Policy on the Provision of Financial Support for Care Leavers Who Are Completing Full-Time

Policy on the provision of financial support for care leavers who are completing full-time studies

Procedures for non-governmentorganisations (NGOs) claims for Post Care Education Financial Support

These procedures implement the Policy on provision of financial support for care leavers who are completing full-time studies.

The support outlined in this procedure is provided in line with sections 161(3), 165(1), 165(2)(b) of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998.

Financial support under this policy is to be assessed and monitored as part of leaving care planning and aftercare support.

Part Arefers to young people continuing to live with their foster/relative carer. Part Brefers to young people residing in residential care. Part C sets out the practice procedures.

Terms

Term / Definition
Course completion / A course is considered complete when classes and assessments have finished and the young person is no longer required to study or complete work. Graduation should not be used as the ‘course completion’ date.
Full-time /

Secondary school, including HSC ‘accumulation’ Pathway provided that it has been assessed that the accumulation arrangement is the most appropriate full-time study load for the young person (procedures to be developed)
TAFE course provided the course is at least 15 hours per week including work placement
any other course equivalent to Year 12 provided that the course is not specifically described as a part-time course.

Year 12 or equivalent /

Higher School Certificate (HSC)
HSC via school-based apprenticeship or traineeship
HSC via Vocational Education and Training (VET) Board Endorsed[1] courses
TAFE NSW Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation
International Baccalaureate, diploma level.

Part A: Foster/Kinship Arrangements

Financial support

The Post Care Education Financial Support along with any other requirements for financial support (i.e. Teenage Education Payment) must be part of the young person’s approved leaving care plan.
FACSwill provide NGOs the rate equivalent to the care allowance proportion of the unit price paid to the NGO, for the young person’s assessed level of care immediately before the young person’s 18th birthday.
In line with the Policy on provision of financial support for care leavers who are completing full-time studiesNGOs should provide financial support to the carer at a rate equivalent to that received by the carer immediately before the young person’s 18th birthday. NB: Rates may differ from agency to agency and depend on individual agency policies regarding care allowance rates.
Depending on individual agency policies the care allowance proportion of the unit price will be more, or in some cases less, that the care allowance rate paid to the carer by the NGO immediately prior to the young person’s 18th birthday. Agencies are expected to manage any such discrepancies within their total budget.
FACS does not require copies of care allowance rates paid to carers by NGOs but the Policy requires the NGO to pay the carer at the equivalent rate to that received immediately prior to the young person’s 18th birthday.
FACS will provide the payment directly to NGOs quarterly in advance after receiving the invoice from the NGO.
If the young person turns 18 during the quarter, the payment to the NGO will be calculated at a pro rata rate.
As payment will be received in advance NGOs should continue to pay the care allowance to the carer fortnightly, rather than as a quarterly lump sum.
Some carers will also be eligible to receive the means tested Teenage Education Payment (TEP) for the young person after they turn 18 years if it is part of an approved leaving care plan.
Financial support is available until the young person completes the course, ceases to study full-time, transitions to independent living or attains 25 years, whichever is sooner.

Back payments can be made for the previous quarter if the carer was eligible for Post Care Education Financial Support.

Access to related and othersupport payments which are part of an approved leaving care plan remain in place for the duration of the financial support period.

Contracted Care Unit Price 2016/17

Financial year 2016–17 / Unit price / Care Allowance component of unit price (annual) / Care Allowance component of unit price (quarter)
General foster care / $41,821.22 / $17,517.46 / $4,379.37
General foster care 2 / $53,123.71 / $17,517.46 / $4,379.37
Intensive foster care / $99,466.67 / $44,083.62 / $11,020.91

Eligibility

In order to receive the Post Care Education Financial Support the young person must be:

exiting statutory or supported care due to age (OOHC ends at 18 years), and
continuing to reside in their foster/kinship carer after their 18th birthday in order to support their completion of Year 12 or equivalent studies, and
achieving the minimum standards in their studies which suggests the young person is likely to successfully complete Year 12 or equivalent studies, and
under 25 years of age.

NB:If a young person exits the carer’s home without finishing school (for example to pursue employment), but returns to study Year 12 or equivalent on a full-time basis within 12months, financial support may be provided for the duration of that study period.

Assessment

The decision to provide this continued financial support is to be made during leaving care planning prior to the young person’s exit from care. In order to assess whether an accumulation arrangement under HSC pathways or another flexible study arrangement can be considered full-time for the purposes of this payment, confirm that:
course completion is the young person’s primary occupation;

AND

the study arrangement reflects the young person’s maximum capacity to engage in study, being sensitive to individual circumstances such as physical or mental health issues, and taking account of advice from the education provider and other relevant stakeholders such as health professionals.

Working With Children Check (WWCC) clearance. If there are other children and young people in out-of-home care under 18 years in the home, the young person is required to complete a WWCC.

NB: completion of studies on a full-time basis should be monitored as part of leaving care planning and aftercare support.

Payment Process

The NGO:

Is responsible for advising carers about Post Care Education Financial Support and assessing the carer’s application
Gathers evidence to ensure the young person satisfies the eligibility criteria
Advises the carer of the outcome
Ensures Post Care Education Financial Support is part of the young person’s approved leaving care plan
If there are other children and young people in the same household or residential care facility, ensures the young person completes a Working with Children Check upon turning 18 years
Collates names of eligible young person and completes the ‘NGO Quarterly Report – Post Care Education Financial Support’ form including details of which school terms are being claimed (and the carer’s details for foster/kinship arrangements)
Forwards the completed ‘NGO Quarterly Report – Post Care Education Financial Support’ form by email to the Child and Family District Unit (CFDU) Manager for the district which holds residual case management responsibility. Contact the CFDU if uncertain
Sends a Tax Invoice with the ‘NGO Quarterly Report – Post Care Education Financial Support’ form for the amount of payment requested. Note GST of 10% must be added onto the cost of this payment
Monitors and collects evidence of continued enrolment and attendance (the young person’s school report is sufficient for this purpose)
Makes individual payments to approved eligible carers

Additional notes

NGOs will receive one payment per district from FACS which should take no longer than 10 working days.
For auditing purposes, carer applications and enrolment/attendance evidence should be filed by the NGO in accordance with their record keeping procedures.
The NGO should obtain six monthly evidence of the young person’s continued enrolment and attendance at school or TAFE. This information should be kept on case files in line with the NSW Child Safe Standards for Permanent Care.
NGOs are only required to provide FACS with the relevant information as outlined in the ‘NGO Quarterly Report – Post Care Education Financial Support for foster/kinship arrangements’.

FACS[Child and Family District Unit]:

Receives the completed ‘NGO Quarterly Report – Post Care Education Financial Support’ form including details of which school terms are being claimed, as well as the tax invoice with GST added onto the cost of the payment
For auditing purposes, keeps a copy of the ‘NGO Quarterly Report – Post Care Education Financial Support’ and tax invoice on file
Verifies the Post Care Education Financial Support is part of the young person’s approved leaving care plan
Ensures the completed NGO Quarterly Report states the NGO has verified:
the young person’s WWCC clearance if there are other children or young people in OOHC in the household, and
that the school report has been collected by the NGO as proof of continued attendance
Creates a purchase order in SAP Finance – create standard purchase requisition in SAP Finance this is approved by MCS - with the following:
Company code – 1010
Cost centre – District Cost Centre number
Fund Code – 4310
Internal order number – (select from the following)
296 - NGO Post Care Edu Allow (GFC Rate)
297 - NGO Post Care Edu Allow (GFC2 Rate)
298 - NGO Post Care Edu Allow (IFC Rate)
GL code - 704400
Once approval is granted, scans and emails the invoice and purchase order to Business Services at
Business Services generate the payment through IMS portal, it then comes back to the person who created the requisition to verify each line- one distribution per young person
The payment is released
Once the payment is made, create a General File Note record with a sub type of “Other” in the young person’s Plan on KiDS.

Part B: Residential Care Placements

Financial support

The Post Care Education Financial Support must be part of the young person’s approved leaving care plan
Financial support for residential care placements is provided at the rate equivalent to the unit price paid to the NGO,for the young person’s assessed level of care immediately before the young person’s 18th birthday
Financial support is available until the young person completes the course, ceases to study full-time, transitions to independent living or attains 19 years, whichever is sooner

NB:The Complex Care Review Panel may continue to review the young person’s placement (see: Policy and procedures for exceptions supports and exceptions placements for children and young people placed with an OOHC NGO).

Eligibility

In order to receive the Post Care Education Financial Support the young person must be:

exiting statutory care due to age (OOHC ends at 18 years), and
continuing to reside in their residential care placement after their 18th birthday in order to support their completion of Year 12 or equivalent studies, and
achieving the minimum standards in their studies which suggests the young person is likely to successfully complete Year 12 or equivalent studies, and
under 19 years of age (a residential care placement cannot be continued past the young person’s 19th birthday).

NB: Under the policy young people residing in residential care placements on an ADHC Leaving Care Program or National Disability Insurance Scheme remain eligible.

Assessment guidelines

The decision to provide Post Care Education Financial Support is to be made during leaving care planning, which commences when the child is 15 years old. It may be more appropriate to transition the young person to supported independent living earlier, in order to avoid disruption during their final year of studies (e.g. when the young person is in year 11). This financial support is not an automatic entitlement, and must be part of the young person’s approved leaving care plan.

The decision to provide Post Care Education Financial Support is based on:

1.An assessment of the young person’s needs, taking into account:

The young person’s capacity to live independently whilst they complete year 12 or equivalent studies
Any available, stable and affordable accommodation options (e.g. supported independent living)
The young person’s supports in assisting with their successful transition to independent living
The likely level of disruption for the young person as a result of exiting their placement whilst completing 12 year or equivalent studies
The young person’s health and well-being
The young person’s length of time in care and number of placements
Any other vulnerabilities/factors which increase the risk of the young person not making a successful transition to independent living whilst they complete year 12 or equivalent studies.

2.Whether the young person’s circumstances satisfy full-time study

In order to assess whether an accumulation arrangement under HSC pathways or another flexible study arrangement can be considered full-time for the purposes of this financial support, confirm that:

course completion is the young person’s primary occupation;

AND

the study arrangement reflects the young person’s maximum capacity to engage in study, being sensitive to individual circumstances such as physical or mental health issues, and taking account of advice from the education provider and other relevant stakeholders such as health professionals.

3.In determining the appropriateness of continuing the residential care placement consideration must be given to:

Whether the placement will continue to meet the young person’s needs once the young person turns 18 years
The impact on all other children and young people residing in residential care facility
Whether the young person will complete Year 12 or equivalent studies before the attaining 19 years. A residential care placement can not be continued past the young person’s 19th birthday
Working With Children Check (WWCC). If there are other children and young people in the same residential care facility, the young person is required to complete a WWCC upon turning 18 years.

Payment process

The payments are processed in line with the Out of home Care Contracted Care Program Guidelines and Contracting arrangements and business rules.

NGOs are required to:

As part of leaving care planning, identify young people eligible for Post Care Education Financial Support
Gatherevidence to ensure the young person satisfies the eligibility criteria
Ensure the Post Care Education Financial Support is part of the young person’s approved leaving care plan
If there are other children and young people in OOHC in the same residential facility, ensures the young person completes a Working with Children Check upon turning 18 years
The contract manager validates that the young person is remaining in the residential placement after their 18th birthday

Monitor and collect evidence of continued enrolment and attendance (the young person’s school report is sufficient for this purpose).

NGOs are not required to provide FACS:

With copies of the Post Care Education Financial Support applications, or
Evidence of enrolment and attendance.

The Child and Family District Unit/ contract manager:

Verifiesthat the young person is remaining in the residential placement after their 18th birthday.

Payment amount for residentialcare placements

For residential care placements, financial support is provided at the equivalent rate of the whole unit price paid to the NGO,for the young person’s assessed level of care immediately before the young person’s 18th birthday.

Financial support under this policy ceases when the young person:

has completed Year 12 or equivalent study
ceases to study full-time,
transitions to independence, or
attains 19 years.

Part C: Practice Procedures

Foster/kinship arrangements

A young person who continues to reside with a carer being supported under this policy is an aftercare client. He or she is no longer in out-of-home careas a result the funded placement becomes vacant.

The young person’s continued full-time study arrangements should be supported, monitored and documented as part of this aftercare casework support. See the Guidelines for the provision of assistance after leaving out-of-home care.

The young person should not be referred to a specialist aftercare service until he or she is preparing to transition to independent living after completion of their studies.

Further study after a Year 12 or equivalent qualification has been attained is not supported by the Post Care Education Financial Support policy and procedures, including any course listed in this procedure that the young person enrols in after completing Year 12 or equivalent. Any financial support required for this purpose should be included in the young person’s approved leaving care plan.

Eligibility for financial support under this policy does not influence eligibility for continuation of TEP installments, which should be assessed separately using the Teenage Education Payment guidelines.

Residential care placements

A young person who continues to reside in a residential care placement being supported under this policy is an aftercare client. The young person is no longer in out-of-home care, however the Complex Care Review Panel may continue to review the young person’s placement (see: Policy and procedures for exceptions supports and exceptions placements for children and young people placed with an OOHC NGO).

It is expected that the NGO will provide casework to support the young person and the young person’s continued full-time study arrangements are supported, monitored and documented as part of this aftercare casework support.

The young person should not be referred to a specialist aftercare service until he or she is preparing to transition to independent living after completion of their studies.