Appendix A: What is happening around Australia?
Appendix A sets out the current standards for each State and Territory in Australia, and indicates whether they address the areas outlined as the focus of the National Standards for Out of Home Care.
A.1 Australian Capital Territory
While the Australian Capital Territory does not have any provider accreditation standards in place for Out of Home Care, it does have practice standards for the provision of substitute care. For its part, the Charter of Rights for Children and Young People in Out of Home Care sets out what children and young people can expect from the people who are looking after them and who work with them. The charter covers safety, physical health, culture and education.
Provider accreditation standards
Not applicable
Areas addressed by standards
Not applicable
A.2 New South Wales
In 2008, the New South Wales Children's Guardian commenced a review of its accreditation and quality improvement program.
The Children's Guardian initiated this review because:
The accreditation system currently in place is a 'foundation system' and, like all other accreditation systems, needs to evolve over time in light of operational experience.
- A range of Out of Home Care service providers, in meetings with the Children's Guardian, suggested improvements could be made to the operation and administration of the Program
- The system was overly prescriptive and cumbersome and not child focused
- Out of Home Care agencies are expected to review their policies and procedures every three years and it is appropriate that the Children's Guardian apply this same principle to its own work.
As a result of the review, a range of regulatory reforms and the streamlining of the New South Wales Out of Home Care Standards have been undertaken and updated standards have been developed, with a focus on outcomes for children. The updated standards are in draft form awaiting finalisation.
A.3 Northern Territory
The Northern Territory has Out of Home Care Standards in place that focus on physical health, emotional development, culture and education.
Provider accreditation standards
The current Out of Home Care standards in the Northern Territory state that children and young people in Out of Home Care must be cared for in a way that ensures the following:67
- their dignity and rights are respected at all times
- their needs for physical care are met, including adequate food, clothing and shelter
- they will receive emotional care, which allows them to experience being liked, cared about and valued, all of which contribute to their positive self-regard
- they will be encouraged to maintain family and other significant personal relationships
- their needs relating to their culture and ethnicity will be met
- they will receive education, training or employment opportunities according to their age and ability
- they will receive positive guidance when necessary to help them to change harmful or inappropriate behaviours. Techniques for the management of the child's behaviour must not include corporal punishment or punishment that humiliates, frightens or threatens the child in a way that is likely to cause physical or emotional harm
- they will receive dental, medical and therapeutic services necessary to meet their needs
- they will be given the opportunity to participate in positive social and recreational activities appropriate to their developmental level and age.
All placement decisions regarding Indigenous children and young people in Australia should be made in reference to the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle.
Areas addressed by standards
The standards address the following areas:
- health
- emotional development
- culture
- learning and achieving.
A.4 Queensland
Queensland has adopted minimum service standards for Out of Home Care providers.
Provider accreditation standards
The Child Safety Service Standards apply to all services provided by, or under the auspices of, the Department for Child Safety. The standards set out 11 core standards that are underpinned by specific criteria required to meet the service standards in the categories of process documentation, staff management and awareness, and output documentation.
Standard for Accessibility of Services providing that organisations facilitate the access to services by children and young people and their families
Standard for Responding to the Needs of Children, Young People and Families providing that organisations deliver services in a planned and targeted way that responds to the needs of their client group
Standard for Participation and Choice providing that services assist children and young people and their families to be empowered to become more self-reliant
Standard for Confidentiality and Privacy providing that organisations protect the privacy of children and young people and their families
Standard for Feedback, Complaints and Appeals focusing on how organisations facilitate and accept feedback and use this feedback to improve services
Standard for Protecting the Safety of Children and Young People providing that organisations have adequate processes for identifying and responding to harm of young people including that occurring as a result of care. This standard also provides that organisations adequately comply with relevant safety standards such as building requirements
Standard for Recruitment and Selection Processes for Staff, Carers and other Volunteers requiring that staff volunteers and carers are appropriately qualified for the roles they are undertaking
Standard for Induction, Learning, Training, and Development for Staff, Carers and Other Volunteers requiring that people working with organisations are appropriately oriented and provided with opportunities to learn and develop skills
Standard for Staff, Carer and other Volunteer Support and Supervision providing that staff, carers and volunteers are supported to meet the Statement of Standards
Standard for Organisational Alignment requiring that organisations have a clear vision and that policies and processes are aligned with that vision
Standard for Governance and Accountability focusing on the management of internal and external accountabilities.
Areas addressed by standards
The standards address the following areas:
- emotional development
- culture
- safety.
A.5 South Australia
South Australia has implemented the Alternative Care Standards that provide the benchmark for best practice in provision of care to children and young people. These standards address the areas of safety, health, physical development, education, culture and emotional development and underpin an overarching set of core principles. South Australia has also enacted a Charter of Rights for Children and Young People in Care.
Provider accreditation standards
Standard 1 Entering care: requiring all care providers to individually match young people to suitable placements
Standard 2 Case management: requiring Families SA case workers to meet best-practice standards in working with young people, their families and carers
Standard 3 Care provision: applying to family-based (foster care, relative care and kinship care) and non-family based care arrangements (residential care, transitional accommodation, commercial care workers, congregate care and independent living) and requiring that contracted care providers provide a safe and secure living environment suitable for young people's needs and subject to regular monitoring and review
Standard 4 Participation: requiring that children, young people, their families and carers are supported to participate and make decisions in their case planning
Standard 5 Care records: requiring that the sector maintains records to appropriate standards including confidentiality standards
Standard 6 Customer relations: mandating the appropriate response to all customer complaints
Standard 7 Transition planning: requiring transition planning to occur for young people entering care to the point when they leave care
Standard 8 Sector partnerships: requiring that government and non-government service providers work in partnership to deliver services to young people.68
Areas addressed by standards
The standards and charter address the following areas:
- safety
- health
- learning and achieving
- culture
- emotional development.
A.6 Tasmania
Tasmania has recently launched a Charter of Rights for Tasmanian Children and Young People in Out of Home Care that provides guidance on what children can expect from their care providers. These rights cover the areas of safety, physical health, culture, education and emotional development. Tasmania does not have Out of Home Care standards in place.
Provider accreditation standards
Not applicable
Areas addressed by standards
Not applicable
A.7 Victoria
Victoria has standards in place to regulate community service organisations (CSOs) providing Out of Home Care. These standards focus on the areas of safety, physical health, culture, spirituality, education and emotional development. The standards are supported by an overarching Charter for Children in Out of Home Care that sets out what children and young people should expect from the system.
Provider accreditation standards69
Standard 1: The CSO has the leadership and management capacity to provide clarity of direction, ensure accountability and support quality and responsive services for children, youth and their families.
Standard 2: The CSO promotes a culture which values and respects children, youth and their families, carers, staff and volunteers.
Standard 3: Staff, carers and volunteers support positive outcomes for children, youth and their families.
Standard 4: The CSO creates a welcoming, safe and accessible environment which promotes the inclusion of children, youth and families.
Standard 5: The CSO promotes the safety, stability and development of children and youth.
Standard 6: The CSO strengthens the capability of parents, families and carers to provide effective care.
Standard 7: The CSO provides responsive services to support the best interests of children and youth.
Standard 8: The CSO creates an integrated service response, which supports the safety, stability and development of children and youth.
Areas addressed by standards
The charter and standards address the following areas:
- safety
- health
- culture
- spirituality
- learning and achieving
- emotional development.
A.8 Western Australia
Western Australia has implemented the Better Care, Better Services standards, which provide an accountability framework for service providers. These standards focus on the areas of safety, education, culture and emotional development and are supported by an overarching Charter of Rights for Children and Young People in Care.
Provider accreditation standards70
The Better Care, Better Services standards include:
Standard 1: Assessing the well-being of a child
Standard 2: Protection and safety of children and young people
Standard 3: Safety for children and young people in care
Standard 4: Responding to the needs of children and young people and families
Standard 5: Planning with children, young people, their families and carers
Standard 6: Children and young people in placement
Standard 7: Accountability and governance
Standard 8: Carers and staff recruitment, training, assessment and support
Standard 9: Complaints and disputes.
Areas addressed by standards
The standards address the following areas:
- health
- safety
- culture
- learning and achieving
- emotional development.
- Northern Territory Government, 2006, Standards of Care, Department of Health and Families , Darwin . Available online athttp://www.nt.gov.au/health/comm_svs/facs/foster_care/standardsofcare.s…(Opens in a new tab/window), accessed November 2009.
- State Government of South Australia, (2008), Alternative Care Standards, Adelaide: Department for Families and Communities.
- State Government of Victoria (2007), Registration Standards for community service organisations, Victorian Department of Human Services , Melbourne .
- State Government of Western Australia (2008), Better Care, Better Services, Perth, Department of Child Protection .