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4. Ongoing intervention

• 4.1 Ongoing intervention and case planning: an overview
• 4.2 Undertaking the assessment stage
• 4.3 Completing the child strengths and needs assessment tool
• 4.4 Completing the parental strengths and needs assessment tool
• 4.5 Case planning and family group meetings
• 4.6 Preparing for a family group meeting
• 4.7 Convening the family group meeting
• 4.8 Developing key items in the case plan
• 4.9 Endorsing and distributing the plan
• 4.10 Implementing the case plan
• 4.11 Engaging a service provider
• 4.12 Minimum departmental contact requirements between the CSO and the family
• 4.13 Visiting a child, parent or carer
• 4.14 Substance testing of parents
• 4.15 Completing a case plan review
• 4.16 Completing the family risk re-evaluation tool
• 4.17 Completing the family reunification assessment tool
• 4.18 Assessing the progress of the case plan
• 4.19 Preparing a review report and a revised case plan
• 4.20 Case closure
• Resources

4.20 Case closure

Purpose

This procedure informs the process for closure of ongoing intervention cases with a child and their family.

Planning for closure

Closing a case is the final stage of departmental intervention, but requires planning throughout the assessment, case planning, implementation and review stages. The CSO will keep the child and family informed about the timelines and requirements that guide case planning and case closure. Planning for case closure is most effective when the CSO regularly monitors and reviews the implementation of the case plan with the child and family.

Prior to closing a case, the CSO must undertake a case plan review, which includes the completion of the appropriate assessment tools and a review report.

Prior to making a decision that ongoing intervention with the child and the family will end, the CSO will undertake a review of the child's case plan to determine:

• whether the case plan goal has been achieved; or
• whether sufficient progress has been made toward the case plan goal to ensure the safety of the child in the home, as indicated by a 'low' or 'moderate' risk level outcome.

When to close a case

A case can be closed when:

• a child has turned 18 years and no longer requires departmental support; or
• the case plan goal has been achieved; or
• there is a 'low' or 'moderate' risk level outcome for the family risk evaluation or family risk re-evaluation tool; and
• a safety assessment indicates that there are no immediate risk factors for a child; and
• the child is no longer assessed as being a child in need of protection.

For children subject to a custody or guardianship order, case closure will occur when they turn 18 years and no longer require departmental support (if this has not occurred earlier). In these instances, the young person will have been subject to transition from care processes. If a young person requires ongoing departmental support after they turn 18, this may still be provided through a support service case.

	Plan and support the child's transition from care (Ch 5, 2.9)

When a child is living at home, the CSO will only close the case if the current level risk in the family, indicated by the family risk re-evaluation tool is 'low' or 'moderate' and when there are no 'immediate harm indicators' in the home.

In cases where a child has been in an out-of-home care placement and has been reunified with the family, the case will remain open for a period of time to ensure the ongoing safety of the child. The period of time will vary according to the specific situation for each child.

In all circumstances, a case will not be closed until:

• the family risk re-evaluation tool has been completed and the current level of risk is 'low' or 'moderate'; and
• a safety assessment has been completed and there are no 'immediate harm indicators' in the home at the time of the decision to close the case.

	Completing the family risk re-evaluation tool (4.16)

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Impact on the child and family

During ongoing intervention, relationships are established between the child, the family and the CSO which may have emotional significance for the child, family and CSO. When relationships change or end there may be feelings of loss and anger. The CSO should ensure that the closure of a case and the ending of the relationships is a positive experience for the child and family, whenever possible.

The CSO will prepare the child and family for what will happen when the ongoing intervention by the department ceases, and will encourage them to continue to make changes independently in their lives.

Before closing the case, the CSO will meet with the child and family to discuss:

• the abilities and strengths within the family;
• the actions they have taken and the outcomes they have achieved;
• their goals and likely challenges;
• strategies they can use in the future such as regular family meetings;
• their support network; and
• other services available to them.

Closure of a case may also affect other people closely linked to the family such as foster and kinship carers, particularly when it is identified that the child living in the family may continue to be at a low risk of harm. The CSO will inform relevant people and other service providers that the department is ending the ongoing intervention with the child and family.

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Recording requirements

The team leader must approve the decision to close a case. Following the decision to close a case the CSO will:

• complete all assessment documentation;
• document the decision and rationale for case closure in the review report;
• amend the case management screen in ICMS; and
• submit all documentation to the team leader for approval.

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