Page 723 - Week 02 - Thursday, 16 February 2017
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(10) Staffing of residential care properties is undertaken on a risk and needs basis. For example, young people who are considered at risk of self harm may require stand up staffing during the night and double staffing during the day. However, when a young person attends school during the day, there may not be staffing at the house when the young person is not present.
As staffing is on a needs basis determined by presenting risks and needs of the young person, there are no fixed staffing ratios.
(11) There are no mandated staffing ratios.
(12) The Service Funding Agreement stipulates that the residential care properties be staffed in a 24 hour capacity to meet the care needs of children and young people. As noted in part (10), staffing for each residential care property is based upon client risks and needs.
(13) Although workforce capacity is a challenge across the sector, there are no reports of staffing levels affecting the provision of appropriate supervision of children and young people.
(14) Residential care properties are staffed by a team of permanent full-time residential care workers and are supported by a pool of trained casual residential care workers. The residential care workers are supervised by a Residential Team Manager who is based primarily in the house. Support and coaching is provided directly to residential care workers while on shift and in addition receive regular supervision. In addition to this, residential care workers have access to after-hours support and an Employee Assistance Program.
(15) ACT Together is contractually obliged to employ suitably qualified/experienced residential case managers and care workers with a minimum tertiary qualification in a related field such as community services or youth work. Under A Step Up for Our Kids, training is being delivered to staff in residential care providing them with the skills and knowledge in trauma informed care for children and young people in residential care.
This training aims to provide staff with the tools and knowledge to understand the impacts of trauma on children and young people in their care. The ACT Together consortium is led by Barnardos, in partnership with the Australian Childhood Foundation, OzChild, Premier Youthworks and Relationships Australia and therefore has considerable expertise in trauma informed care responses.
(16) The only residential care facility operated by the Territory is Narrabundah House Indigenous Supported Residential Facility which had turnover of seven percent in the 2015-16 financial year.
As stated in part (14), ACT Together residential care properties are staffed by a team of permanent full-time residential care workers, supported by trained casual residential care workers. The permanent workforce is relatively stable with turnover largely occurring amongst casual staff. Turnover rate for 2015-16 financial year was 16 percent for permanent residential care workers and 32 percent for casual staff. The turnover rate over the last 12 months has been affected by the move to a continuum of care with many workers moving to other roles in the care continuum.
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