Looking After Children framework implementation for Disability service providers
What is the Looking After Children framework?
The Looking After Children framework is the current care management framework for supporting outcome-focussed, collaborative care for children and young people who are living in out-of-home-care (voluntary and court ordered). It focuses on making sure that the child’s day-to-day needs are considered and met while in the care of a service provider.
Who should use the Looking After Children framework?
The framework should be utilised by all service providers who provide the day to day care for children and young people in out-of-home care, whether on child care agreements or a court order.
Who is part of the Looking After Children planning process?
Looking After Children uses a care team approach to share responsibility and effectively respond to a child’s needs. The care team should include the child’s parents or legal guardians, care manager and carers and case manager.
Where did the Looking After Children framework come from?
Looking After Children framework was developed in the United Kingdom and has subsequently been implemented in Australia and internationally. It has been progressively implemented in Victoria since 2003, as the best practice framework for children placed away from their family’s care.
Why is it being introduced for disability service providers?
Implementation of the Looking After Children framework in disability services is a requirement of the Disability Services and Children, Youth and Families joint work plan.The work plan aims to improve outcomes for all children and young people in out-of-home care, whether funded by Disability Services or Children, Youth and Families. Many of the work plan actions also aim to address the recommendations in the Ombudsman Victoria’s report Own motion investigation into Child Protection – out of home care, May 2010.
How does it relate to the Disability Act 2006?
For children and young people in out-of-home care, Looking After Children is the planning framework for disability service providers to meet their obligations relating to support planning under the Disability Act 2006.
When should it be implemented?
All disability service providers providing out-of home care need to implement the Looking After Children framework within their organisation by 30 June 2012.
How does it relate to child care agreements?
A child care agreement is a written agreement in accordance with the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 between a parent and a service provider to voluntarily place a child in out-of-home-care. A child care agreement authorises the service provider to provide day-to-day care for the child and sets out the terms and conditions relating to the placement. Child Protection has the delegated responsibility to review the child care agreement. The Looking After Children care and placement plan provides relevant information needed to inform the review of the child care agreement. Further information aboutchild care agreements can be found in the Administering Child Care Agreements in Voluntary Out-of-Home Care Handbook (2010) on the Funded Agency Channel and the Department of Human Services intranet http:/intranet.dhs.vic.gov.au/client-service-hubs/disability-services
Further resources
Looking After Children framework: a guide for disability service providers guides implementation of the Looking After Children framework for children and young people in out-of-home care provided by disability service providers. It provides an overview of the planning tools and processes, as well as best practice guidance relating to care team roles and responsibilities. It is available in Word and PDF at
The Looking After Children framework practice tools will be made available on the Funded Agency Channel,
For more information you can also visit the Children, Youth and Families website - Looking After Children in Victoria