List of terms

Carer

A carer who is paid a regular allowance for the child or young person's support by a government authority or non-government organisation. The carer is registered, licensed or approved as a foster parent by an authorised department or non-government organisation.

Individualised plan

A care plan developed to facilitate care and the provision of services to children and young people in out-of-home care. It includes, but is not limited to, care plans, restoration plans, individualised service plans, leaving care plans and permanency plans.

It identifies all the participants and records the specific wishes and views of the child and young person and other significant family members. Any dissenting or contrary views are recorded along with any supporting evidence for those views. All parties receive a copy of the care plan and are advised of any subsequent variations.

Comprehensive health and development assessment

A comprehensive health and developmental assessment should ideally be completed on all children and young people within three months of their entry to out-of-home care.

A comprehensive health and developmental assessment should go beyond basic screening to provide in-depth examination and assessment across the physical health, developmental and psychosocial and mental health domains.

The frequency of follow-up assessments should be a clinical decision for each individual and have both case-dependent and age-dependent considerations.

Developmentally appropriate

Assessment processes, actions, decisions and planning involving children and young people should take account of their developmental level across a spectrum of their 'life worlds' including health, education, identity, family and social relationships, social presentation, emotional and behavioural development and self care.

Health record

Relevant health information that is in a consolidated form that documents the child or young person's state of health and identified needs.

Life history

For a child or young person in out-of-home care, a life history (sometimes called a life story book) is a record of their life in words, pictures, photos and documents. Material used for a Life History record depends on a number of factors, including the child or young person's wishes and if information is available. The way a child or young person's history is recorded may vary because of their age and preferences and could be in the form of a scrapbook, photo album, treasure box, video or a computer-designed report.

Out-of-home care

The National Standards focus on those children and young people with Children's Court ordered care arrangements, where the parental responsibility for the child or young person has been transferred to the Minister/Chief Executive.

Preliminary health check

A preliminary health check aims to establish the ongoing relationship between the child, carer and the primary health care provider. The primary health care provider should provide screening and preliminary assessment of the child or young person across physical health, developmental and psychosocial and mental health domains. Importantly, this relationship will establish continuity of care and enable support of both the child and carer over time.

The preliminary health check should provide guidance on the clinical specialties required and timing of the Comprehensive Health and Developmental Assessment.

Transition from care plan

A planned and phased approach to transitioning from care for young people that identifies the required supports, based on individual needs, in areas such as safe and sustainable housing, education, employment, financial security, social relationships and support networks, health – physical, emotional (including self-esteem and identity), mental and sexual, and life and after care skills.

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRoC)

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child establishes a specific international regime for the protection and promotion of the rights of children and young people. It is the most widely ratified international human rights instrument. Australia signed the Convention on 22 August 1990 and ratified on 17 December 1990.

As a signatory to the Convention, Australia has a responsibility to protect children, provide the services necessary for them to develop and achieve positive outcomes, and enable them to participate in the wider community