SERVICE

One or more organisation-operated programmes or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organisation’s material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organisation that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licenced to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.		  
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  FAMILY

Two or more people who consider themselves family and who assume obligations, functions, and responsibilities generally essential to healthy family life. Child care and child socialisation, income support, long-term care, and other care giving are among the functions of family life. The definition of “family” will rest with an individual’s indication of who plays a family member role, including current or former foster family, adoptive family, extended family members, or significant others. Organisations that believe family is the central constellation in a child’s life, and that family attachments are of primary importance for human development, will strive to work with professional staff to develop a common understanding of “family.”		  
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  CULTURE

The customs, habits, values, skills, technology, beliefs, and religious, social, and political behaviours of a group of people in a specific period of time.		  
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  PARENTS

Parents can include: birth, foster, kinship, and adoptive parents. Please see service standards for more specific information about use of this term. 		 
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  CAREGIVER

The provider of physical, emotional, and social needs to another person, often dependent and unable to provide for his or her own needs. Caregiver is the generic term used for the direct service providers in Community Care and Support Services (CCS).		  
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  BACKGROUND CHECK

The review of an individual’s personal information typically performed by or at the request of an employer, which may include verification of educational credentials or employment experience, as well as an examination of the individual’s criminal records, driving records, licencing records, and civil abuse or neglect history.		  
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  ASSESSMENT

An evaluation, which utilises professional expertise and skills in the collection and analysis of data to understand and describe the nature of service needs of an individual, family, or group. Assessment, as in needs assessment, is also used to determine priorities of programme planning and service development for the organisation as a whole. See also DIAGNOSIS.		  
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  CASE RECORD

A written compilation that describes the client and the services delivered. Records can be in hard copy and/or electronic format. The case record can be used as a source of information for quality improvement or other evaluation activities, for research purposes, or to demonstrate accountability to funding bodies.		  
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  SUPERVISION

Assumption of responsibility for directly overseeing and evaluating the work or work products of personnel within an organisation. Also includes inspecting the act or process of accomplishing a function or activity.		  
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  PROCEDURES

Written instructions that outline the steps for performing a task(s) or operationalising an administrative or service delivery process. A procedure can be written as a step-by-step set of instructions or as a narrative description of a process. A procedure tells someone how to do something not just what to do.

Unlike policies, procedures do not need to be approved or reviewed by the governing body, and need not be associated with a specific policy. For example, whereas a broad anti-discrimination policy requires grievance or other procedures in order to be operationalised within an organisation, assessment procedures do not require a governing body approved assessment policy.

Note: Procedures are sometimes referred to as administrative policies.

  
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  CASE

A general term used to designate clients (including individuals, families, and groups) served by an organisation for purposes of monitoring the provision of services. A foster care case is generally based on the placement of an individual child, although casework for the child may include services to the child’s family. A child protective services case is based on an entire family household if a family assessment model is used; otherwise a case is defined as a child.		  
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Kinship Care Services
  
Private Org  

CA-KC 6: Homestudy and Placement Services

 
The organisation identifies stable, nurturing kinship homes and places children with kin who can meet their need for a safe, healthy home.
NA The organisation only provides informal kinship care services.

CA-KC 6.01

 
The organisation works with the child and parents to identify kin that can be a resource to the child.

CA-KC 6.02

 

Homestudies are conducted prior to placement, or as soon as possible when the child is living with the caregiver, and are updated:

  1. within 2 weeks of a significant change in home composition; and
  2. at least once annually.
Interpretation: Households meet applicable regulations regarding composition and structure, and the organisation is flexible regarding requirements not related to the child’s health or safety (for example, number of bedrooms or size of the home).

Interpretation: “Significant change” includes, and is not limited to:

  1. individuals who move in or out of the home (note that criminal background checks are required of all adults residing in the home);
  2. death or debilitating illness of a caregiver;
  3. structural damage to the home due to fire, flood, or other natural disaster;
  4. legal proceedings affecting the family such as eviction or divorce; and
  5. loss of income.

CA-KC 6.03

 

The assessment considers factors that may impact the ability of caregivers to provide care, protection, and experiences that promote healthy child development, including:

  1. personal characteristics;
  2. motivation and readiness for providing care;
  3. family and marital functioning;
  4. parenting skills;
  5. physical and mental health; and
  6. availability of formal and informal supports.

CA-KC 6.04

 
Criminal background checks are conducted for all adults in the home prior to placement, in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

CA-KC 6.05

 

A regular assessment of each home verifies basic health and safety requirements are met, including:

  1. appropriate sleeping arrangements;
  2. adequate heat, light, water, refrigeration, cooking, and toilet facilities;
  3. functional smoke detectors;
  4. intact doors, steps, windows, and window guards where necessary;
  5. no exposed wiring;
  6. no rodent or insect infestation; and
  7. walls and ceilings free of holes and lead paint.

CA-KC 6.06

 
The child is placed with siblings whenever possible and Aboriginal children are placed with cultural considerations as a priority.
Interpretation: If a child is not placed in a manner consistent with the specified priorities, the reason is documented in the case record.

CA-KC 6.07

 

The organisation ensures a smooth transition between placements and minimises the number of separations that a child experiences by:

  1. requiring all parties to provide at least 14 days formal notice prior to any move;
  2. avoiding cyclical placements;
  3. responding proactively to challenges and conflicts associated with placement; and
  4. assessing the need for placement changes and documenting the justification.

CA-KC 6.08

 

Kinship caregivers who transport children in their own vehicles:

  1. use age-appropriate passenger restraint systems;
  2. provide adequate passenger supervision, as required by statute or regulation;
  3. properly maintain vehicles and obtain required registration;
  4. provide evidence of vehicle safety;
  5. provide the organisation with annual validation of their driving records; and
  6. provide the organisation with regular validation of their licences and appropriate insurance coverage.
Update: Revised Standard, Added Second Interpretation, Added Note - 03/01/10

CA-KC 6.08 Original Standard:

Kinship caregivers who transport children in their own vehicles:

  1. use age-appropriate passenger restraint systems;
  2. provide adequate passenger supervision, as required by statute or regulation;
  3. properly maintain vehicles and obtain required registration;
  4. provide evidence of vehicle safety; and
  5. provide the organisation with annual validation of current licences, driving records, and appropriate insurance.
related CA-ASE 6.03
Interpretation: The organisation should have procedures to ensure vehicles are in proper working condition. Procedures should address periodic visual inspections conducted by the organisation or provision of other documentation indicating mechanical soundness from a certified mechanic. Procedures should also address the need for repair.
Interpretation: Regarding element (f), this information should be provided as frequently as necessary, based on the amount of time licences and insurance are valid. For example, if licences are valid for two years, licence validation can occur every two years.

Note: In some cases this standard may not be applicable to all kinship caregivers (e.g., if caregivers live in urban areas and utilise public transportation instead of private vehicles).

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PURPOSE: Kinship Care Services maintain the family system as the primary source of care and preserve the continuity of care, culture, relationships, and environment essential for child safety and well-being.
 
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