Presentation Heading Sub heading information

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Presentation HeadingSub heading information
Working with Families SA
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WELCOME to WORKING WITH FAMILIES SA
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Kaurna Acknowledgement

• We would like to acknowledge this land that we
  meet on today is the traditional lands for the
  Kaurna people and that we respect their spiritual
  relationship with their country.
• We also acknowledge the Kaurna people as the
  custodians of the greater Adelaide region and
  that their cultural and heritage beliefs are
  still as important to the living Kaurna people
  today.

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Acknowledgement of Country

• We acknowledge and respect the traditional
  custodians whose lands we are meeting upon here
  today. We acknowledge the deep feelings of
  attachment and relationship of Aboriginal peoples
  to country. We also pay respects to the cultural
  authority of Aboriginal people visiting/attending
  from other areas of South Australia/Australia
  present here.

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House Keeping

• Toilets
• Kitchen facilities
• Breaks
• Emergency evacuation
• Mobile phones

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Program overview

• Resources
• PowerPoint presentation
• Practice Guides
• Out of Home Care Procedures and Guidelines for
  Commercial Carers
• List of links and other resources

• Method of learning
• F2F instruction
• Activities in small groups for discussion and
  learning
• Using resources available from Families SA to
  analyse and improve practice

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Introductions
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Learning Outcomes

• Describe the role of Families SA and services
  provided.
• Explain the role of your service provider
  delivering services under contract with FSA.
• Describe the practice standards in the Practice
  Guides
• Describe the Out of Home Care Procedures
  Guidelines
• Describe your responsibility in cooperation with
  care concern investigations.
• Support families in implementing Families SA SBC
  Action Plans

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Vision

• Our alternative care services will enable
• all children and young people in our care
• to experience a childhood in all its fullness.
  
• Directions for Alternative Care in South
  Australia 2011-1015

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Overview of Department for Education and Child
Development (DECD) and Families SA

• Families SA became part of the new Dept. for
  Education and Child Development (DECD) in
  September 2011.
• Our mission and goals are laid out in our
  strategic plans
• DECD Strategic Plan
• Families SA Service Plan
• The direction for the strategic plans comes from
  the overall South Australian Strategic Plan
  (SASP)

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DECD Strategic Plan 2014 -2017

• Sets the departments strategic direction for the
  next four years.
• Six areas of focus, how each will be addressed
  and how success will be measured
• Higher standards of learning achievement.
• Improve health and wellbeing.
• Improve and integrate child safety.
• Engage children, families and communities.
• Right service at the right time.
• Build a better system.

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Families SA responsibilities

• How do we know what our responsibilities are?
• Our work is legislated but we have other
  guidelines.

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Families SA Service Plan

• Outlines the changes to the delivery of child
  protection services.
• Commits DECD to providing practical assistance to
  families that focus on their strengths, supports
  and protective factors to ensure the system adds
  value to children, young people and their
  families.

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The Mission of Families SA

• Families SA will work in partnership with
  vulnerable families and the community to provide
  safe environments for children and young people.
• Where children cannot safely stay in the family
  home we will find a place for them to live that
  is safe and stable.
• We will provide children and young people in our
  long-term care with every opportunity to reach
  their full potential.

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Service Directions for Families SA

• Promote the protection of children
• Respond to concerns of immediate safety
• Intervene protectively
• Support children in our care to thrive and
  develop
• To provide safe and quality services (That are
  culturally appropriate)

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Legislation

• Families SA works under two key pieces of
  Legislation
• The Childrens protection Act 1993
• Family and Community Services Act 1972

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Why is legislation important?

• Legislation provides the laws and rules under
  which we live and work and outlines statutory
  responsibilities.
• Legislation consists of Acts of Parliament.
• Amendments occur at regular intervals, or as the
  need arises.
• Acts generally deal with all matters of
  importance for the implementation of a particular
  policy
• - So this is where we get the content for our
  policies and procedures .

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Agency Specific

• Adoption Act 1988
• Carers Recognition Act 2005
• Child Protection Review (Powers and Immunities)
  Act 2002
• Childrens Protection Act 1993
• Commission of Inquiry (Children in State Care)
  Act 2004
• Family and Community Services Act 1972
• Young Offenders Act 1993

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Umbrella Legislation

• Work Health and Safety Act 2012
• Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1986
• Whistleblowers Protection Act 1993
• Industrial and Employee Relations Act 1994
• Freedom of Information Act 1991
• Equal Opportunity Act 1984
• Racial Vilification Act 1996
• State Records Act 1997
• www.legislation.sa.gov

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Commonwealth and State Legislation

• Family Law Act 1975
• Family Law Rules 2004
• Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act 1946
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992
• Supported Accommodation Assistance Act 1994
• www.comlaw.gov.au

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Metropolitan Operations

• These are the business units that provide direct
  services to families and children in the Metro
  area of Adelaide

Assessment and Support Protective Intervention Guardianship
Northern (Elizabeth) Northern (Blair Athol) Northern (Salisbury)
Central (Adelaide) Southern (Aberfoyle Park) Central (Woodville)
Southern (Noarlunga) Southern (Marion)
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Country Operations

• Families SA has 12 Offices in country locations
  that cover regional and remote areas of the
  state.
• Each Office has specializing teams that provide
  services to families and children

Port Augusta Port Pirie Whyalla
Kadina Port Lincoln Ceduna
Coober Pedy (inc APY Lands staff) Limestone Coast Murraylands (Murray Bridge)
Riverland (Berri) Mount Barker Gawler (administratively part of Metro)
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Residential Care

• Provides out of home care for young people in a
  residential setting.
• Units and Houses are staffed by Child and Youth
  Workers across a 24/7 roster
• Currently 49 properties across the State
• 6 units
• 43 houses

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Placements and Authorities

• Placement Authorities
• Emergency removal (Custody until next working
  day)
• Voluntary Custody Agreements (VCA 3-6 months)
• Investigation Assessment (custody 42 days)
• Guardianship Orders, ( up to 12 months or to 18
  years)
• Custody Orders to 12 months.

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Out-of-Home Care Options

• Non Family Based Care
• Families SA Residential care facilities
  congregate accommodation options in houses and
  units.
• Emergency Accommodation Services Junction
  Australia, AFSS, AC Care
• Non Government Congregate Care Facilities
• Non Government Independent Living Facilities
  Services
• - e..g Muggys
• Specialised Residential Care CARA, SYC, Novita

• Family Based Care
• Kinship Care
• Family Based Foster Care
• Respite Care
• Specialised Family Based Care
• Other Options
• Rotational Commercial Agency Care
• NAHA (NationalAffordable Housing Agreement)

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Current Statistics for Children in OHC

• As at June 30th, 2014
• 2,577 children young people under guardianship
  of the Minister.
• 87 - long term care protection orders
• 13 - 12 month care protection orders
• 30 - Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
• 10 were in Residential care
• 3 were in Emergency / temporary residential care

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Breaking the Code - Acronyms

• Acronym..a word formed from the initial letters
  or groups of letters of words in a set phrase or
  series of words
• Acronymsthe secret language of government

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Families SAs practice approach

• Casework
• Case Management
• Care Planning

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Work flow
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Case Management

• Families SA Office holds Case Management
  responsibility
• A Social Worker is allocated a number of
  children/young people (CASELOAD)
• The Social Worker is responsible for
• giving direction relating to child/young person.
• formulating a Care Plan with carer/young person.
• setting up and attending regular meetings with
  carer/s/young person.
• consulting with and keeping supervisor / senior
  practitioners informed
• case management relating to all aspects of
  childs life eg health, education, psychological,
  respite, contact with birth family etc.
• Carers need to report all relevant information
  about a child/young person directly to
  appropriate staff -
• This may include both Families SA Office social
  worker AND agency coordinator.

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Cultural Considerations

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Historical context remains a huge impact
• Over representation in the system
• Many tools and resources for practice
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people
• Refugee versus migrant experience
• Language and cultural barriers
• Need for translators cultural consultation

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Care Planning

• A Care Plan provides the framework for
  intervention/ interaction and activities with a
  young person/child
• Provides a guide regarding
• Goals
• Behaviour management plan
• Intervention strategy
• Roles
• Will be completed by the Case Worker, in
  conjunction with child/young person
• Is reviewed at agreed time frame or before if
  necessary.
• Carers need to keep the Social Worker informed of
  changes which may impact on the care plan.

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Practice approach model used in Families SA

• Solution Based Casework

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Solution Based Casework

• Developed in America
• by Dana Christensen PhD
• Introduced in 2013 to South Australia
• Child protection system wide approach being
  implemented not just Families SA- includes NGO
  partners
• Process of certification for operational staff
  (Office based workers) in FSA is part of
  achieving and improving practice standards
• www.solutionbasedcasework.com

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Three Main Tenets are at the Heart of SBC
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We Prioritize the Family Partnership
We Help Families Document and Celebrate Success
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We Focus on Pragmatic Solutions to Everyday Life
Problems
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PRACTICE STANDARDS

• Practice standards are key to achieving
  consistent and successful outcomes with clients.

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Services that Providers are contracted to provide

• A high level of care to the children and young
  people under their supervision maintaining
  safety, security and supervision directed by FSA
• Work in line with the child or young persons
  mandatory Care Plan for day-to-day care
• Premises that are hygienic and clean at all times
  and prepare food that is nutritious and in
  accordance with the needs of the child / young
  person
• Notification and documentation of critical
  incidents, Missing Persons Reports, Care Concerns
  and Special investigations and Observational Log
  Books.

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Resources for Practice

• Residential Care Practice Guides
• Out Of Home Care Procedures and Guidelines for
  Commercial Care

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Introduction to Practice Guides

• Developed to provide guidelines for provision of
  care.
• Based on Families SA policies and procedures as
  well as practice wisdom and recognised best
  practice standards.
• They guide practice and enhance consistency
• Encompass various topics that relate to
  practical issues
• May not cover every issue all of the time

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The Residential Care Practice Guides have..

• been published as a guide for best practice.
  They reflect the current evidence base of best
  practice in caring for children and young people.
  They aim to help workers make the best judgements
  and decisions based on their skills, knowledge
  and understanding of an individual child, or
  young persons, needs.

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Current list of Practice Guides (July 2015)

• Building and maintaining positive relationships
• Supporting positive behaviour development
• Understanding and responding to abuse and neglect
  in Residential Care
• Understanding and working with aggressive
  behaviour
• Understanding and working with sexualised
  behaviour
• Understanding care and development in early child
  hood
• Understanding cyber safety and e-technology
• Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait
  Islander children and young people
• Working with children who run away or go missing
• Writing about children and young people

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How can we use the Practice Guides?

• Read
• Refer to
• Improve practice

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Activity - group exercises
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EXERCISE 1 - Reading the practice Guides

• In your nominated group
• Step 1- read through the Practice Guide that you
  have been allocated.
• Step 2 -Dot point the key messages for practice
  on large note paper provided.
• 15 minutes.

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EXERCISE 2 - Using Practice guides to improve
practice

• Step 1 - Individually read the nominated section
  of a practice guide
• Step 2 - As a group answer the following
  questions
• 1) What are we currently doing that we should be
  doing more of?
• What are we doing that we should be doing less
  of?
• What are we doing that we should stop doing?
• What are we not doing that we should start doing?

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Out of Home careGuidelines and Procedures for
Commercial Care

• These are the prescriptive descriptions of how
  and what to do, and when.

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Current list of Guidelines Procedures

•  01 - Admission and Discharge
• 02 - Appropriate Physical Contact and Personal
  Boundaries
• 03 - Behaviour Management Guideline
• 04 - Caring for Infants
• 05 - Case Management roles and responsibilities
• 06 - Contact with Police and Justice System
• 07 - Crisis and Critical Incident Management
• 08 - Electronic Technology Mobile Phones
• 09 - Emergency Response and Responding to Fire
• 10 - Freedom of Information
• 11 - Making a Complaint
• 12 - Medical and Dental Assistance

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Guidelines procedures Contd.

• 13 - Non-physical intervention use of force
• 14 - Nutrition and Safe Handling of Food
• 15 - Routine, Rosters and Administration
• 16 - Safe Handling of Potentially Infectious and
  Dangerous Items Guideline
• 17 - Workplace safety and personal welfare
• 18 - Smoking
• 19 - Working with children from Aboriginal and
  Torres Strait Islander and CALD backgrounds
• 20 - School and Programs
• Procedure - 01 - Death in Care

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How will you use the Out of Home care Procedures
and Guidelines?

• Read them through as complete instructions for
  the elements of a particular area of practice
• Refer to them for a particular element of
  practice procedure
• Contribute to maintaining a standard of practice
  by reflecting and analysing on current practice
  against the specific documents.
•  

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Activity
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Small Group exercise

• 1) Find the Out of Home Care Procedure and
  Guideline that relates to your identified
  practice issue or the scenario you have ben
  given..
• 2) Outline the key points relating specifically
  to that Practice issue and list the answers from
  that procedure about the practice
  challenge. (20mins)
• 3) Prepare feedback to the larger group

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Using Procedures to maintain standards of practice

• In small groups discuss the following
  questions1) What are we currently doing that we
  should be doing more of?2) What are we doing
  that we should be doing less of?3) What are we
  doing that we should stop doing?4) What are we
  not doing that we should start doing?

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Other Support Services in Families SA

• Specific Units of business in Families SA
• Placement Services Unit
• Intensive Placement Support Team
• Care Concern Investigation Units

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Placement Services Unit PSU includes Matching
and Allocations (MA)

• This unit is the DECD centralised placement
  system area that is responsible for placement
  management of all children and young people who
  require placement in Out of Home Care .
• Families SA offices must complete placement
  requests through their case management system
  (C3MS) for issue to the MA Team for Emergency,
  short, long term or specialist Foster, or
  Residential, Care placements.
• The Final decision is the responsibility of the
  PSU and this is the only place that referrals
  should come from.

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Intensive Placement Support Team

• A team of Senior Youth Workers who provide
• Support
• Guidance
• Liaison/conduit between case manager, placement
  and agency
• Practical advice and experience based wisdom

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IPS Team cont

• How support is provided
• Visits to placements (metro and country) within
  72 hrs of a child being established in a
  placement
• Phone contact
• Coordination of carers meetings
• Assistance with establishment of routines for
  households
• Trouble shooting (all types!)
• Ensuring policies, procedures and guidelines are
  followed quality assurance

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Care Concerns

• DECD investigate and act on allegations of non
  criminal acts of abuse and neglect of children
  and young people in foster care and those in
  residential and secure care facilities.
• These investigations are independent of Families
  SA and outcomes are reported directly to the DECD
  Chief Executive.

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What Happens with Care Concern Reports

• Once endorsed by the DECD CE, the outcomes are
  provided to the Families SA DCE and relevant
  organisations for action.
• If an individual wishes to dispute the outcomes
  of an investigation they can lodge a written
  complaint with the DECD CE.

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Best practice for preventing care concerns

• Documentation must be accurate and factual.
• Discuss issues with your Supervisor seek advice
  (Document) Ask if you dont know something.
• Speak up if you make a mistake or something goes
  wrong
• Be Aware of policies, procedures and guidelines
  that support practice know your role
  responsibilities.
• Maintain professional boundaries and ethical
  conduct.
• Know the Child / YP you are caring for read
  their care plans behaviour management plans for
  consistency.

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http//old.families.sa.gov.au/
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Final session

• Any final Questions?
• Please complete feedback sheets before you go!
• Thank you