1. Provide intervention through a support service case
A support service case is one type of ongoing intervention and can only be opened when:
- a notification has been investigated and assessed and it is determined that a child is not in need of protection, however, the outcome of the family risk evaluation is 'high' or 'very high'
- a notification has been investigated and assessed and it is determined that an unborn child is likely to be in need of protection after birth
- a young person who has transitioned from care requires ongoing support and assistance following their eighteenth birthday.
For further information refer to Chapter 2, 4.1 Determine whether there will be ongoing intervention and Chapter 3, 1. Decide the type of ongoing intervention.
A support service case involves providing, or helping provide, prevention, early intervention and support services to strengthen and support families, pregnant women and young people.
With the exception of a young person who has transitioned form care, it is generally for a short-term, that is less than 12 months, and will not involve the provision of an out-of-home care placement for a child who is not in need of protection.
Unborn children
In circumstances where, following an investigation and assessment, it is assessed that an unborn child will be in need protection after birth, the purpose of ongoing intervention is to offer help and support to the pregnant woman and where relevant, her partner or the father of the unborn child, to increase their capacity to protect the child following birth.
Any intervention by Child Safety Services must not interfere with the pregnant woman's rights and liberties and can only occur with the consent of the pregnant woman.
Young person
Assistance to a young person does not automatically cease when they leave care or reach their eighteenth birthday, and in some situations, intervention by Child Safety Services will continue past the young person's eighteenth birthday, by way of a support service case.
Financial support
A child or young person subject to a support service case may be eligible for some financial support to meet the requirements of the support plan, in accordance with relevant child related cost policies. Such costs will be negotiated with the CSSC manager prior to the development and finalisation of the support plan.
1.1 Open a support service case
The child's parents, pregnant woman or young person must consent to work with Child Safety Services and agree to participate in the development and implementation of a 'support plan' before a support service case can be opened.
If the child's parents do not consent to the support service case, consult the team leader to re-consider whether a support service case is the appropriate response. For further informatiion, refer to 1. What if the child's parents will not consent, or withdraws consent, to ongoing intervention?
If the pregnant woman does not consent to a support service case, implement the necessary actions to facilitate an unborn child alert - refer to 2. What if a pregnant woman will not consent, or withdraws consent, to ongoing intervention?
As part of the decision to open a support service case, meet with the parents, pregnant woman or young person and discuss:
- the aim of the support service case, either:
- to assist the parents or pregnant woman to address the identified child protection concerns so that no further intervention by Child Safety Services is required
- to support and assist the young person, until the identified goal and outcomes of the support plan have been achieved
- the process of undertaking intervention through a support service case and the need for regular reviews of the support plan
- the expectation that the parents, or the pregnant woman, will work actively to address the identified concerns
- the need for Child Safety Services to take appropriate action:
- should the level of risk to the child change during the period of intervention, to the extent that a child becomes a child in need of protection
- should it be assessed there is unacceptable risk to a newborn baby.
1.2 Develop and record a support plan
The responsibility of Child Safety Services to a child or young person subject to a support service case differs from those to a child in need of protection. A child subject to a support service case is not a child in need of protection and there is no requirement to undertake case planning requirements, as outlined in Chapter 4. Case planning.
Following the decision to open a support service case, develop a support plan for intervention in consultation with the child and family, pregnant woman or young person, and record the support plan by completing the Support plan template.
Ensure that the support plan is able to be understood by all parties, and includes:
- the goals for intervention, outcomes and actions required
- timeframes for the completion of tasks
- the factors relevant to each type of support service case, as outlined below.
Attach the 'Support plan' to the 'ongoing intervention' event in ICMS.
Child and family
Develop a support plan to determine the services required to strengthen and support the family to reduce the likelihood of future harm to the child. Planning will include agencies that will provide services to the family during the intervention period.
Pregnant woman
The support plan will focus on the protective needs the unborn child will have after birth, and interventions aimed at reducing the risks to the child. This involves providing, or helping provide, preventative and support services to the pregnant woman, and where relevant, her partner and/or the father of the unborn child. For a pregnant woman, consider including education and planning with the pregnant woman about safe infant care in the support plan, to reduce the risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy. For further information, refer to Child Health Information - fact sheets on 'Sudden unexpected deaths in infancy' and 'Safe sleeping resources'. If required, commence planning for intervention by Child Safety Services following the child's birth.
In addition to developing the support plan:
- complete and forward an HRA Form 1 Unborn Child High Risk Alert (HRA form 1) to the hospital/s where the pregnant woman is likely to give birth if immediate notification of the birth is necessary to ensure the child's safety (refer to the Queensland Health List of Maternity Hospitals and Nominated Positions), or contact relevant private or interstate hospitals
- attach the 'HRA Form 1' to the 'ongoing intervention' event in ICMS.
The key steps for responding to concerns for an unborn child are summarised in the Unborn Child Checklist.
If, during ongoing intervention, a pregnant woman indicates she is considering the child's adoption, contact Adoption Services Queensland to request the provision of advice and assistance to the pregnant woman.
The support service case will continue until the birth of the child, unless the pregnant woman withdraws consent to the intervention or the support needs of the woman are met prior to the birth of the child.
If the pregnant woman withdraws consent, or refuses to consent to further ongoing intervention following the review of a support plan, implement the necessary actions, as outlined in 2. What if a pregnant woman will not consent, or withdraws consent, to ongoing intervention? and the 'Unborn Child Checklist'.
Young person
In some situations, when a young person has transitioned from care, ongoing intervention by Child Safety Services will need to continue past the young person's eighteenth birthday to address significant issues, such as housing, education, training, employment, social connectedness and necessary life skills. In this circumstance develop a support plan in consultation with the young person and, if agreed to by the young person and appropriate, the young person's family or support people.
1.3 Implement the support plan
Support the child and family, the pregnant woman or the young person in the implementation of the support plan, by:
- actively progressing the goal, outcomes and actions
- regular face-to-face and telephone contact
- engaging families with the identified support services, as recorded in the support plan
- obtaining information from relevant agencies about progress towards the support plan goal and
- outcomes.
If during implementation, new information becomes available or a change in circumstances indicates a threat to a child's safety, but the threat does not reach the threshold for a notification, complete a safety assessment to ensure a child's safety and take appropriate action. For further information refer to Chapter 2, 2.5 Complete the safety assessment.
New child protection concerns
When new child protection concerns are received for a child during a support service case, refer to Chapter 3, 2. What if new child protection concerns are received? to determine the appropriate response.
1.4 Record information during the intervention
For the duration of the support service case, record the following information in ICMS:
- case management screens for the child
- case notes about all contact with the child and family, pregnant woman or young person
- case notes outlining contact with, and the outcomes of intervention by, other services
- the family risk re-evaluation, if applicable - refer to 2. Review a support service case
- the safety assessment, if applicable - refer to '2. Review a support service case'
- the revised support plan
- the rationale for closing a support service case.
- Last updated
- 21 September 2009
Other languages