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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  PLANNING

The process of specifying objectives, evaluating the means for their achievement, and exercising deliberate decision making about appropriate courses of action.		  
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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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  CONTRACT

A formal written agreement between two or more parties that specifies the services, space, or products to be provided in exchange for some form of compensation. Also known as “purchase of service arrangement.”		  
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  FOSTER PARENTS

State- or county-licenced adults who provide a temporary home for children whose birth parents are unable to care for them. Foster parents are not considered employees or personnel and are specifically referenced in all relevant standards. 		 
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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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  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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  CONCURRENT PLANNING

An approach used in foster care casework that simultaneously involves the identification and assessment of possible alternative permanency options for a child with efforts toward parent/child reunification.		  
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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 REVIEW

A regular and periodic examination of a consumer’s service needs, service delivery goals and objectives, intervention plans, prognoses, and the timelines required to achieve them. The direct service provider and supervisor frequently conduct the case review, but it may also involve others, as in an interdisciplinary or inter-organisational case conference. The client, or the parent or legal guardian in the case of a minor, are included in his/her periodic case review by the team.		  
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  APPROPRIATENESS

The degree to which a particular service, placement, treatment, intervention, or activity is: best suited to an individual’s needs; not excessive, unduly intrusive, or restrictive; anticipated to be effective in achieving the desired and specified outcomes; and adequate or sufficient in quantity to address the problem.		  
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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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  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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  TERMINATION

See CASE CLOSING		  
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Foster Care Services
  
Private Org  

CA-FC 4: Child and Youth Permanency

 
The organisation participates in or facilitates a permanency planning process with families to promote stability and permanency.
Interpretation: Permanency work is aimed at achieving physical, emotional, and legal permanency for children and youth. Public and private agency roles in the permanency planning process are defined by provincial policy, regulations, or contracts.
Note: When the organisation is not responsible for facilitating the permanency planning, it documents attempts to participate in the process.

CA-FC 4.01

 

Service providers, foster parents, the public authority, and the court work with the child, youth, and family to develop a permanency plan within 30 days of placement, which specifies:

  1. the permanency goal(s);
  2. a timeframe for achieving permanency; and
  3. activities that support permanency.

Interpretation: Efforts are made to locate family members who can be involved in permanency planning and who may wish to (re)establish positive relationships with the child. Aboriginal representatives and service providers should be involved in the permanency planning process where available.

Interpretation: The age of a youth should not limit the consideration of all permanency options.

Interpretation: In extenuating circumstances the plan can be completed within 60 days. The timeframe for achieving permanency is consistent with provincial regulations. Whenever possible, the permanency timeline for parents with substance use conditions reflects the time needed to receive substance use treatment services and make progress towards recovery.

CA-FC 4.02

 

Concurrent planning is undertaken when appropriate and includes:

  1. early assessment of the potential for reunification;
  2. full disclosure of options, expectations, and timelines;
  3. early identification of potential family resources;
  4. early placement with a permanent family resource; and
  5. counselling parents about relinquishment and permanency options when reunification seems unlikely.
related CA-AS 8.06
Interpretation: Provincial statutes or administrative policy may provide guidance about when concurrent planning is appropriate, and how concurrent planning is to be conducted.

CA-FC 4.03

 

The child, parents, foster parents, and relevant professionals participate in a court or administrative case review at least every six months to assess:

  1. the safety and appropriateness of continued placement;
  2. parent, child, and sibling visitation;
  3. efforts to reunify the family and progress toward permanency;
  4. possible placement resources and best options; and
  5. appropriateness of services.
Interpretation: Provincial statutes or administrative rules may provide guidance about when and how administrative reviews are to be conducted. The case review may be conducted by or in collaboration with the public authority. The review is scheduled at times when appropriate parties can attend.

CA-FC 4.04

 
Youth are actively involved in the permanency planning process, and children and youth receive age appropriate information about progress toward permanency.

CA-FC 4.05

 

The case record documents opportunities provided to parents in support of reunification, including:

  1. involvement in service planning and access to needed services;
  2. constructive visitation and on-going contact with the child;
  3. reduction of barriers to contact, visitation, and involvement in the child’s care; and
  4. use of resources to prepare the family for reunification.
Note: The documentation must be in a format legally admissible as evidence to facilitate court proceedings.

CA-FC 4.06

 
The organisation recommends, when possible, or files, a petition to terminate parental rights for children who have been in care for 15 of the most recent 22 months, unless case-specific information legally exempts a child.
Interpretation: The reason submitted for termination of parental rights cannot be the length of time a child has been in care. When the decision is made not to reunify the child and parents, the justification and an alternative permanency goal are entered into the case record.
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PURPOSE: Children and youth who receive Foster Care Services live in a stable home, remain safe and healthy, and achieve permanency and well-being.
 
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