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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  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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  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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  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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  SPECIAL NEEDS

A designation used in reference to conditions or characteristics of a person that reflect a need for special care, services, or treatment. When the term is used in the context of adoption services, special needs refers to conditions that make a child harder to place for adoption. This includes children who are members of sibling groups, older children, children with disabilities, children of certain racial /ethnic backgrounds, etc. When the term is used in the context of foster care it refers to the need for a higher degree of specialised case services and attention due to mental and physical disabilities. When the term is used in the context of out-of-school time services, a child or youth may have special physical, behavioural, medical, emotional, or cognitive needs that should be addressed or accomodated. The term is also used in other contexts. See also DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.		  
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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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  CONSULTANT

A person who provides specialised or technical advice or services to an organisation for specific purposes on a contractual or fee basis, or who provides such services as a volunteer with an agreement to provide services on a pro
bono basis.		  
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  PROGRAMME

A system of services offered by an organisation. For example, an organisation providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programmes to different populations, e.g., a mental health programme for adolescent teens. The word “programme” can be used interchangeably with the word “service” or to describe specific programmes.		  
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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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  PRACTICE

Established actions or ways of proceeding in the regular performance of organisational duties. Policies and procedures often guide practice.		  
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  CONFIDENTIALITY

An ethical and practice principle that requires the protection of information shared within a professional-client relationship. An organisation that upholds confidentiality prohibits personnel from disclosing information about persons served without their written consent.		  
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  CLIENT

See SERVICE RECIPIENT		  
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  EVALUATION

The review and assessment of organisational operations, programmes and services.		  
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  ELIGIBILITY

The degree to which an individual, family, group, or community meets the specific criteria and qualifications required to receive goods, benefits, or services.		  
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  CRITERIA

Systematically developed, objective, and quantifiable statements used to assess the appropriateness of specific decisions, services, and outcomes.		  
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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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Adoption Services
  
Private Org  

CA-AS 1: Adoptive Parent Recruitment

 
The organisation ensures a diverse group of prospective adoptive parents considers the benefits and responsibilities of adoption, and a sufficient number of available adoptive families for children awaiting adoption.
NA The organisation only provides Foster Care to Adoption Services.
NA The organisation provides homestudy services only.
NA The organisation provides post placement services only.

CA-AS 1.01

 
Family members, foster parents, former caregivers, and other adults with a connection to the child are considered as prospective adoptive parents or as a resource for the child, and are appropriately involved in the child’s placement.

CA-AS 1.02

 
An organisation that has responsibility for placing children with special needs makes a proactive, intensive effort to recruit adoptive parents.
Interpretation: Children with special needs are children who may be difficult to place or may have a greater risk of disruption and dissolution, and can include: sibling groups, older children, children with health, emotional, behavioural and developmental problems, and children of a racial or ethnic minority.
NA The organisation does not place children with special needs for adoption.

CA-AS 1.03

 
Recruitment is conducted in a responsive, respectful, and ethical manner.
Update: Added Second Interpretation - 03/01/10
Added Second Interpretation
Interpretation: Organisations that use online photo listing services ensure that appropriate mechanisms are in place to protect confidential information.
Interpretation: Generally, when board members, employees, or consultants of the organisation express interest in becoming adoptive parents, the organisation refers them to another provider. If the organisation allows board members, employees, or consultants to adopt children through the programme, the organisation must have a policy and procedures that address the circumstances under which this practice is allowed, conflicts of interest, confidentiality of client and adoptive parent information, evaluation of the adoptive home, and any other risks that have been identified by the organisation.
Research Note: Literature suggests that a prompt response to initial inquires from prospective adoptive parents can improve recruitment.

CA-AS 1.04

 

When services are limited to specific types of adoptive families, the organisation:

  1. considers its mission, resources, capacity, and contractual and legal obligations, and the needs of children awaiting adoption when developing a policy for such selectivity;
  2. provides information about eligibility criteria to prospective parents; and
  3. refers applicants who are outside the scope of the organisation’s services to another provider.
Research Note: Research suggests that prospective adoptive parents can become discouraged when organisations are not able to provide services and are unable to refer them to a more appropriate provider. Researchers recommend local organisations collaborate to make comprehensive information regarding available services and eligibility criteria readily accessible.
NA The organisation does not limit services to specific types of adoptive families.

CA-AS 1.05

 
Applicants are treated equitably and are informed about what services will be available and when.
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PURPOSE: Adoption Services establish a permanent family for children and youth awaiting adoption, and increase the well-being and functioning of birth parents, adoptive families, and adopted individuals.
 
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