Reform of how concerns about a child’s care are being managed will enhance communication and create specialised roles to better protect children and young people in South Australia.

The Department for Child Protection (DCP) has consulted with more than 100 stakeholders including children and young people, carers, peak bodies and staff at non-government service providers and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, to create the proposed ‘Quality of Care Response Model’.

The model is intended to replace the current ‘Care Concerns’ model, which directs how the department manages concerns raised about the care being provided to children living in care.

Proposed changes to the current ‘care concerns’ model, that will now be more broadly consulted on include:

• Strengthening objectivity by separating a child’s case management team from decision-making around the substantiation of Quality of Care reports.
• Improving communication with children and carers, including simplifying and personalising outcome letters.
• Updating response pathways to better reflect the nuances of different placement types, such as foster, kinship or residential care.
• Creating specialised roles to lead responses to concerns about a child’s care
• Enhancing practice guidance and operating procedures.
• Creating a review mechanism for Quality of Care Report substantiation outcomes.

The proposed new model formalises the requirement to map a child’s journey - including in relation to culture, family history, disability and other factors - early on in screening, to quickly determine a child’s context and experience and the most appropriate and supportive response for a child.

This also allows for support and guidance to be offered to carers as early and effectively as possible and for it to potentially include therapeutic interventions or further training.

Members of the public have been encouraged to have their say on the proposed changes through to 5 May.

Feedback is being gathered through the State Government’s YourSAy platform and the Carers’ Voice section of DCP’s website.

For more information, visit https://yoursay.sa.gov.au/proposed-quality-of-care-response-model(external site) (external site)

Quotes attributable to Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard

Carers play such a vital role in the lives of the children and young people to whom they provide care and stability.

Their love and generosity is crucial to the child protection and family support system. I am really grateful for the commitment of carers and focused on listening to them in order to put the best and most impactful supports in place as they traverse their caring journey.

A new approach to managing care concerns will help us to swiftly undertake action that helps ensure children’s safety and supports their carers in providing the best possible care.

This important change responds to carer feedback and sits amongst far reaching reforms we are determined to advance in ways that help improve children’s lives.

I encourage all South Australians to have their say on these important reforms. Together, we can create a child protection and family system that is more responsive, effective and transparent and stringently focused on helping children and young people thrive.