the child or young person, their thoughts, and feelings, should be at the forefront of all decision-making throughout the transition process. Caseworkers should consider how their views will impact transition planning and how they and the OOHC Provider will respond.

    Where possible, caseworkers and the OOHC Providers should actively work with the child's previous care arrangement carer to provide a safe and smooth transition.  Arrange a transition meeting with:

    • the outgoing OOHC Provider
    • the incoming OOHC Provider
    • any other business units deemed necessary to be involved, for example the Hub.

    It may be relevant to consider other agencies that need to be a part of, or aware of the transition plan.  Other agencies could include:
    • Department of Justice if the child or young person is subject to Youth Justice Orders
    • Western Australia Police if the child or young person is a recidivist offender and/or subject to bail conditions
    • Department of Health if the child or young person has significant medical or mental health issues.

    Caseworkers are responsible for explaining the transition plan to the child or young person and their care team, in an age appropriate and inclusive way.  Give the child or young person a clear, developmentally appropriate explanation about the transition. This should include:

    • why the transition is occurring
    • what changes are going to occur
    • what the changes look like for the child or young person
    • when the changes are likely to occur.  

    The transition meeting may include contingency and safety planning around specific behaviours such as absconding and substance use.  The case worker must document the meeting, record it on the child's Objective file and distribute the Transition Plan to all parties deemed relevant. 

    The case worker should also undertake a Care Plan Review for the child or young person as soon as practicable and align the Care Plan with the change in care arrangement.  Consider the child's NAT level across each of the dimensions of care and the child's specific individual and complex needs. Refer to 'Modifying a Care Plan' in chapter 3.4 Care planning.

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    Dispute resolution process

    It is expected that the need for a dispute resolution process will be limited, and any disputes should be resolved cooperatively and quickly where possible. The Act makes provision for an application for a review of a care planning decision by the CEO made by the child, the child's parent, the child's carer  or any other person considered by the CEO to have a direct and significant interest in the wellbeing of the child. for more information refer to chapter 3.4 Care Plan Decisions and the Care Plan Review Panel

    👉 Case workers should consult with their team leader before commencing the dispute resolution process below:

    • When the District and the Hub disagree on the child's suitability for the care arrangement type, raise the matter with the District Director for resolution.

    • When disputes arise relating to Residential Care arrangements, escalate to the Director Residential Care and Out of Home Care Hub.

    • If a resolution is not reached within three (3) working days the District Director, Director Residential Care, or Director Care Arrangement Hub should refer the matter to the District Director OOHC Stream for escalation and review to the Executive Director Statewide Services. Final decision-making delegation sits with the Executive Director Statewide Services.

    • Any disputes after hours should be resolved cooperatively and quickly where possible. The case worker should consult with the team leader before escalating the matter to the district director Statewide Referral and Response and either the Director Residential Care (afterhours) or the on-call Executive Director.

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