CARER AGREEMENT

IN BECOMING AN APPROVED TIME FOR KIDS CARER* YOU AGREE TO ABIDE BY THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:

☐ / Initial Carer Agreement(completed during Assessment Interview)
☐ / Review of Carer Agreement (completed during Annual Review)

LONG TERM COMMITMENT

  1. Relationships between Time for Kids carers and children are long term and continue until the child is 18 years of age and graduates from the program1. Relationships are encouraged to continue past this time, however will continue as a private arrangement.
  2. Visits with a child occur regularly and consistently throughout a carer and child’s relationship, and in the capacity agreed to with Time for Kids and the child’s family (day time, overnight, weekday, weekend or school holiday visits).

TRAINING

It is mandatory that carers complete training as part of their assessment process. This must then be renewed, prior to expiry, every three years following. Training is paid for by Time for Kids, unless appropriate training is already held by the carer. Time for Kids staff will inform carers of when their training is to be renewed.

Ongoing training requirements include:

  1. Department for Communities and Social Inclusion Child Related Employment Screening clearance
  2. Apply First Aid
  3. Child Safe Environments

COMMUNICATION AND PLACEMENT SUPPORT

Carers must engage in regular, ongoing, reliable and honest communication with Time for Kids throughout the duration of their placement. This includes:

  1. Participating in three monthly phone calls with the Time for Kids support team (unless otherwise arranged by Time for Kids).
  2. Being easily contactable or able to return phone calls within a prompt and reasonable time frame.
  3. Notifying Time for Kids of any changes to your personal circumstances including changes to contact details or address, family relationships, health, work commitments or other information which might effect your placement and relationship with a child.
  4. Notifying Time for Kids if you apply to, or are considering applying to, another foster care agency.
  5. Engaging in positive, respectful and cooperative communication with a Time for Kids child’s family.

1 Extenuating circumstances might result in a placement ending prematurely and subject to Time for Kids assessment.

TRANSPORT

Carers agree to transport a child to and from respite or mentoring visits (unless otherwise stipulated by Time for Kids; however alternative transportation arrangements are not to be expected). Transportation agreements include:

  1. Vehicles being used to transport children are registered, roadworthy and have a minimum of third party insurance.
  2. Appropriate car restraints are utilised in line with the South Australian Child Restraint Laws.
  3. Carers must hold a current ‘A’ class Australian driver’s license.
  4. Carers must adhere to road and safety laws including not driving whilst under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
  5. Time for Kids children should not be sent home in a taxi or with a friend, neighbour or acquaintance of the carer. It is the carer’s responsibility to take the child home, unless a prior arrangement has been agreed upon with the child, their family and Time for Kids.

HOME VISITS

Carers must allow Time for Kids to visit them in their homes each year. This includes:

  1. An Annual Review once per year to discuss the placement and assess for carer re-approval within the program.
  2. An additional two home visits per year if caring for a child under the Guardianship of the Minister.
  3. Additional visits outside of this if deemed necessary by the Time for Kids support team.

HEALTH AND MEDICAL NEEDS

  1. Carers must contact the child’s family if they become sick or injured during a respite or mentoring visit.
  2. Carers must notify Time for Kids of any significant accidents involving a child and occurring whilst in their care.
  3. Carers must administer a child’s prescribed medication, in line with the prescription directions, if the child requires it whilst in their care. Medication is not to be administered to a child by their carer unless it is provided in the original packaging with the prescription and dosage clearly attached.
  4. Carers are to notify a child’s family and postpone visits if there are significant health difficulties within their household and that would pose as a risk to a child.

REPORTING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

  1. Carers must notify Time for Kids and the Child Abuse Report Line should they have any concerns that a child is at risk of harm.
  2. As previously outlined, carers’ Child Safe Environments training must be remain current through three yearly renewal.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY

  1. Carers will ensure all children are allowed to personal privacy and space within their home.
  2. Confidentiality of a Time for Kids child and their family’s personal details and circumstances will be respected and maintained.

PROTECTIVE BEHAVIOURS

The relationship between a carer and a child requires an understanding of protective practices and imposes a high level duty of care. Duty of care is articulated as a duty to take reasonable care to protect from all reasonably foreseeable risk of injury. As a carer you are required to ensure that the physical and emotional welfare of the child is safeguarded. Best practice protective behaviours include:

  1. Seeking the child’s permission for physical contact.
  2. Administrating first aid.
  3. Helping a child who has fallen.
  4. Assisting a child with toileting and personal care needs.
  5. Accompanying a child to a toilet and waiting for them outside of the cubicle.
  6. Non-intrusive contacton the arm, hand or upper back such as brief hugs, pats on the back, or holding a hand to comfort a child.
  7. Non-intrusive touch such as shaking hands or high-fiving a child to congratulate or encourage them
  8. Not presuming that every child is comfortable with physical contact and respecting and responding to signs of discomfort if they occur. Use verbal directions with a child if necessary.
  9. Being considerate of a child’s cultural beliefs and sensitivities with regards to physical contact.
  10. Being considerate if a child has experienced trauma and has sensitivities or discomfort with physical contact as a result.
  11. Carers supervising, and being responsible for, a Time for Kids child at all times during respite or mentoring visits. Children are not to be left in the care of any other adults or children, even if they are trusted and close friends or family members of the carer.

Time for Kids children must not be subjected to, or threatened with:

  1. Physical punishment or restraint
  2. Punishment intended to humiliate or frighten them
  3. Nudity of a carer

ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG USE

  1. Carers must adhere to South Australian tobacco regulations which include refraining from smoking in an enclosed space, including a car, when a child is present.
  2. Carers must role model the positive consumption of alcohol when caring for a child. This includes remaining under the blood alcohol concentration of 0.05 in order to be able to transport a child in the case of an emergency.
  3. Carers must never use illegal substances whilst caring for a child.

BY SIGNING THIS FORM YOU ARE AGREEING TO ABIDE BY THESE CONDITIONS

Name (Primary Carer) SignatureDate

Name (Secondary Carer)SignatureDate

*Time for Kids uses theuses the word ‘carer’ to describe all caring relationships, including mentoring