4.19 Preparing a review report and a revised case plan
Purpose
This procedure outlines the process for the preparation of a review report and a revised case plan that must be completed following the review of a case plan.
Authority
- Child Protection Act 1999, section 51V and 51W
- Adoption of Children Act 1964
Review reports and revised case plans
Following the review of a case plan, both a review report and a new (revised) case plan must be completed. The review report documents the formal review of a case plan and provides evidence that the review of the case plan has occurred through a participative process. The case plan outlines the goal, outcomes and actions to be undertaken during ongoing intervention with the child and family.
Recording a review report
The review report includes key areas of assessment, progress of the case plan and certain matters that must be addressed in the revised case plan such as:
- the case plan goal and outcomes from the previous case plan that have been achieved or are yet to be achieved;
- any changes to the goals or outcomes in the revised case plan;
- any services provided to the child under the previous case plan or the revised case plan;
- the extent to which the care and contact arrangements under the previous case plan have met the child's needs;
- the extent to which arrangements for maintaining and support the child's cultural identity have been met; and
- who participated in the review, how they participated and whether a family group meeting was held and who attended.
The report must also address how the revised case plan meets the child's need for long-term stable care. When the child is placed in out-of-home care under a child protection order granting custody or short-term guardianship, the report must state:
- the risks and benefits of returning the child to the care of parent;
- whether there is a risk that the child will not return to live with the parent within a stated timeframe (appropriate to the child's age); and
- the plans that have been made for out-of-home long-term care for the child.
The plan for long-term out-of-home care may involve:
- arranging for the child to live with a member of the child's family under a child protection order granting long-term guardianship of the child; or
- for a young child, arrangements for the child's adoption under the Adoption of Children Act 1964; or
- for an older child, arrangements for the child's transition to independent living.
The completed review report must be approved by the team leader who endorses the revised case plan.
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Recording a revised case plan
A new (revised) case plan is completed to record the ongoing action to ensure a child's protection and care needs. The CSO will document the new case plan for the child on the approved case plan form in ICMS. When a family group meeting is held to review the case plan, the convenor will document the revised case plan.
The CSO will not include any financial costs in the revised case plan unless approval has been obtained from the financial delegate.
The revised case plan is informed by current assessments, including relevant strengths and needs assessments and either a family risk re-evaluation or a family reunification assessment, and records:
- the case plan goal for the next implementation period - this may be the same goal or a revised goal;
- outcomes and actions for the next implementation period including:
- outcomes that are still relevant but have not yet been achieved;
- new or additional outcomes and actions identified in the review of the existing case plan; and
- new outcomes and actions identified as a result of decision about the case plan direction, for example, the decision to apply for a new child protection order or to extend an existing order;
- any revised care and contact arrangements;
- arrangements for maintaining and support the child's cultural identity;
- services to be provided to the child and family;
- participants in the case plan review, how they participated and whether a family group meeting was held; and
- the date of the next case plan review.
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Endorsement and distribution of plan
The revised case plan is endorsed by the team leader or senior practitioner within seven days unless the plan is clearly impracticable or is not in the child's best interests.
When the plan is not endorsed, the plan is amended to the extent necessary to ensure that it is workable and consistent with a child's best interests. The revised case plan must be distributed to the child (when age appropriate), the child's parents and other participants in the review of the case plan, such as, the child's carer, or the recognised entity.
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Approval
When the actions included in the revised case plan have financial implications, the CSO must obtain approval for these costs from the appropriate financial delegate (CSSC Manager).
The team leader must endorse the revised case plan.
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- Last updated
- 30 June 2007
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