❓ A parliamentary question regarding the qualifications, assessment timeframe, and procedures for foster care assessors in Western Australia. The Minister provides a detailed response outlining the requirements and process.
AnsweredQoN 1054Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to foster care assessments, and ask -
(1) What qualifications do foster care assessors need to have?
(2) How long does an assessment of a family take before they are deemed suitable to be foster carer?
(3) Will the Minister provide details of the process of assessment procedures?
(1) What qualifications do foster care assessors need to have?
(2) How long does an assessment of a family take before they are deemed suitable to be foster carer?
(3) Will the Minister provide details of the process of assessment procedures?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 May 2005
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Community Development
Response time
21 days
1) Assessors must have a tertiary degree in human services with two years post graduate experience. All current assessors have either a social work or psychology degree, with more than two years post graduate experience. 2) An assessment will normally be completed within three months. 3) There are three stages in the assessment of general foster carers: One: Interested people are invited to an information evening conducted by the Department for Community Development. All applicants then undergo screening processes that include police and Department for Community Development record checks, personal references and medical checks. Two: A series of interviews involving three or four visits to the prospective carer's home by a qualified assessor to assess their personal characteristics; home environment; ability to interact well with children and their families; parenting skills; and family functioning. This stage of the assessment takes into account four competencies which the prospective carers must meet: capacity to provide care to children where they are safe from harm capacity to provide a standard of care to other people's children that promotes their healthy emotional, physical, sexual, social, cultural and educational development ability to contribute to the Department's planning for children/young people by working with the child's family, significant others and professional people preparedness to take responsibility for personal competence and skills development. Three: The written assessment report is considered by a panel who decide whether to recommend the carer for registration. Following the panel decision, the District Manager must ratify the recommendation. Approved applicants attend mandatory preparation training before beginning to foster children.
2) An assessment will normally be completed within three months. 3) There are three stages in the assessment of general foster carers: One: Interested people are invited to an information evening conducted by the Department for Community Development. All applicants then undergo screening processes that include police and Department for Community Development record checks, personal references and medical checks. Two: A series of interviews involving three or four visits to the prospective carer's home by a qualified assessor to assess their personal characteristics; home environment; ability to interact well with children and their families; parenting skills; and family functioning. This stage of the assessment takes into account four competencies which the prospective carers must meet: capacity to provide care to children where they are safe from harm capacity to provide a standard of care to other people's children that promotes their healthy emotional, physical, sexual, social, cultural and educational development ability to contribute to the Department's planning for children/young people by working with the child's family, significant others and professional people preparedness to take responsibility for personal competence and skills development. Three: The written assessment report is considered by a panel who decide whether to recommend the carer for registration. Following the panel decision, the District Manager must ratify the recommendation. Approved applicants attend mandatory preparation training before beginning to foster children.
3) There are three stages in the assessment of general foster carers: One: Interested people are invited to an information evening conducted by the Department for Community Development. All applicants then undergo screening processes that include police and Department for Community Development record checks, personal references and medical checks. Two: A series of interviews involving three or four visits to the prospective carer's home by a qualified assessor to assess their personal characteristics; home environment; ability to interact well with children and their families; parenting skills; and family functioning. This stage of the assessment takes into account four competencies which the prospective carers must meet: capacity to provide care to children where they are safe from harm capacity to provide a standard of care to other people's children that promotes their healthy emotional, physical, sexual, social, cultural and educational development ability to contribute to the Department's planning for children/young people by working with the child's family, significant others and professional people preparedness to take responsibility for personal competence and skills development. Three: The written assessment report is considered by a panel who decide whether to recommend the carer for registration. Following the panel decision, the District Manager must ratify the recommendation. Approved applicants attend mandatory preparation training before beginning to foster children.
One: Interested people are invited to an information evening conducted by the Department for Community Development. All applicants then undergo screening processes that include police and Department for Community Development record checks, personal references and medical checks. Two: A series of interviews involving three or four visits to the prospective carer's home by a qualified assessor to assess their personal characteristics; home environment; ability to interact well with children and their families; parenting skills; and family functioning. This stage of the assessment takes into account four competencies which the prospective carers must meet: capacity to provide care to children where they are safe from harm capacity to provide a standard of care to other people's children that promotes their healthy emotional, physical, sexual, social, cultural and educational development ability to contribute to the Department's planning for children/young people by working with the child's family, significant others and professional people preparedness to take responsibility for personal competence and skills development. Three: The written assessment report is considered by a panel who decide whether to recommend the carer for registration. Following the panel decision, the District Manager must ratify the recommendation. Approved applicants attend mandatory preparation training before beginning to foster children.
Two: A series of interviews involving three or four visits to the prospective carer's home by a qualified assessor to assess their personal characteristics; home environment; ability to interact well with children and their families; parenting skills; and family functioning. This stage of the assessment takes into account four competencies which the prospective carers must meet: capacity to provide care to children where they are safe from harm capacity to provide a standard of care to other people's children that promotes their healthy emotional, physical, sexual, social, cultural and educational development ability to contribute to the Department's planning for children/young people by working with the child's family, significant others and professional people preparedness to take responsibility for personal competence and skills development. Three: The written assessment report is considered by a panel who decide whether to recommend the carer for registration. Following the panel decision, the District Manager must ratify the recommendation. Approved applicants attend mandatory preparation training before beginning to foster children.
This stage of the assessment takes into account four competencies which the prospective carers must meet: capacity to provide care to children where they are safe from harm capacity to provide a standard of care to other people's children that promotes their healthy emotional, physical, sexual, social, cultural and educational development ability to contribute to the Department's planning for children/young people by working with the child's family, significant others and professional people preparedness to take responsibility for personal competence and skills development. Three: The written assessment report is considered by a panel who decide whether to recommend the carer for registration. Following the panel decision, the District Manager must ratify the recommendation. Approved applicants attend mandatory preparation training before beginning to foster children.
2) An assessment will normally be completed within three months. 3) There are three stages in the assessment of general foster carers: One: Interested people are invited to an information evening conducted by the Department for Community Development. All applicants then undergo screening processes that include police and Department for Community Development record checks, personal references and medical checks. Two: A series of interviews involving three or four visits to the prospective carer's home by a qualified assessor to assess their personal characteristics; home environment; ability to interact well with children and their families; parenting skills; and family functioning. This stage of the assessment takes into account four competencies which the prospective carers must meet: capacity to provide care to children where they are safe from harm capacity to provide a standard of care to other people's children that promotes their healthy emotional, physical, sexual, social, cultural and educational development ability to contribute to the Department's planning for children/young people by working with the child's family, significant others and professional people preparedness to take responsibility for personal competence and skills development. Three: The written assessment report is considered by a panel who decide whether to recommend the carer for registration. Following the panel decision, the District Manager must ratify the recommendation. Approved applicants attend mandatory preparation training before beginning to foster children.
3) There are three stages in the assessment of general foster carers: One: Interested people are invited to an information evening conducted by the Department for Community Development. All applicants then undergo screening processes that include police and Department for Community Development record checks, personal references and medical checks. Two: A series of interviews involving three or four visits to the prospective carer's home by a qualified assessor to assess their personal characteristics; home environment; ability to interact well with children and their families; parenting skills; and family functioning. This stage of the assessment takes into account four competencies which the prospective carers must meet: capacity to provide care to children where they are safe from harm capacity to provide a standard of care to other people's children that promotes their healthy emotional, physical, sexual, social, cultural and educational development ability to contribute to the Department's planning for children/young people by working with the child's family, significant others and professional people preparedness to take responsibility for personal competence and skills development. Three: The written assessment report is considered by a panel who decide whether to recommend the carer for registration. Following the panel decision, the District Manager must ratify the recommendation. Approved applicants attend mandatory preparation training before beginning to foster children.
One: Interested people are invited to an information evening conducted by the Department for Community Development. All applicants then undergo screening processes that include police and Department for Community Development record checks, personal references and medical checks. Two: A series of interviews involving three or four visits to the prospective carer's home by a qualified assessor to assess their personal characteristics; home environment; ability to interact well with children and their families; parenting skills; and family functioning. This stage of the assessment takes into account four competencies which the prospective carers must meet: capacity to provide care to children where they are safe from harm capacity to provide a standard of care to other people's children that promotes their healthy emotional, physical, sexual, social, cultural and educational development ability to contribute to the Department's planning for children/young people by working with the child's family, significant others and professional people preparedness to take responsibility for personal competence and skills development. Three: The written assessment report is considered by a panel who decide whether to recommend the carer for registration. Following the panel decision, the District Manager must ratify the recommendation. Approved applicants attend mandatory preparation training before beginning to foster children.
Two: A series of interviews involving three or four visits to the prospective carer's home by a qualified assessor to assess their personal characteristics; home environment; ability to interact well with children and their families; parenting skills; and family functioning. This stage of the assessment takes into account four competencies which the prospective carers must meet: capacity to provide care to children where they are safe from harm capacity to provide a standard of care to other people's children that promotes their healthy emotional, physical, sexual, social, cultural and educational development ability to contribute to the Department's planning for children/young people by working with the child's family, significant others and professional people preparedness to take responsibility for personal competence and skills development. Three: The written assessment report is considered by a panel who decide whether to recommend the carer for registration. Following the panel decision, the District Manager must ratify the recommendation. Approved applicants attend mandatory preparation training before beginning to foster children.
This stage of the assessment takes into account four competencies which the prospective carers must meet: capacity to provide care to children where they are safe from harm capacity to provide a standard of care to other people's children that promotes their healthy emotional, physical, sexual, social, cultural and educational development ability to contribute to the Department's planning for children/young people by working with the child's family, significant others and professional people preparedness to take responsibility for personal competence and skills development. Three: The written assessment report is considered by a panel who decide whether to recommend the carer for registration. Following the panel decision, the District Manager must ratify the recommendation. Approved applicants attend mandatory preparation training before beginning to foster children.
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