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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  PERSONNEL

The body of employees and/or volunteers that carries out the organisation’s tasks under the organisation’s administration and/or supervision. This definition does not include foster parents who are specifically referenced in relevant standards. 		 
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  EMPLOYEE

Paid member of an organisation. Foster parents are not considered employees and are specifically referenced in relevant standards. 		 
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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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  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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  WORKLOAD

The amount of work assigned to or expected from a person within a specified period of time. See also CASELOAD.		  
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  ADVANCED DEGREE

A degree at the Master’s level or beyond from an institution of higher education. An advanced degree does not include a Bachelor’s degree, an associate’s degree, or an educational certificate.		  
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  SOCIAL WORK

Professionally responsible interventions carried out by persons with formal, professional education at the BSW or MSW level from an accredited school of social work and appropriate licensing, certification, and registration credentials. Interventions are directed toward improving the transactions between people and environments to enhance the adaptive capacities of the participants and improve environments for all that function within them. Social work is a professional practice with a consumer group consisting of individuals, families, small groups, organisations, neighbourhoods, and communities and involving the disciplined application of knowledge and skill.		  
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  COMMUNITY

A specific group of people living in the same locality, and who may share a common culture, values, and norms. Communities can also be defined by race, religion, ethnicity, age, occupation, political status, interest in particular problems or outcomes, or other common bonds. The term "community" encompasses worksites, schools, residential neighbourhoods, business districts, recreational sites, and health and human service sites.		  
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  RESEARCH

For purposes of COA accreditation, all forms of internal or external research involving persons served except internal programme evaluation and outcomes research, or educational projects performed by students and interns that are part of their professional training.		  
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  QUALITY

In this context, the extent to which contemporary and generally recognised standards for professional practice are met and exceeded, and desirable service outcomes achieved.		  
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  TRAINING

Instruction so as to make fit, qualified, or proficient in a skill or body of knowledge.		  
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  TRANSITIONS

In the context of out-of-school time services (CA-OST), transitions are times when individuals or groups move from one place in the programme to another. Transitions take place: (1) when individual children or youth enter or exit the programme; (2) when a child or youth has finished an activity and chooses to move on to another; (3) when children and youth clean up or rearrange space to prepare for a new activity; and (4) when children and youth move from one area of the programme to another (e.g., when moving from the cafeteria to the gym). 		 
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  POLICY

A written statement of principles, values, or intent that provides a basis for consistent decision making and guides the actions of staff, management, and board of trustees. A policy is intentionally broad in its language and application. The following is an example of an anti-discrimination policy:

"[Organisation Name] shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers, selection of vendors, and provision of services."

In contrast, a procedure is a detailed, step-by-step description of a process. It tells the reader how to do something. Generally, policies are implemented through procedures. For example, the above anti-discrimination policy would require a detailed grievance procedure in order to operationalise it within an organisation.

The governing body has the fiduciary responsibility for setting organisational policy. Therefore, policies must be approved and periodically reviewed by the organisation's governing body. However, the governing body typically delegates (via policy) the responsibility for policy development to management. In owner-operated for-profit companies, the owner can act as the company's governing body, depending on the company's corporate structure.

In a public agency the responsibility for setting and reviewing policies may belong to the agency's management team, elected officials, another governmental agency, or as is often the case, a combination of the above.

  
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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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  CLIENT

See SERVICE RECIPIENT		  
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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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  CASELOAD

The aggregate number of clients and/or consumers of service (including individuals, families, and groups) for whom a given employee is responsible. See also WORKLOAD		  
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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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  EVALUATION

The review and assessment of organisational operations, programmes and services.		  
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Kinship Care Services
  
Private Org  

CA-KC 16: Personnel

 
Personnel are qualified, and receive support, to promote the safety and well-being of children and families, and facilitate permanency within established timeframes.
Interpretation: CA-KC 16 refers to employees only. Kinship caregivers are not considered personnel.
Note: When the organisation is unable to fully implement one or more of the standards within this section, intensive efforts should be made to fully implement the other standards. For example, if the organisation is unable to recruit workers with specific qualifications, it can ensure that appropriate supervision and workload standards are implemented.

CA-KC 16.01

 

Kinship care workers are qualified by:

  1. an advanced degree in social work or a comparable human service field; or
  2. a bachelor’s degree in social work or a comparable human service field with 2 years of related experience; or
  3. a community college child care diploma and 5 years of related experience.
Research Note: Research has shown that workers with MSW and BSW degrees receive higher ratings on quality assurance scales and on merit examinations. Additionally, while it may be more expensive to hire workers with MSWs, there should be a cost savings in the reduced amount of training and supervision that would be required for such workers.

CA-KC 16.02

 
Supervisors are qualified by an advanced degree in social work or another comparable human service field, and 2 years experience working with children and families, preferably in kinship care services.
related CA-TS 3

CA-KC 16.03

 
Supervisors or experienced workers provide additional support when personnel are new or are still developing competencies.

CA-KC 16.04

 

Kinship care workers have the competencies and support needed to:

  1. help children and families plan for and adjust to transitions;
  2. protect family privacy and promote caregiver autonomy;
  3. help families manage conflict;
  4. provide support to older caregivers; and
  5. support family reunification or another permanent living arrangement.
related CA-TS 1,  CA-TS 2
Interpretation: Competency can be demonstrated through education, training, or experience.

CA-KC 16.05

 

Kinship care workers and supervisors, depending on job responsibilities, are knowledgeable about provisions of provincial child welfare legislation and/or policy regarding placement of Aboriginal children, including:

  1. determination of jurisdiction;
  2. appropriate notice and collaboration with the child's nation;
  3. placement preferences; and
  4. court procedures.
related CA-TS 1,  CA-TS 2

CA-KC 16.06

 

Employee workloads support the achievement of client outcomes, are regularly reviewed, and are based on an assessment of the following:

  1. the qualifications, competencies, and experiences of the worker including the level of supervision needed;
  2. the work and time required to accomplish assigned tasks including those associated with individual caseloads and other organisational responsibilities;
  3. service elements provided by other team members or collaborating providers; and
  4. service volume, accounting for the complexity and status of each case.
Update: Revised Interpretation, Added Note - 03/01/10

CA-KC 16.06 Original Interpretation:

Generally, caseloads do not exceed 18 children or eight children with special therapeutic needs. Case complexity can take into account: intensity of child and family needs, size of the family, and the goal of the case.

Interpretation: Case complexity can take into account: intensity of child and family needs, size of the family, and the goal of the case. Generally, caseloads do not exceed 18 children or 8 children with special therapeutic needs. However, there are circumstances under which caseloads may exceed these limits. For example, caseload size may vary depending upon the volume of administrative case functions (e.g., entering notes, filing, etc.) assigned to the worker. Caseloads may also be higher when organisations are faced with temporary vacancies on staff.

Note: The evaluation of this standard will focus on whether the assigned workload is manageable for staff, taking into account the factors cited in the standard and interpretation. The specific caseload sizes stated in the interpretation are only a suggestion of what might be appropriate. Each organisation should determine what caseload size is appropriate, and reviewers will evaluate: (1) whether the organisation’s designated caseload size reflects a manageable workload, and (2) whether the organisation maintains caseloads of the size it deemed appropriate.
Research Note: Literature attributes large caseloads and time consuming paperwork to high turnover rates in the child welfare field. Timely reunification is less likely when the organisation has a high worker turnover rate. A manageable workload enables a worker to conduct home visits where they can build positive relationships and regularly assess the safety of the child. A system for assigning caseloads can be developed with input from staff members, time study data, and case studies of workers achieving positive outcomes.
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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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