Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative Ltd

One of Justice Wood’s key recommendations in the 2008 Special Commission into Child Protection in NSW report was the transition of the provision of out-of-home-care services for children and young people from Community Services to the non-government sector. This recommendation was based on advice supplied by the NSW Children’s Guardian that non government agencies are better positioned to provide quality care and achieve improved outcomes for children. Child protection services would remain with the department, but services such as supervised contact, case management and after care services once children have entered the care system would be transferred across.

Negotiations have been underway for some time to effect this transition. A draft transition plan has now been developed, that proposes 3 groups to be transitioned to non government providers:

1. New foster care ‘entries’
2. New statutory relative/kinship care ‘entries’
3. Transfer of existing placements of both types

Entries refers to children and young people who are entering the statutory care protection system for the first time, as well as those who are re-entering the system. These groups will be transferred first, along with existing carers who are willing to move to an NGO.

10 Guiding principles have been established that will underpin the transition. These are:
1. Services and placements built around the child and their family’s needs with a permanency planning approach at the forefront of practice.
2. Placement stability and cultural support are paramount.
3. Joined up teams working together to ensure children and families receive the earliest possible interventions and support services.
4. Children and young people and carers are supported with the information they need to make informed choices about transferring.
5. Ultimately, all Aboriginal children and young people in OOHC will be cared for by Aboriginal carers, supported by Aboriginal caseworkers employed by local Aboriginal managed agencies.
6. All Aboriginal children and young people in OOHC must be placed in a culturally appropriate setting with a strong preference for placements in Aboriginal community controlled organisations or in non-Aboriginal agencies working in partnership with a local Aboriginal agency, with a view to developing capacity and independence.
7. NGOs must have the appropriate cultural capabilities to look after any Aboriginal children and young people in their care.
8. Government and non-government partnerships are based on trust and respect for each other’s experience and innovative ideas.
9. Case management responsibility belongs to the agency accepting the placement as the child enters care, regardless of Children’s Court proceedings. Responsibility for case management transfers with children and young people moving from Community Services placements to NGO placements.
10. Transition will take place according to service capacity and demand, some cohorts may take longer than others; success and stability will be valued more than expediency and principle.

The transition will be a gradual process, and information will be provided directly to carers by Community Services.
The implementation plan should be developed by the Transition Planning Team by December 31st, 2011, with the anticipated start date of January 2012.

For further details, see http://www.acwa.asn.au.