Case Planning
There are currently two main types of planning that occur for children and young people in out-of-home care:
Best Interests Planning
Best interests planning is a process – not just a meeting. Carers and staff should be active participants in the planning process as all have an important role to play in developing a child or young person’s Best Interests Plan. Information that carers have about the child or young person in their care is vital and should always be considered in planning for their best interests.
The Children Youth & Families Act 2005 requires that every child or young person placed on a court order must have a statutory case plan (referred to as a Best Interests Plan) developed within 6 weeks of the granting of the order by the court. The only exception is children on interim orders.
The Best Interests Plan sets out the overall plan for the child or young person, and therefore has multiple components including a Care and Placement Plan, a Leaving Care Plan (or Transition Plan - developed 2 years before the young person is likely to leave care).
The day-to-day management, coordination and review of the Best Interests Plan is the responsibility of the child or young person’s case manager.
- Carers should be told in advance when the Case Plan meeting is to be held
- Carers would usually attend meetings, but not always. If the carer is not invited, the carer will be told the reason. Where attendance is not granted, carers can investigate the possibility of being present for the relevant part of the meeting, as necessary.
- Carers should receive copies of the endorsed Case Plan
- Carers should be consulted about all decisions made in the Case Plan which have an impact on carers or their families
Care and Placement Planning
The Looking After Children (LAC) framework encourages good communication, collaboration, planning & assessment in out-of-home care. It requires the involvement of the care team (carers, CSO workers, child protection workers, parents (where appropriate), children and young people (where age-appropriate) and other relevant professionals who share parenting responsibility for the child.
One key element of LAC is the development of Care and Placement Plans that focus on how the child or young person’s needs will be met while they are in home-based care. The plan makes it clear who does what, by when, and what is expected as the outcome for the child. Development of the Care and Placement Plan needs to start within 2 weeks of a child or young person coming into care, and will form a component of the Best Interests Plan.
The care and placement planning process aims to:
- Identify the needs of the child or young person in out-of-home care as soon as possible after they enter a placement
- Ensure that the responsibility for meeting these needs is shared appropriately and that everyone knows what their roles and responsibilities are
The Care and Placement Plan should be reviewed and updated at least every 6 months and should always be provided to the Best Interests planner when the Best Interests Plan is being developed, reviewed or presented for endorsement. This should occur via the case manager.
Possible Referral Sources
Home Based Care Handbook (2007 edition; pages 17 – 20)
