Information and Instructions

• Gathering information to complete the NAT
• Completion of the NAT
• Information sharing
• Seeking input from Out of Home Care Providers
• Annual review

Gathering information to complete the NAT

​You should obtain information and/or consult those who may have information about the child's behaviours and needs during the previous 12 months. This includes:

• the child (where age and capacity permits)
  

• relevant family members, including parents and those who may have cared for or supported the child
  

• the child's carers
  

• specialist internal staff, such as an Aboriginal practice leader; education officer, or psychologist, and
  

• service providers who are involved with the child including the child's school, health provider and/or cOOHC Providers.
  

When gathering information from the child or family, you should do so sensitively and respectfully, and explain the NAT process and rationale for undertaking the assessment.

You should also use other written information relevant to the behaviours and needs of the child. This includes internal and external documents (where relevant) from the previous 12 months such as:

• Child Safety Investigations
  

• medical assessments, treatment, disability or health plans
  

• school reports and documented plans (education)
  

• Signs of Safety documentation such as Assessment and Case Planning forms and safety plans
  

• Viewpoint and Quarterly Care Reports
  

• annual Care Plans
  

• Cultural Support Plans
  

• carer reports that describe the child's behaviours and needs
  

• reports from other government agencies such as the Department of Corrective Services, and the National Disability Insurance Agency, and
  

• any other relevant documentation about a child's needs.
  

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Completion of the NAT

​The NAT must be completed when a child enters the CEO's care and must be reviewed and updated at least every 12 months  or when there are significant changes in a child's needs.


Examples of where a review may be required include:

• the child's needs have changed substantially. For example, the child's presentation has significantly deteriorated at school and/or in the care arrangement that requires an urgent review of their levels of needs, or
  

• the child's needs remain the same but the level of services required to meet the child's needs have significantly increased. For example, a child moves into a new care arrangement and the carer has to transport the child considerably further to services, or important equipment and aids are required that will require a substantial review of the assessed cost needs in the NAT, or
  

• the child's needs assessment levels change significantly on a regular basis. For example, management of the child's health needs now requires frequent hospital visits.
  

The NAT is integrated in the Child Information Portal (CIP). Over the course of the year, relevant information placed on the CIP may be added to the NAT. For example:

• to rectify incorrect information recorded
  

• changing from an 'unknown' level of need to an identified level of need, or
  

• update information about the needs of the child such as when health care assessments become available.
  

The annual review also allows the NAT to be updated with information from other care planning documents such as the Care Plan, Education Plan and Cultural Support Plan.

You should be familiar with the dimensions of care, the child's individual needs and be able to complete the NAT as accurately as possible. The completion of the NAT and subsequent review should be consistent with information about the child's needs in other documents such as Care Plans and Signs of Safety Assessment and Case Planning forms.

When completing the NAT in Assist:

1. Click on the list of predefined categories (drop down boxes).
   

2. Select the box that best matches your assessment of the child's need at the time of completion (these range from not relevant to significant).
   

3. Type a summary of the evidence for the assessment category decisions under each dimension of care. This may include the information source, consultations, recommendations and rationale. It is important workers give examples of patterns of behaviour and how they impact on the child’s life, at home, at school and in the wider community.
   

Refer to Completing the Needs Assessment Tool (NAT) – Guidance for child protection workers and care team members (in related resources).  The information in the Guidance aligns with the drop down categories in the NAT and provides example indicators to assist workers to identify and assess a child's needs.

You should describe the behaviours of a child and the impact of these behaviours. Do not apply labels to these behaviours (e.g. autism or FASD) unless the child has been formally assessed with a condition or disorder. This is important to prevent the child from being excluded or restricted from accessing services.

The NAT must be approved by your team leader.  When approved it automatically populates into the CIP and Care Arrangement Referral (CAR). The NAT and CAR are also published to Objective as standalone documents.

Upon approval of the NAT in Assist, a NAT level (number) will be displayed and a NAT report is generated. This information is created for every child according to their last approved NAT. For NAT level descriptions see Needs Assessment Tool (NAT) Level Descriptors (in related resources). 

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Information sharing

​Information from NAT can and should only be shared with people who have a role in supporting and planning around the child's needs.  


OOHC Providers will receive the NAT report for each child they provide a care arrangement for. This is provided to allow OOHC Providers to make appropriate arrangements for the child. 


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Seeking input from Out of Home Care Providers

The Department is committed to working in partnership with OOHC providers to ensure NATs accurately reflect and record the needs of the child.

The OOHC Provider providing a care arrangement for a child must be involved when a NAT review is undertaken.  

Options for seeking input from a OOHC Providers may include:

• asking OOHC Providers to complete the NAT questions for each child they provide a care arrangement for, with supporting evidence/comments to help inform the final assessment. Refer to the Needs Assessment Tool for Care Team Members to complete
  

• completing the NAT during a care team meeting or care plan meeting where the OOHC Provider is present
  

• asking OOHC Providers to provide information regarding particular behaviours/needs that can inform the NAT
  

• utilising monthly reports, contract review documents and correspondence throughout the year.
  

NAT/CASC dispute resolution process

There may be times when a NAT score does not adequately reflect the support costs for a child. For example, a child with a NAT 4 who has a significant disability or multiple health needs may incur costs that exceed the funding allocated to a NAT 4. In these instances the District Director can review the NAT and make recommendation to the Executive Director, State-wide Services to approve allocation of a higher level NAT score.

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.

• Where an OOHC Provider does not agree with the NAT level or feels a review of the NAT level is warranted, the OOHC Provider should, in the first instance discuss this with the team leader and APL to request a review.

• If a resolution is not reached after five working days, the OOHC Provider may put their concerns in writing with supporting documentation to the district director for a review.  

• If this remains unresolved, the matter will be referred to Executive Director – State Wide Services for review. Final decision making delegation sits with the Executive Director Statewide Services. 
  

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Annual review

The information entered into the NAT represents a 'snapshot' of the child's needs as assessed by you at a particular point in time.  These needs may change over time and other information could become available, and the NAT will need to be updated. 

At a minimum you must review and update the NAT at least every 12 months and resubmit to the team leader for approval.

To complete the review, you should consult relevant people as needed and utilise information from appropriate documentation about the child's needs.​​

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