Page 1801 - Week 06 - Thursday, 30 July 2020
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may have proceeded if it could be managed in a way that was consistent with the health advice and assurance of personal hygiene and physical distancing. Some of the factors that were considered were:
a. when restoration is the child’s Care Plan goal;
b. when the child/ren is very young (under three years);
c. if a person in the household has a serious health condition;
d. significant bereavement (Sorry Business) or adverse event within the family network (noting restrictions on funerals);
e. if the child is experiencing significant emotional or psychological impacts as a result of separation from their parent or usual carer; and
f. following consultation with a maternity nurse, paediatrician or maternal and child health nurse, it is agreed maintaining breast feeding is necessary to keep baby well and this could be done safely in the context of COVID-19.
For children on long-term orders, face-to-face contact is being progressively reintroduced (from 9 June 2020). Face-to-face contact between a child and their parents or kin is being managed in a way that is consistent with the health advice on personal hygiene and physical distancing. All supervised contact will occur at the contact centre and the number of adults to attend will be limited in order to adhere to social distancing measures. Screening of symptoms and hygiene practices are in place.
10. For the period 30 November 2019 to 29 May 2020 (six months), 18 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people entered care, noting several children and young people may relate to one family.
11. For the period 30 November 2019 to 29 May 2020 (six months), 35 non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people entered care, noting several children and young people may relate to one family.
12. During the Public Health Emergency, essential services to support children and young people have continued to be delivered to meet their needs. This includes continued contact with relevant case managers, ongoing care team meetings and the continuation of services by specialist providers in person or via telephone or video link.
Case managers have contacted families and carers to discuss their individual circumstances and needs, and to talk about revised arrangements for transport, education and contact. These conversations are ongoing and are being reassessed based on the recent easing of restrictions.
As a community, we are concerned about there being increased risk for some children who may not be as visible in the community and whose families are under increased pressure as a result of the pandemic. CYPS commenced a client coordination meeting bringing together Education, Health, ACT Policing and critical community partners such as OneLink, DVCS, the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre and ACT Together, to ensure that by collectively working together, all supports are in place to keep our most vulnerable children and young people safe.
13. The ACT Government is in the process of finalising its response to the Our Booris, Our Way final report and recommendations. The Community Services Directorate remains committed to realising the intent of the review and implementation will be in partnership with ACT Together, particularly for the recommendations that refer to A Step Up for Our Kids.
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