1. Assess and prepare to develop a case plan
A case plan must be developed to address the protection and care needs of any child who has been assessed as being in need of protection. The case plan will provide a clear statement about why the child is in need of protection and the roles and responsibilities of all participants in addressing the child's protection and care needs.
The assessment stage of case planning allows Child Safety Services to gather additional information to inform the case planning process (Child Protection Act 1999, section 51A-Y), assess the child and parental strengths and needs, ensure that the ongoing intervention that is occurring is appropriate to meet the child's safety needs and prepare for the family group meeting, which is to be held within 30 days of the decision that a child is in need of protection, or within the timeframe set by the court on an adjournment.
In order to meet the required timeframe, as soon as a child is assessed as being in need of protection, make a referral to a family group meeting convenor using the Family group meeting referral form and attach all relevant information, as outlined in 2.2 Provide information to the convenor.
The Child Protection Act 1999, section 51G(b), requires an inclusive process with the child and parent when planning and making decisions about the child's well-being and protection. For further information refer to The case planning process and Critical steps in case planning and the practice resource Case planning - an overview. In circumstances where it is not possible for a parent to actively participate in decision-making, involve them to the greatest extent possible and ensure they are provided with relevant information.
1.1 Gather information about the child and family
The quality of an initial case plan will depend on the level of engagement with the child and their family and the use of professional judgement to analyse the information gathered.
The assessment stage consists of gathering and assessing information about the family's functioning to inform the development of the case plan and provide a clear focus for intervention by Child Safety Services. It is a broader assessment than one based solely on risk to the child, and requires more in-depth knowledge of the family's situation, strengths and needs. The process of gathering information will:
- provide an opportunity to build rapport with the child, family and all parties involved with the child and family and engage them in the case planning process
- strengthen an understanding of the child and family context
- identify the significant people and support networks for the child and family
- be participative and involve positive engagement with the child and family
- be child-focused, evidence-based and strengths-led
- be sensitive to the cultural context and issues for the child and family
- be comprehensive, holistic and include information from a wide range of sources
- be undertaken in a timely manner.
In addition to the information already known by Child Safety Services about the child and family, gather further relevant information from:
- the child, where age and developmentally appropriate
- the parents
- extended family members, who may make a useful contribution to the case plan
- the carers
- the recognised entity for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child
- any other significant people, including current service providers and specialists, for example, medical practitioners, the QPS and Evolve staff
- relevant community and cultural members.
This information is used to:
- assess the child strengths and needs
- assess the parental strengths and needs
- inform the development of the case plan goal, outcomes and actions, in order to adequately meet the child's protection and care needs.
A thorough assessment will result in enhanced opportunities for the child and their family to participate in the case planning process. For further information, refer to the Strengths and needs interviewing questions.
For further information in relation to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, refer to the practice paper Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
When the child or family is from a culturally and linguistically diverse background or has a disability that would require an interpreter to facilitate communication, arrange for interpreter services to assist with interviews and communication with a child and family where the child or family. If a family needs help communicating with Child Safety Services, refer to Interpreter services.
Where substance misuse is an identified risk factor in the family and it is considered that substance testing of parents will be a necessary and important part of the case plan for the child, refer to Chapter 10.14 Undertake the substance testing of parents.
Conducting criminal history checks on parents
When considered necessary, a request for a criminal history check on the child's parents (including a parent's partner) can be made (Child Protection Act 1999, section 95(3)) and authorised by the CSSC manager.
When a decision is made that a parent's criminal history is required:
- complete a Section 95 - Child Protection Act 1999 - Request
- seek the CSSC manager's authority to request a criminal history check on the child's parents to inform the case planning or review process
- inform the child's parents that the criminal history check is being conducted.
1.2 Assess the child's strengths and needs
An assessment of the child's strengths and needs will provide a snapshot of a child's functioning at a specific point in time, and will assist in identifying those needs that must be addressed in order to improve the child's emotional, physical and psychological well-being. The child's identified strengths will be incorporated where appropriate, to assist in the process.
An assessment of the child's strengths and needs must be completed:
- following the decision that a child is in need of protection, and prior to the initial family group meeting to develop a case plan for the child
- to inform the revised case plan for a child, when ongoing intervention will continue.
The child strengths and needs assessment is designed to improve consistency in the assessment of strengths and needs, by ensuring that the child's functioning is considered within the same domains, using the same criteria.
The case planning process must also include provisions that address the child's developmental needs and assist them to gain the skills and sense of well-being that will allow them to realise their potential and positively participate in the wider community.
When the child is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, ensure the recognised entity is consulted in the completion of the child strengths and needs assessment.
For additional assistance in determining the child's strengths and needs, refer to Physical and cognitive developmental milestones.
Complete the child strengths and needs assessment
To complete the child strengths and needs assessment:
- complete one child strengths and needs assessment for each child in need of protection
- complete the first nine domains for every child, and domains 10 -12 as required
- engage an interpreter where the child experiences communication barriers
- meet with the child, if age and developmentally appropriate, and the parents to:
- explain the purpose of the assessment in child friendly language and explore the areas of the child's life with them, to assist in completing the assessment - the Child strength and needs notes form may assist in this process
- respond to any questions or expressed concerns the child may have
- assess whether each domain is an area of strength or need for the child, using:
- the information gathered from the range of sources outlined in 1.1 Gather information about the child and family, including any specialist assessments
- any Child Safety Services' child protection history for the child
- the SDM definitions - refer to SDM: Child strengths and needs assessment
- professional judgement
- determine whether further information is required to assess if a particular domain is a strength or need for a child - refer to Finalise the strengths and needs assessment where there is uncertainty in selecting the correct level
- record the child strengths and needs assessment in ICMS by selecting the level of strength or need within each domain that accurately reflects the information gathered and the definitions
- submit the completed assessment to the team leader for approval in ICMS
- provide the approved assessment to the family group meeting convenor to inform the development of a case plan.
For further information refer to the practice resource Structured decision making - an overview.
Long-term guardianship order to a suitable person
Completion of the child strengths and needs assessment is only required prior to each review and revision of the case plan for a child, when, under an existing guardianship order to a suitable person, ongoing child related costs or other financial supports require review based on the changing needs of the child.
In all other circumstances, the child strengths and needs assessment does not need to be completed, however, Item 10 'Additional child strength and need' must be selected in the case plan in ICMS, to allow the completion and endorsement of the case plan document.
1.3 Assess the parental strengths and needs
An assessment of parental strength and needs will provide a snapshot of a parental functioning at a specific point in time, to assist the case planning process.
The completed parental strengths and needs assessment enables the parents and family group meeting participants, or relevant people, to develop strategies to address the needs of the parents, which may include building on the parents abilities and strengths as a resource, to meet the child's protection and care needs. This includes prioritising the three key needs to be addressed in the case plan.
An assessment of the parental strengths and needs must be completed:
- following the decision that a child is in need of protection and prior to the initial family group meeting to develop a case plan for the child
- to inform the revised case plan for a child, when ongoing intervention will continue.
The parental strengths and needs assessment is not completed when the child is subject to a custody or guardianship order and the case plan goal is not reunification.
The parental strengths and needs assessment is designed to improve consistency in the assessment of strengths and needs, by ensuring that parental functioning is considered within the same domains, using the same criteria.
When the child is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, ensure the recognised entity is consulted in the completion of the parental strengths and needs assessment.
Choose a primary parent
The parental strengths and needs assessment allows for an assessment specific to each parent in the household. Prior to commencing the assessment, determine who the 'primary parent' is, by selecting the first of the following options that relates to the family situation:
- the parent living in the household where the allegations occurred, who assumes most of the child care responsibility
- the adult who is the legal guardian of the child, where child care responsibility is shared equally between two parents
- the person responsible or alleged responsible for the harm, where both parents are legal guardians
- the parent demonstrating the more severe behaviour, where both parents are alleged responsible for the harm.
Choose a secondary parent
Where applicable, the secondary parent is an adult living in the household who has routine responsibility for child care, but less responsibility than the primary parent. A partner may be a secondary parent even though they have minimal responsibility for care of the child.
Complete the parental strengths and needs assessment
To complete the parental strengths and needs assessment:
- complete one parental strengths and needs assessment only for the household - the same household for which the family risk assessment was completed
- meet with the parent to explain the purpose of the assessment, provide information about the domains and seek their perspective about each area - the Parental strengths and needs notes form may assist in this process
- assess the parents functioning within each of the nine domains, and how it may positively or negatively impact on the risk to the child in the home using:
- the information gathered from the range of sources outlined in 1.1 Gather information about the child and family
- any Child Safety Services’ child protection history for the child and family
- the SDM definitions - refer to SDM: Parental strengths and needs assessment
- professional judgement
- determine whether further information is required to assess if a particular domain is a strength or need for a parent
- in consultation with the family, identify three priority parental needs in total, between the two parents, that will be addressed in the case plan (see below)
- record the parental strengths and needs assessment in ICMS and:
- select the level of strength or need within each domain for each parent, in section 1 - refer to Finalise the strength and needs assessment where there is uncertainty in selecting the correct level
- select the three agreed priority parental needs in section 2
- submit the completed assessment to the team leader for approval in ICMS
- provide the approved assessment to the family group meeting convenor to inform the development of a case plan.
Where the substance testing of parents is considered a necessary and important part of the case plan for the child, refer to Chapter 10.14 Undertake the substance testing of parents.
Select the three priority parental needs
Each case plan will focus on three priority parental needs only between the primary and secondary parent. These needs are to be prioritised in consultation with the family, and will be focussed on in the development of the case plan.
If more than three parental needs are identified between both parents or there are a number of needs with the same score, prioritise the needs by talking to the parents, using your professional judgement and considering:
- which needs score the highest
- which needs cause the most harm or risk to the child
- which needs are most likely to prevent reunification (where the child is placed in out-of-home care).
Sometimes a lower scoring need may be prioritised because the parents are highly motivated to address the issue, and it will have a positive impact for the child.
As part of completing the assessment:
- ensure the parents are aware of all of the needs identified and the rationale for the decision, particularly where the parent disagrees with the assessment by Child Safety Services
- advise the parent that while up to three priority needs will be addressed in each case plan, their other identified needs may need to be addressed in subsequent case plans.
For further information refer to the practice resource Structured decision making - an overview.
1.4 Determine the intervention required to keep the child safe
Following the completion of the relevant case planning assessment activities, and prior to the development of the case plan:
- ensure that the intervention (case type opened) is appropriate for the child's circumstances
- determine the non-negotiable provisions that must be included in the case plan to meet the child's safety and protection and care needs
- meet with the family to ensure that they are aware of Child Safety Services' position and clearly understand the reasons for the decisions.
These decisions may be referred to as the 'bottom line' for case planning, and are to be made in consultation with the team leader, taking into consideration:
- the extent of the child's protection and care needs
- the child's strengths, needs, resources and abilities
- the parents strengths, needs and capacity to meet the child's needs.
Where there are non-negotiable provisions required, for example, family contact can only occur if it is supervised, inform the family of the provisions and clearly explain the reasons for the decision, so that they do not feel powerless in the decision-making process.
1.5 Explore service options
The provision of appropriate services to children and families by other government agencies or funded community sector services is often critical to achieving the case plan goal and outcomes. Prior to a family group meeting or case plan review, in consultation with the family, it is important to:
- consider what services the family identify that they may have worked with, or want to work with
- identify possible service options and service providers who can provide services, support and assistance to meet the identified needs of the child and the parents
- consider a referral to a Therapeutic Residential Service, or to Evolve (refer to Chapter 5, 2.8 Refer the child to Evolve, if required)
- consider the continuation of existing service provision, where appropriate and agreed to by the child and family.
When there are no services available to meet the identified needs of the child or parents, consult with the team leader to develop alternative options for addressing the identified needs.
Liaising with service providers
When an agency has been identified as a potential service provider:
- discuss the service option with the child and family and assess their willingness to work with the service
- contact the agency and:
- ensure the service provided fits with the identified needs of the child or family
- ensure that the child or family are eligible for the service
- determine the availability of the service to meet case plan requirements
- determine the referral procedure for the agency
- discuss the expectations for interaction, feedback and review of progress, by both the agency and Child Safety Services
- ascertain the cost of the service and any other resources that will be required to complete the work.
As part of this process, keep the child and family involved and informed about the service options. Decisions about suitable service options are to be made in consultation with the team leader and the information provided to the convenor of the family group meeting in a timely manner. This process must not pre-empt the family decision-making process at the family group meeting.
Any service providers involved in the preparation for the case plan, that might be involved with the child and family, should be given the opportunity to attend the family group meeting, where appropriate and where the family agrees to their involvement.
Resource approval
Seek approval from the financial delegate for any anticipated expenditure involved in the implementation of the case plan prior to the family group meeting.
Negotiate an immediate referral to a service
In situations where the child and family have agreed to a particular intervention, there are limited places at the agency and an immediate referral is required to secure the services for the child or family, consider obtaining approval for any financial resources required and making an immediate referral.
- Last updated
- 9 October 2009
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