Out of Home Care Reform: March 2019 Sessions

1. Out of Home Care Community Engagement Information & Feedback Sessions March 2019

2. Today’s Agenda Department of Communities

3. NEXT STEPS • Information will be available through: • The Communities website; • Emails; and • Information sessions.

4. Why reform the OOHC system? • The 2016 Building a Better Future report details the objectives of the out-of-home care (OOHC) reform and key activities to achieve the reform. • The reform is a suite of initiatives aligned to deliver against each defined objective: • a system focused on the needs of the child; • a coordinated and flexible service system; • a safe system held to high quality standards; and • a legislative framework supporting best child outcomes. • Through the OOHC reform there will be greater accountability for the money associated with service provision of OOHC services delivered by community sector organisations (CSOs). • Greater stability for CSOs. Department of Communities

5. 2018 2017 2016 • Established working group to review service standards • Reviewed Better Care Better Service Standards • Released NAT • Commenced detailed service model design with sector • Established Exit and Transition working group • Commenced CCSA 2004 legislative review • Implemented Care Team Approach • Implemented Matching Framework Implemented Cross-sector Foster Care panel • Royal Commission recommendations released • Continued detailed service model design • Released EIFSS Requests for Tender • Released Exit and Transition Guide • Review to ensure alignment with McGowan Government commitments and strategic direction • Implemented revised Better Care Better Services standards • EIFS services commenced • Family Care Support Service commenced • NATs completed with Care Team, districts and CSOs • Continued service model design with Aboriginal community and sector • Reviewed and refined financial model 2016 2017 2018 Out of Home Care Reform Road Map

6. 2020 2019 • Released service model pricing components • Continued service model design with Aboriginal community and sector • Confirmed accuracy of NAT reports with sector • Released Registration of Interest for Complex Community Care • Complete consultation on service requirements to be included in Request for Tender • Finalise partnership requirements for Aboriginal community involvement in OOHC • Complete transition planning for children as required, in partnership with districts and CSOs • Complete exit planning in partnership with existing CSOs where required • Finalise evaluation framework and requirements • Commence procurement of care arrangement services • Continue to map and action transition arrangements for children, as required • Complete planned exit processes with CSOs, as required • Finalise procurement • Initiate service implementation teams across districts • Implement new care arrangement services • Support and embed partnerships between ACCOs, community and CSOs • Commence monitoring and evaluation of progress towards better life outcomes for children 2019 2020 Out of Home Care Reform Road Map - continued

7. Design with the Sector • Since 2014 the Department of Communities (Communities) has been working with the Sector and the Aboriginal community to develop OOHC services. • Design or engagement has been undertaken on all elements of the reforms with the Sector note: Co-design requires the involvement of the end-user and in this instance limited engagement with children in OOHC, families and Aboriginal communities has occurred, design activities have primarily included CSOs.

8. Key elements of the Reform Driven by the needs of the child • Needs Assessment Tool - standardised way of assessing children’s needs. • Resourcing linked to identified needs. Culturally responsive service provision • Requirement for non-ACCOs to partner with an ACCO to increase cultural responsiveness of the organisation and service provision to Aboriginal children. Values and promotes stability for children in care • Strengthening early intervention and reunification. • Strengthening permanent out-of-home care. • Significantly increasing the flexibility of care arrangements to cater to children’s changing needs. • Increasing support to carers to maintain the care arrangement. Responsive, sustainable and has capacity • New care arrangement funding model. • Innovative and contemporary programs that align with what other States are implementing or have recently implemented. Accountable and consistent • Outcomes framework for children in OOHC. • Standards framework. • External oversight. • Funding accountability.   • State-wide and sector-wide consistency. • Carer standards.

9. Current care arrangements with CSOs Average occupancy rate for 2017/18: 71% **Approximate numbers Department of Communities

10. Reform Activities Since August 2018 – current data Number of Children in Care per NAT Level by Aboriginal Status (current as at 22 February 2019) Department of Communities

11. Reform Activities Since August 2018 – current Metro data Department of Communities

12. Today’s Agenda Department of Communities

13. Recommendations from the Royal Commission • Legislative requirement to comply with child safe standards. • Independent oversight body to monitor and enforce child safe standards. • Carers register. • Mandatory accreditation of out-of-home care providers. • Annual review of authorised carers, including interviews with all children in the placement with the carer under review, to take place in the absence of the carer. Department of Communities

14. 1 & 2. Child Safe Standards – Royal Commission intent • Nationally consistent and quality assured approach to child safety. • Legislation of the Child Safe Standards in conjunction with an independent oversight body. • Independent oversight body is able to delegate to existing sector regulators. Department of Communities

15. 1 & 2. Child Safe Standards – Western Australian / National Context for OOHC • Better Care, Better Services standards have been updated to incorporate compliance of the Child Safe Standards and support independent oversight of part 1 (safety) and part 2 (quality). • National Office for Child Safety leading the finalisation, national coordination and implementation. • The National Principles were endorsed February 2019 • Department of the Premier and Cabinet is leading the recommendations Department of Communities

16. 1 & 2. Child Safe Standards – Proposed approach for OOHC • Existing sector regulators through Communities Standards Monitoring Unit. • Support work currently being undertaken by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to develop a whole of government strategy to establish a system of independent oversight of institutions providing child related services. Department of Communities

17. 3. Carers register – Royal Commission intent • Minimum national consistency to promote standardised information sharing. • An automated mechanism for jurisdictions to check whether a carer applicant has a carer history in another jurisdiction. • Minimum carer assessment and authorisation requirements. • Highly legislated framework. • The intent is to: • allow accurate data matching to identify whether a person who has previously been a carer in another state; and • once a match has been made, each state and territory has minimum nationally consistent information held about the applicant. Department of Communities

18. 3. Carers register – Western Australia / National context for OOHC • The WA directory includes all information, except: • residential care workers details. Currently only foster carers are included on the directory; • status of minimum checks indicating outcomes; and • reportable conduct allegations and their status. Department of Communities

19. 3. Carers register – Proposed approach for OOHC • Additional information to be captured in the current foster carer directory. • Requirement to be specified in the Tender request document(s). • Work towards including employee carers. Department of Communities

20. 4. Mandatory accreditation of OOHC providers – Royal Commission intent • Monitoring and oversight of out of home care is important to prevent child sexual abuse and ensure child sexual abuse is identified, reported and appropriately responded to if it does occur. • Process for evaluating the performance of statutory out-of-home care providers and certifying that standards have been met to the required level. Department of Communities

21. 4. Mandatory accreditation of OOHC providers– Western Australian context for OOHC • Communities provides and funds OOHC services and also regulates standards of OOHC. This could be perceived as a conflict of interest. • Communities was progressing work to create independent oversight and monitoring of the safety standards by an external government agency. This work is now being progressed by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and Communities is a partner agency. Department of Communities

22. 4. Mandatory accreditation of OOHC providers – Proposed approach • Greater consistency in decision-making processes across the Department and the Sector for the approval and revocation of foster carers through independence of assessment and authorisation. • Commencing with approval of Carer assessment by the Cross-sector Foster Carer Panel. • Document existing oversight processes in the funding contracts in preparation for external oversight. Department of Communities

23. 5. Annual carer review and child’s views– Royal Commission Intent • Children’s views, in their entirety, should be documented and included in the carer’s review documents on the carer’s file, including action taken for concerns raised. • It is important that children in care have a range of opportunities to share their experiences including any concerns or disclosures of abuse. • Children must be regularly provided with opportunities to talk about their experiences in their home and outside this environment because children may disclose abuse in different ways. Department of Communities

24. 5. Annual carer review and child’s views– Western Australian context Communities uses a range of methods to seek children’s views, including: • Viewpoint • Quarterly care reports • Signs of Safety tools • Care Planning Department of Communities

25. Royal Commission: Other relevant areas • Mandatory reporting • Reportable conduct scheme • Failure to report offence Department of Communities

26. Today’s Agenda Department of Communities

27. Key principles • Provision of care arrangements across all 5 NAT levels. • Working in partnership (Care Team Approach). • Carer registration and carer definitions. • Entering and exiting care arrangements. • Place based service provision. • Care arrangement stability. • Culturally safe and responsive service provision. • Outcome and compensation payments. 27 Department of Communities

28. Principle 1: Provision of care arrangements across all 5 NAT levels, with stability Your response to this was positive: There was strong agreement that care arrangement stability is required, and is a priority. We heard the following: • Most agencies are already working across the needs spectrum. • There were concerns about: • funding changing via Care Arrangement Support Costs (CASC) as the child’s need changes; • How the wrong incentives (over-servicing) are avoided; and • how current specialist providers will expand to provide for all 5 NAT levels. Department of Communities

29. Principle 1: Context for OOHC services This will be incorporated into the service requirements. • Recent NAT data shows: • most current CSOs are already providing care arrangements to across all 5 NAT levels; • the majority of children with a NAT level 5 are in metro (and likely to be in Complex Community Care) or are part of a sibling group. • The CASC funding may be used to support the care arrangement, particularly for children with a NAT level of 4 or 5, where additional carer payments may allow full-time care for that child; additional staff or Care Team members may provide support for carer and child. • Specialist services can submit a Tender as a consortium, individually or as a partner agency. • Further work will be done in regards to the step-down or step-up in resourcing (CASC) when a child’s NAT level changes. There will not be an immediate change in funding. Department of Communities

30. Principle 2: Working in Partnership (Care Team Approach) Your response to this was positive: All participants agreed that working in partnership was necessary to achieve outcomes for the child. Some concerns were raised in relation to how this principle will be embedded in Communities practice. Department of Communities

31. Principle 2: Context for OOHC services This will be incorporated into the service requirements. • The Care Team Approach will be necessary to the success of the services. • Care teams will jointly decide how the CASC will be used to address the needs of the child (identified in the NAT) and to stabilise the care arrangement. • A focus will be on working together in a mutually respectful manner, where information is shared openly and transparently. • Case management will remain with Communities, case planning and completion of the NAT will be done using the Care Team Approach. • Further training, support and information is being provided to Department staff. Department of Communities

32. Principle 3: Carer Registrations and Carer Definitions We heard the following: You are unhappy with this aspect of the reform, specific concerns are: • The use of the Cross-sector Foster Carer Panel; and • Potential industrial relations issues if employees are required to be recorded in the Foster Carer Directory. Department of Communities

33. Principle 3: Context for OOHC services • The Royal Commission recommendations require carers to be on the WA Foster Carer Directory, this is likely to include employee carer (Foster Carer – Other Residents). • Assessment of, and information regarding Foster Carer – Other Residents on the Directory will be less that that of foster carers. • Consultations regarding the Foster Carer Directory will occur in the coming months. • Further work will be undertaken by the Department of Premier and Cabinet to align WA with other States regarding this recommendation for employee carers. • Further consultation and work with the sector and Aboriginal community will occur in relation to these items in the coming months. • It is likely all carers, except employee carers, will need to be endorsed by the Cross-sector Foster Carer Panel. • Membership of the panel will be considered in consultation with the sector and Aboriginal community in the coming months. Department of Communities

34. Draft carer data for the directory Department of Communities

35. Principles 4 : Entering and exiting care arrangements We heard the following: The majority of participants agreed that planned entry and exit is always beneficial for the child. There were concerns about: • The requirement to accept any child; • Reduced capacity for the CSO to comprehensively match the child to carer; and • Ability to always have carers available. Department of Communities

36. Principles 4 : Context for OOHC services This will be incorporated into the service requirements. • CSOs will be required to accept referrals made by Communities unless there are exceptional circumstances that have been agreed by Communities. • The CASC can be used to support and stabilise the care arrangement. • Targeted referrals will be made to CSOs based on the initial matching undertaken by Communities. • CSOs will be able to match and recommend alternative carers that will better address the child’s needs. • Ongoing and open dialogue will occur between CSO and Communities regarding referrals. • Exiting care arrangements must be planned with the Care Team. Department of Communities

37. Principle 5: Place Based Service Provision This principle was well received by participants: • Particularly the Aboriginal Community and Elders. • There was broad agreement from everyone that all children should remain in their community wherever possible. Department of Communities

38. Principle 5: Context for OOHC services This will be incorporated into the service requirements. • The need for services to be embedded in the community in which they are provided. • Local relationships and an understanding of the local needs, issues and community must be detailed in the Tender. • It will be particularly important in regional areas that the local Aboriginal community is involved in the delivery of OOHC services and maintaining cultural connections for Aboriginal children in OOHC. Department of Communities

39. Principle 7: Culturally Responsive Care Arrangements This was well received, particularly by the Aboriginal community: There was strong sentiment for children to have a deep and meaningful understanding of their culture and the importance of remaining connected to their community was stressed. Many participants, particularly the Aboriginal community, acknowledged this could be greatly improved. Department of Communities

40. Principle 7: Culturally Responsive Care Arrangements We heard the following: • Aboriginal people want and need a greater voice in how OOHC services are delivered to Aboriginal children to ensure meaningful, genuine and ongoing connection to their culture. • Need to focus on connection rather that just contact with culture. • Building and fostering connection cannot be done without direct input and leadership from the Aboriginal community. • The whole sector, including Communities, must commit to working with the Aboriginal community. Department of Communities

41. What the Aboriginal community is telling us it needs from the reform

42. Principle 7: Culturally Responsive Care Arrangements We also heard: • The importance of having genuine partnerships, not necessarily with an ACCO, but with a group or groups that best represent the local Aboriginal community. • The Aboriginal community should, as much as possible, operate the service with the partnering CSO providing governance support and ensuring service delivery meets legislative requirements and service standards. • Aboriginal communities are keen to choose their partner CSO and not be forced to partner with a pre-selected CSO. • From the Aboriginal community and ACCOs, that many current CSOs see the partnership requirement as a tick a box exercise and do not genuinely wish to change how services are provided for Aboriginal children. • Stories of children leaving OOHC services with no sense of self, belonging or understanding of their culture. Department of Communities

43. Principle 7: Culturally Responsive Care Arrangements A range of activities to support and maintain connection to culture were proposed for the child, the most popular responses included: • Knowing and having the opportunity to use language every day. This included carers learning the child’s language. • Having regular, ongoing and meaningful contact with family and community. This included having family (aunts, grannies, uncles etc.) visiting the house where the child resides and assisting with homework, meal preparation etc. • Opportunities to return to Country. • Participating in cultural customs, activities and events. • Encouraging a child to understand their place in family and community e.g. using genograms. • Having ongoing incidental contact with family via phone, emails etc. • Learning their stories (dreamtime), dances, art • Being able to talk about their culture and family and having people they can question. Department of Communities

44. Principle 7: Context for OOHC services This will be incorporated into the service requirements. • The importance of delivering OOHC services that are culturally competent and responsive will be a focus of the requirements and respondents will need to demonstrate this is embedded in their service model and their organisation. • There will be a requirement for non-ACCO CSOs to partner with an ACCO, a local Aboriginal Reference Group, and/or an Aboriginal community group that is endorsed to represent the community. • The partnership must be genuine and mutually beneficial and support the achievement of the outcomes. • All parties to the partnership will need to provide a testimony as part of the Tender as to their understanding of the partnership, contributions of- and benefits to each party. This may be provided in writing or on film. Department of Communities

45. Principle 8: Compensation and Outcome Payments This principle was not well received: Compensation Payments: Although this was accepted, general feedback was that funds could be better used to support the Reform objectives. Outcome payments: Many services found it offensive as stability is what everyone should be trying to achieve, as much as possible, care arrangements with Aboriginal carers for Aboriginal children are provided and a requirement under legislation. Department of Communities

46. Principle 8: Context for OOHC This will not be incorporated into the service requirements. The outcome and compensation payment elements will be removed from the Tender requests and the funds reallocated within the OOHC reform. Department of Communities

47. Today’s Agenda Department of Communities

48. A new way of working together • Communities is committed to: • providing OOHC services that are culturally safe and responsive; • facilitating improved service provision to Aboriginal children, young people and families, and recognising that service provision by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people is appropriate and effective; and • strategically supporting the growth of ACCOs. In the context of the OOHC reform - there is a requirement for all non-ACCO respondents to have a genuine partnership with at least one ACCO, local Aboriginal Reference Group, and/or Aboriginal community group that is endorsed to represent the community. The partnership will support the achievement of the Service Outcomes and enhance service provision for Aboriginal children and young people. Department of Communities

49. Capacity Building – a two-way process We heard the following: • Developing partnerships takes time and money. In the context of OOHC services: • Communities is considering the inclusion of a grant to support capacity building for these partnerships, specifically: • Provision of a grant of up to $20,000 (in year one) to develop the partnership(s) of a CSO. The Tender must detail how the grant would be used. • In subsequent years, the CSO may apply for up to $20,000p.a. to undertake capacity building activities. We welcome your feedback in relation to this idea Department of Communities

50. What makes an effective partnership? • What should a partnership, between a CSO and an ACCO, local Aboriginal Reference Group, and/or Aboriginal community group look like for OOHC services? • How do we measure whether the partnership is successful and contributing to the desired outcomes? • What are is needed to develop and maintain a successful partnership? We welcome your feedback in relation to this. Department of Communities