Information and Instructions

• Case planning
• Case management
• Determining the most appropriate district for case management
• Requests to provide co-work, tasks or services
• Requests for shared case management
• Country liaison officer, Statewide Relieving Team
• Transient families
• Case transfer for child protection concerns
• Requests for case transfer for children in the CEO 's care
• Exclusions to case transfer requests
• Requests for casework assistance from a state or territory and New Zealand for a child in the CEO's care
• Dispute resolution process
• Case closure process

Case planning

The purpose of a case plan is to provide a clear explanation of why the Department is involved with a family, and identify our expectations and next steps in working with the family.

A clear case plan minimises the perception that the Department 'moves the goal posts’.

Case planning is an ongoing process throughout the duration of a case. It involves assessment, planning, reviewing and evaluating case information. The case plan must be reviewed regularly so the case does not become stagnant. Supervision (either individual or group) can be used to progress individual cases, for example, by undertaking a group Signs of Safety mapping. Refer to the Signs of Safety and Case Planning Flowchart (in related resources).

Case planning must consider a range of problems that may affect a family and the individuals in a family. These include, but are not limited to:

• finances
  
• housing
• family and domestic violence
• health and mental health
• employment
• drug and alcohol
• parenting skills
• parent and adolescent conflict
• social supports, and
• any combination of the above.

When case planning for children in the CEO’s care, refer to Chapter 3.4: Permanency planning.   

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Case management

Case management is the process of working in collaboration with relevant stakeholders including the child, his or her parents and relatives, Department specialist staff, other Department units, carers (including family and significant other carers) and other service providers, to undertake the following:

• initial assessment
• establishing goals
• planning tasks and services to help the client achieve the goals
• ongoing assessment and planning
• recording client information
• monitoring and reviewing progress of the case plan and/or care plan
• provide, facilitate or coordinate services, and
• closing the case when goals have been achieved.

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Determining the most appropriate district for case management

In principle, case management should be in the best interests of the child and follow the clients' movements to minimise disruption to services.

This decision is guided by our operational definition of 'significant parent'. This term is relevant to families where the parents are separated and both parents are known.

In order of importance - the legal guardian is always the 'significant parent', however, where the parents have joint legal guardianship, or the whereabouts of the legal guardian are unknown, the following should be applied in order as listed:

1. Parent with whom reunification is planned or underway.
2. Parent with whom the child was most recently living.
3. In cases where the child is highly mobile, the parent with whom the child has most frequently lived.

In accordance with the principles relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, kinship relationships and principal carers should be taken into consideration when determining the most appropriate district for case management.

New referral for an open case or existing client

If there is a new intake for a case that is already open to the Department and being case managed, the case should be allocated to the district with case management responsibility for the Family Group. The only exception to this is where a new intake is made about a child who is under shared case management. In these circumstances the case should be allocated to the shared case manager.

Where a new referral involves a family member who is already part of an open period of involvement (including as a significant person), the new referral should be allocated, in the first instance, to the district responsible for the open period of involvement regardless of the geographical location of where the family is living.

In these cases, the case managing district can seek co-work and/or services from another district. Once a Child Safety Investigation (CSI) has been completed and a plan developed, consideration is given to the need to transfer the case.

New period of involvement with a family who resides across different district offices

When there is a new period of involvement for a family who resides across different district offices, the case should be allocated to the district office that covers the geographical area where the ‘significant parent’ resides.

Where there are multiple children and shared case management

Where there is a new period of involvement or concerns for multiple children who reside across different districts and these include children who have a shared case manager, the case should be allocated to the Family Group district (primary case manager) in the first instance. Depending on the circumstances, the primary case manager's team leader may reassign the activity to the shared case managers in consultation with the shared case managers team leader.

Highly mobile and/or transient children and families

Where families are highly mobile and/or transient and there are concerns for their children’s safety, continuity of case management is essential to effectively assess risks and respond to the needs of the child and family.

If the Crisis Care Unit (CCU), Mandatory Reporting Service or Central Intake Team (CIT) has assessed an intake is required, the last district office with significant involvement over the past six months should take on case management responsibility. An exception is where geographical distance makes follow up of the family impractical. In these circumstances, the paired office or closest district office to the family’s location should provide the follow up. Refer to the section ‘Transient families’ below.

Where, following the completion of the initial assessment and case plan, the family remains highly mobile, case management should remain with the receiving district until the family establish and reside at one address for three continuous months.

Cases allocated inappropriately to a district

Districts that have accepted misdirected reports from CCU or CIT can contact CCU or CIT for re-direction of that case as soon as possible. However, districts can also negotiate transfer with the appropriate district.

Where there is shared residency of the child concerned

Where the residency of a child is equally shared, the district receiving the referral should normally case manage the referral. In these circumstances, consideration should be given to where the child attends school.

Where residency is shared on an unequal basis, the referral is allocated to the district office responsible for the geographical location in which the parent with the majority of the care resides.

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Requests to provide co-work, tasks or services

All child safety teams should accept co-work requests on merit and determine how the work can be undertaken.

Circumstances where a district office may request another district to provide co-working could include:

• assessment and placement support for carers (including family and significant other carers) 
• care planning for children in the CEO's care, and
• contact arrangements for children in the CEO's care.

For all co-working requests, the requesting district office should specify the type of request and the expected duration of the request (one-off, over a set period of time, or ongoing to case closure). Where requests are for ongoing support, these should be reviewed by the team leader responsible for co-working the case. Both team leaders should undertake a review every three months.

The role of the co–worker is to act as an agent for the case managing district office to implement the case plan, including relevant and agreed aspects of the care plan (where applicable). Responsibility for care planning and approval of expenditure and case costs must remain with the district office that holds case management.

Discussions and agreements regarding requests to provide co-work or services must involve the relevant team leaders, Aboriginal practice leaders, child protection workers and, where applicable, senior child protection workers – placement services.

Form 477 Request for Case Transfer Co-Worker or Shared Case Management (in related resources) must be completed when requesting co-work, tasks or services or shared case management.

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Requests for shared case management

Shared case management allows the allocation of a child protection worker for individual children in the CEO's care within the same family group to be case managed by different districts.

Shared case management is not appropriate within the same district or usually across metropolitan districts. In exceptional circumstances where it is in the child's best interests for shared case management to occur across metropolitan districts, this must be discussed and agreed with the assistant district director before such a request is made.

Where shared case management occurs primary and shared case managers must:

• keep each other informed about important matters that relate to the children as a family group such as contact arrangements, major changes / events, parental involvement and seeking child's wishes
• communicate directly rather than rely on being notified through Assist about important events that relate to the family group (for example if a Child Safety Investigation is to be initiated)
• work cooperatively to assist each other to provide good case management. For example undertaking a child assessment interview or visiting a parent to obtain their views
• work together so that the parents understand and are not disadvantaged by working with two or more child protection workers, and
• consult with their team leader if there are matters that cannot be resolved.

For information about allocation, criteria and processes for shared case management requests please refer to related resource Shared Case Management.

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Country liaison officer, Statewide Relieving Team

The role of the country liaison officer is limited to the completion of one-off tasks for country cases where the work needs to happen in the metropolitan area and the paired district is unable to complete the task. To request a task, you must complete Form 476 Request for Case Work Task Support from Country Liaison Officer - Country Services (in related resources).

It is inappropriate to request a task service for cases that should be co-worked, such as when a child from a country district is residing in the metropolitan area. In this instance, a co-worker must be requested by the case management district and be appointed by the receiving district.

Children in the CEO's care who are held in detention and who are case managed by a country district should be referred to the country liaison officer. In circumstances where the country liaison officer does not have capacity to complete the task, the country district should request the paired district to undertake the work – refer to the paired district table below.

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Transient families

The paired district model should only be used for families moving between country and metropolitan districts who present outside their usual district of residence where short term support, assessment or intervention is required.

If a family presents at a district office that is outside of their area of normal residency, and immediate safety risks are identified, an initial assessment must be conducted and a case plan developed by the office where the family present.

Subsequently the case can be allocated to the paired district office. This includes both new referrals and open cases.

The current paired district arrangement is:  

 

Rockingham	South West
Fremantle	Peel
Joondalup	Kimberley
Midland	Wheatbelt
Cannington	Pilbara
Perth	Goldfields
Mirrabooka	Murchison
Armadale	Great Southern

 

The nominated paired district model may not always be the office best placed to respond when the best interests of the child are considered, because the family may present at a district office that is a significant distance from the paired district. In these circumstances, the metropolitan and/or country district should undertake the casework required.

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Case transfer for child protection concerns

Case practice responsibility for a child subject to a child protection concern should be managed by the district where the child resides.

Case responsibility for cases cannot be shared between districts unless a shared case management allocation has occurred. However, for reasons such as proximity or geography, it is reasonable to make a request for other districts to assist with case tasks with families who are residing in their area, even though case management responsibility is not being or cannot be transferred at that time. It is expected that the other district will assist the requesting district with tasks in this situation.

Transferring child protection cases

The transfer of cases at the duty interaction, initial inquires and CSI phase should not be delayed, as knowledge of the safety and needs of the child may be limited at this point and action may need to be taken promptly to safeguard or promote the child's wellbeing.

A family may relocate to another district office area during the CSI. This could be for a range of reasons, from a genuine attempt to relocate, transience, or to avoid child protection involvement. In these situations, if the district has commenced the CSI it may be appropriate for the district to complete the investigation including decisions on whether actions need to be taken to safeguard or promote the child's wellbeing.

Districts should consider completing the CSI in the following circumstances:

• the child is identified as at high risk of abuse and neglect
• the family is difficult to engage, and/or
• there is a significant distance between the assessing district office and where the family has relocated, making it impractical to finalise the assessment.

Where the decision is to delay further assessment, for instance, the family is returning to or moving to another district, then a case transfer should occur. To facilitate the transfer, the transferring district must convene a case planning meeting with the family and the receiving district should attend. The transferring district will develop a case plan, which the receiving district must implement and manage.

In some situations it may be more appropriate, and in the best interests of the child and family, for the case to be transferred to the district where the family has relocated and for this district to complete the assessment.

Once a decision has been made to transfer a child protection concern to another district for intake and/or further assessment, the case is transferred at the earliest possible opportunity to ensure consistent, effective and efficient services to children and families. The district must take into account the 30 calendar day timeframe for completion CSI's, and actively manage this.

If a case in duty/intake is to be transferred, a comprehensive duty interaction and/or initial inquiry recording, must be completed and approved by the team leader to facilitate the transfer. In these circumstances, a case transfer summary is not required. The transfer is initiated by the team leader via email and/or a telephone call to the receiving district team leader. Where there are points of contention, attempts to resolve the matter at a local level must be made through a telephone call between the team leaders, before it is elevated to the assistant district director.

Transient and highly mobile families

For a highly mobile family, case transfer can occur when the family is settled in the new region. A highly mobile family is deemed to be settled in a new region if family members have resided there for a period of 12 weeks and have stated an intention to remain in the area. This is regardless of the nature of their accommodation and the date on which they made contact with the Department.

A case transfer cannot occur where the family is in temporary accommodation due to its short-term nature. Short-term accommodation could include a refuge or short-term emergency housing. Transitional housing or caravan parks are not considered temporary accommodation because families can use them for significant periods.

If the family does not have a history of being highly mobile, the case should be transferred at the earliest possible opportunity to provide consistent, effective and efficient service to the child and family. In these circumstances, there is no requirement to impose a minimum residence period.

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Requests for case transfer for children in the CEO 's care

For children in the CEO's care who are in a stable care arrangement, consideration must be given to transferring the case to the district office where the child resides. A co-worker should be provided by the district office where the parents live.

All case transfers should be determined on the best interests of the child and consideration given to any negative, unintended consequences, which could result from the transfer not being expedited, such as delaying the reunification of children with their parents.

Before requesting a case transfer

The following case planning actions must be undertaken prior to transferring a case:

• hold a Signs of Safety meeting with the family to discuss the case transfer
• complete the relevant Stability and Connection Form (Stage 1 to Stage 4) to document the case planning discussions and reason for the decisions. Access the forms and guidance from Chapter 3.4 Stability and Connection Planning, and 
• hold a face to face meeting (or video conference) between the receiving and sending district, to involve relevant staff members such as the team leader, child protection workers and those responsible for carer (including family and significant other carers) support.

When a case transfer is delayed because the timing for transfer is not appropriate or administrative tasks are not complete, co-work support/services can be sought in the short term from the district in which the family resides.

Responsibilities of the transferring district

The child protection worker must complete the following administrative requirements before the case transfer:

• Form 477 Request for Case Transfer Co-Worker or Shared Case Management (In Related Resources Forms List)

• file records must be up to date and a Case Transfer and Shared Case Management Checklist completed, however this should not delay or prevent the transfer

• Assist screens must be up to date

• all documents relevant to the case must be placed in Objective

• urgent tasks in a case plan or points of the current care plan which need completion prior to case transfer should be negotiated and agreed to (however it is not a requirement that the actions for the whole care plan are completed prior to transfer)

• current accounts should be finalised or pending accounts paid by the relevant district office once invoices are received, and

• a carer assessment completed if the child is in a care arrangement.

Once the transfer has been formally accepted, the child protection worker must send the Child History Folder and any archived paper files to the receiving district. 

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Exclusions to case transfer requests

A child who is placed in a metropolitan residential care home or high needs care arrangement that is outside of their case management district will continue to be managed by that district and cannot be transferred.

Where a country district is managing the case, a referral for support should be made to the country liaison officer and/or a request for co-work to the paired district.

If a metropolitan district is managing the case, they must provide comprehensive case management for the child and not request co-working.

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Requests for casework assistance from a state or territory and New Zealand for a child in the CEO's care

When a child in the CEO's care relocates to another state, territory or New Zealand, a request for ongoing casework assistance must be considered.  To request casework assistance from another state, you must complete Form 904 Request for Interstate Casework Assistance from WA and forward it to the WA ILO via WAInterstateLiaison@communities.wa.gov.au with a copy of the child's care plan.  

For more information refer to Chapter 3.4: Interstate and New Zealand liaison.

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Dispute resolution process

It is expected that the need for a dispute resolution process will be rare.

Whilst a request is being disputed, a child protection response must continue for all cases, including new referrals and children in the CEO's care.

If there is a dispute over a case transfer, request for co-working or services, or shared case management, the following process should occur:

1. The receiving assistant district director must advise the referring assistant district director of their disagreement within two working days of receiving the request.

2. Negotiation between assistant district directors should occur within one working day of receiving the dispute.

3. If resolution cannot be achieved at the assistant district director level, the matter must be referred to the two relevant district directors and negotiation should occur within two working days of receiving the dispute.

4. If resolution does not occur at district director level, the dispute should be immediately redirected to one of the directors, service delivery, at the Professional Practice Unit.  The director must:

• advise of a decision within five working days of receiving the dispute - this decision is final, and 
• record the decision made and the rationale for the decision on the case file. 

The dispute resolution process, from initiation of the request by the referring district to final arbitration, should take no longer than ten working days and, ideally, be resolved much earlier.

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Case closure process

You must review and evaluate the circumstances of the case and the work undertaken before a case is closed. The case closure process includes people who had significant involvement with the case. You should consider:  

• the way in which they finalise contact with the child, family and other professionals involved in the case, and 

• whether they should map the case as part of the closure.  

A case closure should include the following information:

• the social history – a brief summary that refers to more detailed documents on file

• any previous Department involvement - a brief summary that refers to more detailed documents on file

• the current reason for involvement, including any statutory details regarding care and protection orders where relevant

• the actions taken and progress – include details of actions taken by the Department and other agencies involved in the case, any specific agreements made with the family, and a statement of the outcomes achieved

• the assessment and rationale for closing the case, and  

• any outstanding matters and alerts – record any actions that were not completed but should be followed up or considered if there is a new intake, and details of current alerts or information that would be important to know if we have further involvement with the family.

Case closure where it has not been possible to conduct or complete a Child Safety Investigation

The decision that the Department is unable to undertake or complete the CSI must be made after reasonable efforts have been attempted to locate the child and/or the family. Strategies attempted should be documented on the Objective file, and may include:

• checking phone directories and electoral enrolments

• contacting the relevant local government departments such as Western Australia Police, Health, Education, Justice Services and other Department of Communities divisions such as the Housing and Disability Services

• requests for information from Centrelink or Medicare (refer to MOU Commonwealth and Child Protection Agencies Information Sharing Protocol – Centrelink and Medicare in Chapter 4.2

• consultation with senior Department staff, and where applicable, the Aboriginal practice leader, and 

• advising the child protection authorities in other jurisdictions via WAInterstateLiaison@communities.wa.gov.au if information suggests that the family may have relocated interstate.

If the family cannot be located, place a Local Alert on Assist to indicate the incomplete CSI and request the officer contact the relevant district office when the family's location is known so the CSI can be finalised.

If information is received later that results in the ability to assess  incomplete CSI, reference in the CSI outcome report.

Before closing the 'Case Plan' in Assist, and thus the case itself, you must close all open items including activities, funding and issues. Select 'Case Plan Closure' from the 'Type' drop down menu in Assist and update the overall goals, decisions and actions before submitting for approval.

After saving all Case Closure reports or documents in the relevant Objective files (case files or Child History File), the files need to be closed.

Refer to the Assist User Guide - Closing a Case Plan.  

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