Non Placement Support Services

Impact’s NPSS Foundation program is a fee-for-service brokerage partnership between Impact and the Department of Family and Community Services (FACS), as well as other NGOs, whereby a range of services are provided for children and young people in Out-of-Home-Care (OOHC) and their families through Individual Agreements.

​

Foundation is a specialised, short-term - up to three months - support program for children and young people who are experiencing difficulty in adjusting to the demands of living in their out-of-home care placement.

​

​

​

The first priority when a child starts the Impact’s Foundation program is to contain the crisis. Attachment issues are addressed by providing a safe, structured environment with predictable rules and routines. Initial plans are put in place to address immediate health needs, family contact arrangements and education. The child’s new home environment is personalised to suit them.

​

Specially trained Therapeutic Care Workers ‘tune in’ to the child’s affect, helping them to identify their internal emotional experiences and model ways to safely express emotions. Behaviour management systems are clear and positive. Staff utilise Therapeutic Crisis Intervention skills to prevent, de-escalate and capture the learning opportunities provided by crises that emerge.

Phase 1. Foundation - crisis containment, assessment and stabilisation (Entry - 3 months)

The overriding principle of the Children & Young Person’s Care and Protection Act (1998) is that the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children or young people must be paramount in all decisions (section 9).

​

In adherence to this principle prior to a child entering a FOUNDATION program, it is vital that the safety and care needs of that child are addressed by Impact prior to proceeding with entry to the program. In the absence of a holistic, strengths-based assessment, the child is unlikely to achieve the safety and stability required to transition successfully back to their placement and may contribute to an escalation of the child's placement support needs in the future.

​

​

ASSESSMENT PHASE

The Assessment phase of the Intake process will identify the child or young person’s strengths, risks and needs by way of conducting a Risk Assessment and Behaviour Intervention and Support Plan.

​

Furthermore, any child who is referred to Foundation without a Behaviour Support Plan will be assessed by Impact’s Clinical team and will have a Behaviour Intervention Support Plan and iTracker (live document to monitor progress) developed within 7 days of entering the program.

​

​

FOUNDATION GOALS

The Foundation program has been designed to provide safety and stabilisation for children and young people who have suffered or are at risk of suffering placement breakdowns. Research indicates that when a child has experienced two or more placement breakdowns, there is a significantly increased likelihood of this pattern continuing (https://www.communities.qld.gov.au)

​

During their time in FOUNDATION, children and young people will engage in a contact plan with their carer or care team to allow them to slowly develop attachment and connection to their placements. Children and young people will be active in the development of this contact plan so that they can feel that their wishes and needs have been heard and shaped the manner in which they transition out of FOUNDATION and back to their chosen placement.

​

​

REPORTING

​

Each child’s needs and progress are closely monitored via a comprehensive data collection and reporting system. Regular reports are prepared, based on detailed information that has been systematically gathered by our Therapeutic Care Workers and analysed by the clinical team.

​

Depending on the child’s stage in the program, routine reports include:

• Behavioural data (daily)

• Routine compliance data (weekly, daily)

• Community access and citizenship (daily)

• Family contact report (as required)

• Case plan (monthly)

• Medical review (monthly)

• Progress reports (daily)

• Incident data (monthly)

• Counselling report (monthly)

• Relational assessment (monthly)

• Young person wellbeing checklist (monthly).