❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding the number of carers with multiple children, overdue screenings, and overdue reviews in May 2020. The response indicates data limitations and provides updated figures from October 2020.
AnsweredQoN 3260Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) During the month of May 2020, what was the total number of registered carers with four or more children placed with them, by category of relative and non-relative carer, by district? (2) During the month of May 2020, how many carers had a ‘carer record screening’ overdue or not recorded, by category of relative and non-relative carer, by district? (3) During the month of May 2020, how many carers had overdue ‘carer reviews’, by category of relative and non-relative carer, by district?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
5 November 2020
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Child Protection
Response time
9 days
(1)
This information is not captured and available retrospectively. As at 16 October 2020:
District
Family Carer
Foster Carer
Armadale
4
11
Cannington
6
2
East Kimberley
0
2
Fremantle
6
0
Goldfields
1
4
Great Southern
2
0
Joondalup
3
5
Midland
14
8
Midwest Gascoyne
5
6
Mirrabooka
3
6
Peel
7
5
Perth
5
6
Pilbara
5
1
Rockingham
5
3
Southwest
6
8
West Kimberley
2
1
Wheatbelt
12
2
Total
86
70
(2)
This information is not captured and available retrospectively. As at 16 October 2020:
District
Total
Armadale
1
East Kimberley
1
Goldfields
1
Midland
4
Midwest Gascoyne
1
Perth
5
South West
4
West Kimberley
1
Wheatbelt
1
An urgent placement with a family member or significant other can be made under s.79(2)(b) of the Children and Community Services Act 2004 , based on an initial safety assessment and may occur prior to the commencement of formal record screening. Where urgent care arrangements occur, the Department of Communities (Communities) undertakes a safety assessment, focusing on the safety, wellbeing and best interests of the child. These urgent arrangements can occur in circumstances where children enter Communities’ care suddenly or there is a sudden change to their care arrangement.
Carer screening forms part of the carer assessment process and includes a Criminal Record Check and a Client and Child Protection Check.
Communities actively monitors and actions where record screenings are not recorded.
(3)
This information is not captured and available retrospectively. As at 16 October 2020:
District
Family
Foster
Armadale
31
20
Cannington
25
12
East Kimberley
3
1
Fremantle
23
4
Goldfields
5
5
Great Southern
8
6
Joondalup
20
18
Midland
25
17
Midwest Gascoyne
31
15
Mirrabooka
26
11
Peel
27
24
Perth
24
16
Pilbara
9
2
Rockingham
29
13
Southwest
28
19
West Kimberley
34
2
Wheatbelt
16
9
Child and Carer Connection Hub
0
2
Total
364
196
A person who applies to become a foster carer is assessed against five criteria, known as competencies identified in the Children and Community Services Regulations 2006. The CEO must be satisfied that the individual:
Providing support to foster carers forms part of an ongoing process, through regular visits with the foster carer and de-briefing. The foster carer review meeting is an additional annual event, with information gathered from visits or other contact with the foster carer throughout the year contributing to the annual (12 month) review process and re-assessment against the competencies.
Communities recognises that at times, annual reviews can be impacted by carer availability, distance or a sudden change in circumstances or care arrangement.
This information is not captured and available retrospectively. As at 16 October 2020:
District
Family Carer
Foster Carer
Armadale
4
11
Cannington
6
2
East Kimberley
0
2
Fremantle
6
0
Goldfields
1
4
Great Southern
2
0
Joondalup
3
5
Midland
14
8
Midwest Gascoyne
5
6
Mirrabooka
3
6
Peel
7
5
Perth
5
6
Pilbara
5
1
Rockingham
5
3
Southwest
6
8
West Kimberley
2
1
Wheatbelt
12
2
Total
86
70
(2)
This information is not captured and available retrospectively. As at 16 October 2020:
District
Total
Armadale
1
East Kimberley
1
Goldfields
1
Midland
4
Midwest Gascoyne
1
Perth
5
South West
4
West Kimberley
1
Wheatbelt
1
An urgent placement with a family member or significant other can be made under s.79(2)(b) of the Children and Community Services Act 2004 , based on an initial safety assessment and may occur prior to the commencement of formal record screening. Where urgent care arrangements occur, the Department of Communities (Communities) undertakes a safety assessment, focusing on the safety, wellbeing and best interests of the child. These urgent arrangements can occur in circumstances where children enter Communities’ care suddenly or there is a sudden change to their care arrangement.
Carer screening forms part of the carer assessment process and includes a Criminal Record Check and a Client and Child Protection Check.
Communities actively monitors and actions where record screenings are not recorded.
(3)
This information is not captured and available retrospectively. As at 16 October 2020:
District
Family
Foster
Armadale
31
20
Cannington
25
12
East Kimberley
3
1
Fremantle
23
4
Goldfields
5
5
Great Southern
8
6
Joondalup
20
18
Midland
25
17
Midwest Gascoyne
31
15
Mirrabooka
26
11
Peel
27
24
Perth
24
16
Pilbara
9
2
Rockingham
29
13
Southwest
28
19
West Kimberley
34
2
Wheatbelt
16
9
Child and Carer Connection Hub
0
2
Total
364
196
A person who applies to become a foster carer is assessed against five criteria, known as competencies identified in the Children and Community Services Regulations 2006. The CEO must be satisfied that the individual:
Providing support to foster carers forms part of an ongoing process, through regular visits with the foster carer and de-briefing. The foster carer review meeting is an additional annual event, with information gathered from visits or other contact with the foster carer throughout the year contributing to the annual (12 month) review process and re-assessment against the competencies.
Communities recognises that at times, annual reviews can be impacted by carer availability, distance or a sudden change in circumstances or care arrangement.
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