Placement services
Placement services, also known as alternative care or out-of-home care services, provide places and support for children and young people who are unable to live at home.
A range of services are required to respond to the different levels of support needs of the child or young person and provide stable, quality care within the department's case management framework.
The types of services that fall under placement services include:
Foster and kinship care
Foster and kinship care services are responsible for recruiting, training, assessing and supporting carers who have been approved by the department.
Foster and kinship care is provided to a child or young person with moderate to high support needs in a carer's home.
Foster and kinship carers should have access to regular and emergency respite, facilitated by the service.
Note:
- Some foster and kinship care services may also support carers who have been provisionally approved by the department, while those carers are undertaking the formal departmental carer approval process.
- Some foster and kinship carers are supported directly by the department and not a non-government foster and kinship care service.
Residential care
Residential care services are provided by paid employees or contract workers to a child or young person in residential premises.
These employees or workers may include rostered or live-in staff. Residential care usually involves small group care (up to six places) though may also include individual care.
Residential care is primarily for young people aged 12-17 years and mainly with complex and extreme support needs, though may also accommodate sibling groups or other young people with moderate to high needs.
Specialist foster care
Specialist foster care services are responsible for recruiting, training, assessing and supporting carers who have been approved by the department.
Specialist foster care is provided to a child or young person, with complex to extreme support needs in a carer's home.
Carers supported by specialist foster care services should have access to regular and emergency respite, facilitated by the service.
Note:
- Some specialist foster care services may also support carers who have been provisionally approved by the department, while those carers are undertaking the formal departmental carer approval process.
Supported independent living
Supported independent living services are provided by paid employees or contract workers to a child or young person in residential premises.
These employees or workers do not usually live at the premises or provide overnight care but provide external support through regular visiting.
Supported independent living is usually for young people aged 15-17 years with moderate to high support needs who are transitioning to independent living.
Supported independent living may involve small group or individual care.
Further information
For further information, please contact your zonal Community Support Team.
- Last updated
- 30 May 2007