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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

REGULATION

COMMUNITY

Weekly Schedule

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Safety Plan

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Initial relationship with key worker and caregivers to build 

trust through consistency

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Environment Plan to customise the house to suit the individual child

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Placement Orientation: personal needs, supports, rights initial Family Contact Plan

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Possessions Register

Interaction Guidelines House Rules and responsibilities

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Basic Reinforcement Plan

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Incident Management Plan

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Interim Behaviour Support Plan

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Therapeutic Crisis Intervention

Functional Skills Assessment to guide Living Skills plan

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Risk Assessment: to determine the level of supervision required

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Support Guides

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Initial Education Plan: needs and pathways

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.

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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.

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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.

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REPORTING

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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.

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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).

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Outcome reports are reviewed in Team meetings and in clinical supervision so that case management plans and Behaviour Support Plans can be updated in line with the child’s changing circumstances.

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Detailed monthly reports are provided to the referring source and form the platform for dialogue about shared care.

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WHY USE IMPACT FOR NPSS?

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Impact Youth Services entered into a Standing Offer Agreement for NPSS on 1 July 2014. As per Section 1.3 of the agreement (an electronic version can be provided upon request.

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The Services which the Service Provider is prepared to provide to the CYP as a contractor at the request of Community Services on a fee-for- service basis shall be listed in Schedule 2. The list of Services may include one or more of the following non-placement support services:

• Supervised Contact;

• Supervised Transport;

• Youth Worker Support and Mentoring;

• Behavioural Support and Management;

• Kinship/Relative Carer Assessment;

• Disability Care;

• Therapeutic Camps; and

• Respite Care

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Impact’s NPSS Foundation program falls within the Respite Care section of the Agreement and includes accommodation cost if the referrer is unable to provide a stable place of residence for the FOUNDATION program period.

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Impact has supported children & young people with high and complex needs in the Out-of-Home-Care system for over 15 years. Our extensive experience means our staff have a clear understanding of not only the NSW OoHC, but more importantly of those young people’s needs, working within the therapeutic framework of the ARC+C model.

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Staff training and employment checks

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All Impact Therapeutic Care Workers have the appropriate qualifications (minimum Certificate IV) and experience to work with such complex groups. Our Therapeutic Care Workers receive training on:

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• First Aid

• Therapeutic Crisis Intervention

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TCWs are aware ofmandatory reportingrequirements and haveIdentifying & Responding to Risk of Harm training. They have undergone an approved recruitment process that include mandatory checks on the following:

• Criminal Record Check

• Working with Children Check

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Cost and Payment method

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 Impact will generate a quote in line with the NPSS Agreement and will seek approval for the quote before commencing the service.

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Service costs are as per the NPSS Supply Schedule Service Price List. However, for referrals to the NPSS “FOUNDATION” program (as the support needed will be longer than a week), we will be matching current Unit Costs as per IRC clients plus any additional staffing cost (one-on-one, awake, etc.). Our Accounts Department will then provide a tax invoice after the service has been undertaken.

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Service Areas

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We have offices in both New South Wales, the ACT and Victoria, and a number of Child and Family Centres in or near correctional facilities in New South Wales.

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