Attachment A

National Standards for out-of-home care and their measures

Standard 1

Children and young people will be provided with stability and security during their time in care.

Measures

• 1.1 The proportion of children and young people exiting out-of-home care during the year who had 1 or 2 placements, by length of time in continuous care preceding exit.
• 1.2 The rate and number of children in out-of-home care who were the subject of a child protection substantiation and the person believed responsible was living in the household providing out-of-home care.
• 1.3 The proportion of children and young people in out-of-home care who report feeling safe in and secure in their current placement.

Standard 2

Children and young people participate in decisions that have an impact on their lives.

Measure

• 2.1 The proportion of children and young people who report that they have opportunities to have a say in relation to decisions that have an impact on their lives and that they feel listened to.

Standard 3

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities participate in decisions concerning the care and placement of their children and young people.

Measure

• 3.1 The proportion of Indigenous children and young people in out-of-home care placed with the child's extended family, with the child's Indigenous community, or with other Indigenous people, by carer type. See also Measure 10.1 The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people who have a current cultural support plan.

Standard 4

Each child and young person has an individualised plan that details their health, education and other needs.

Measure

• 4.1 The proportion of children and young people who have a current documented case plan.

Standard 5

Children and young people have their physical, developmental, psychosocial and mental health needs assessed and attended to in a timely way.

Measure

• 5.1 The number and proportion of children and young people who have an initial health check of their physical, developmental, psychosocial and mental health needs within a specified period of entering out-of-home care.

Standard 6

Children and young people in care access and participate in education and early childhood services to maximise their educational outcomes.

Measures

• 6.1 The proportion of children and young people achieving national reading and numeracy benchmarks.
• 6.2 The number and proportion of 3 and 4 year old children who participate in quality early childhood education and child care services.

Standard 7

Children and young people up to at least 18 years are supported to be engaged in appropriate education, training and/or employment.

Measure

• 7.1 The proportion of young people who complete year 10 and the proportion who complete year 12 or equivalent Vocational Education & Training.

Standard 8

Children and young people in care are supported to participate in social and/or recreational activities of their choice, such as sporting, cultural or community activity.

Measure

• 8.1 The proportion of children and young people who report they may choose to do the same sorts of things (sporting, cultural or community activities) that children and young people their age who aren't in care do.

Standard 9

Children and young people are supported to safely and appropriately maintain connection with family, be they birth parents, siblings or other family members.

Measures

• 9.1 The proportion of children and young people in out-of-home care who are placed with relatives and kin.
• 9.2 The proportion of children and young people who report they have an existing connection with at least one family member which they expect to maintain.
• 9.3 The proportion of children (as age-appropriate) and young people who report having contact with family members, by the reported frequency of contact, by their reported satisfaction with contact arrangements.

Standard 10

Children and young people in care are supported to develop their identity, safely and appropriately, through contact with their families, friends, culture, spiritual sources and communities and have their life history recorded as they grow up.

Measures

• 10.1 The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people who have a current cultural support plan.
• 10.2 The proportion of children (as age-appropriate) and young people who demonstrate having a sense of connection with the community in which they live.

Standard 11

Children and young people in care are supported to safely and appropriately identify and stay in touch, with at least one other person who cares about their future, who they can turn to for support and advice.

Measure

• 11.1 The proportion of children and young people who are able to nominate at least one significant adult who cares about them and who they believe they will be able to depend upon throughout their childhood or young adulthood.

Standard 12

Carers are assessed and receive relevant ongoing training, development and support, in order to provide quality care.

Measures

• 12.1 The number of foster carer households with a placement at 30 June, by number of foster children placed, and number of foster carer households with a placement during the year.
• 12.2 The number of foster carers at 30 June, and the number of new approvals of persons as foster carers and the number of persons who cease to be approved foster carers during the twelve months to 30 June
• 12.3 The proportion of foster carers and kinship carers (who had at least one placement during the year) who report feeling supported in their role and who feel their developmental needs relevant to their role are catered for.

Standard 13

Children and young people have a transition from care plan commencing at 15 years old which details support to be provided after leaving care.

Measures

• 13.1 The proportion of young people aged 15 years and over who have a current leaving care plan.
• 13.2 The proportion of young people who, at the time of exit from out-of-home care, report they are receiving adequate assistance to prepare for adult life.