❓ Hon Stephen Dawson asks the Minister for Child Protection about procedures for non-government foster care providers regarding reimbursement, resources, and Working With Children Checks. The Minister outlines the standards and monitoring processes in place.
AnsweredQoN 1169Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CHILD
PROTECTION — FOSTER CARE PROGRAM
1169. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the
Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the Department for Child Protection and Family
Support foster care program.
(1) What procedures are in place for
non-government foster care providers to manage —
(a) reimbursing foster carers for
expenses within a timely manner;
(b) ensuring that
appropriate and safe equipment and resources are provided to foster carers; and
(c) managing renewals of working
with children checks?
(2) Does the
department approve all applications for NGO-placed foster carers or is the
approval given by each individual organisation?
PROTECTION — FOSTER CARE PROGRAM
1169. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the
Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the Department for Child Protection and Family
Support foster care program.
(1) What procedures are in place for
non-government foster care providers to manage —
(a) reimbursing foster carers for
expenses within a timely manner;
(b) ensuring that
appropriate and safe equipment and resources are provided to foster carers; and
(c) managing renewals of working
with children checks?
(2) Does the
department approve all applications for NGO-placed foster carers or is the
approval given by each individual organisation?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of the question.
Non-government agencies providing general foster care for
children in the CEO's care are subject to ''Better Care, Better
Services: Standards for children and young people in protection and care''
of 2007. Agencies are required to adhere to these standards and report on them
as part of both six-monthly progress reporting and service reviews. The
Department for Child Protection and Family Support's standards monitoring
unit also undertakes assessment of these standards for individual agencies
providing general foster care.
(1) (a)–(b)
Non-government agency foster carers are supported by the agency they are
connected with in relation to all elements of providing care for children
placed with them. This includes managing reasonable and timely reimbursement of
costs associated with caring for children. The department provides all
non-government agencies with child subsidy payments six months in advance. This
is to assist agencies with ensuring timely payments are made to foster carers
caring for children in care.
(c) Non-government
agencies are expected to monitor their carers in relation to compliance with
working with children and other relevant checks. The working with children
information system automatically generates a working with children expiry
notice three months before their working with children card expires.
Through the department's ''Critical
Management Report WWC Check: Carer Compliance Report'', districts
monitor carers' working with children cards and relevant adult
household members on a regular basis. The department's screening unit
also sends a reminder notice to any carers who have not applied for a new card
one month prior to the date of expiry of their working with children card.
(2) Assessment
and approval of non-government agency–placed foster carers is the
responsibility of each individual organisation. Agencies may request a
department representative on the carer assessment and approval panel. All
foster carers—department and non-government agency—are required
to meet the carer competencies set out in the Children and Community Services
Regulations 2006.
Non-government agencies providing general foster care for
children in the CEO's care are subject to ''Better Care, Better
Services: Standards for children and young people in protection and care''
of 2007. Agencies are required to adhere to these standards and report on them
as part of both six-monthly progress reporting and service reviews. The
Department for Child Protection and Family Support's standards monitoring
unit also undertakes assessment of these standards for individual agencies
providing general foster care.
(1) (a)–(b)
Non-government agency foster carers are supported by the agency they are
connected with in relation to all elements of providing care for children
placed with them. This includes managing reasonable and timely reimbursement of
costs associated with caring for children. The department provides all
non-government agencies with child subsidy payments six months in advance. This
is to assist agencies with ensuring timely payments are made to foster carers
caring for children in care.
(c) Non-government
agencies are expected to monitor their carers in relation to compliance with
working with children and other relevant checks. The working with children
information system automatically generates a working with children expiry
notice three months before their working with children card expires.
Through the department's ''Critical
Management Report WWC Check: Carer Compliance Report'', districts
monitor carers' working with children cards and relevant adult
household members on a regular basis. The department's screening unit
also sends a reminder notice to any carers who have not applied for a new card
one month prior to the date of expiry of their working with children card.
(2) Assessment
and approval of non-government agency–placed foster carers is the
responsibility of each individual organisation. Agencies may request a
department representative on the carer assessment and approval panel. All
foster carers—department and non-government agency—are required
to meet the carer competencies set out in the Children and Community Services
Regulations 2006.
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