Case planning for siblings in OOHC

Case planning for a child’s sibling relationships is initially considered when a child enters OOHC. However case planning for sibling relationships occurs at all points of case planning and review following entry to OOHC.

Sibling case planning is an immediate priority – it does not wait until a future case review. Delay to sibling case planning risks a child experiencing extended periods of isolation from their siblings. Case planning for a child’s sibling relationships:

• is informed by continuous work with a child’s genogram and life story work, to ensure all siblings are identified and are known (or known of) by the child
• considers the impact upon the child’s sibling relationship and sense of identity when:
  • the child is in OOHC but their siblings are not
  • the child is in one placement and their siblings are in other placements
  • the child and their siblings’ placements are in the primary case responsibility of different PSP providers
  • the child’s case plan goal is different to the case plan goals of their siblings.
• aims to bring the child and their siblings into fewer OOHC placements and under the primary case responsibility of fewer or one PSP provider and
• ensures sibling time enhances and strengthens the relationship between the child and their siblings.

When a PSP provider is working with another PSP provider to arrange sibling time, flexibility is shown, to ensure sibling time can be arranged when both siblings are available. If a scheduled time gets cancelled, providers let one another know and cooperate to reschedule the missed sibling time with urgently. 

When to assess co-placement and co-location

Ideally sibling co-placement and co-location is considered when a child and their siblings enter OOHC (which may be at different times). However co-placement and co-location may also be considered at any point during the course of day-to-day casework with a child and during review of a child’s case plan. For example when:

• a child’s siblings enter OOHC at later times and co-placement the child is not immediately practical
• a child or their siblings experience a critical event or instability in their placement.

The more complex the assessment, the more important it is it be conducted by a practitioner who knows the child, their parents, siblings and family/kin. However in some exceptional circumstances, assessments may be undertaken by an independent assessor.

When sibling co-placement and co-location involves more than one PSP provider, the PSP provider requests a permanency consultation or group supervision, involving the nominated unit (or units) exercising secondary case responsibility.

How to assess co-placement and co-location

When a child and their siblings are in different placements, PSP providers exercising primary case responsibility consider how the children may be co-placed when assessed to be in their best interests. Sibling co-placement aims to:

• place a child and their siblings in the care of the same carer
• reduce (overall) the number of placements across the sibling group.

When co-placing a child and their siblings is not practical or in their best interests, PSP providers consider how the children may be co-located. Co-location involves placement of a child and their siblings (in two or more placements) in the same geographical area. This results in substantially increased opportunities for family time with each other, for example, allowing them to attend the same school or childcare centre, or participate in the same extracurricular activities.

When assessing sibling co-placement and co-location, a PSP provider considers the best interests, safety and well-being of the child and their siblings. This includes:

• avoiding disruption of an existing placement that is safe, loving, nurturing, stable and secure with carers to whom a child has formed a secure attachment
• the elements of risk causing entry to care or issues associated with the wellbeing of a particular child.

Also see PCMP Resources - Checklist: Sibling Contact Planning.

When a child and their siblings have different case plan goals, PSP providers exercising primary case responsibility review whether it is in the child’s best interests for the case plan goal to change to align with the case plan goal of their siblings. For example:

• to restore the child to their parents, if any of their siblings are in parental care or
• to transition the child from statutory OOHC to the care of their family/kin, if any of their siblings are in the care of those family/kin.

In circumstances when a child and their siblings have different case plan goals, but are otherwise in placements that are safe, loving, nurturing, stable and secure, the PSP provider:

• listens to their views, wishes and suggestions about how any of the case plan goals might change in future and
• explains to the child and their parents, siblings and family/kin why it is necessary for there to be different case plan goals.

Decisions about case plan goals for siblings are made on a case-by-case basis considering each individual child’s needs and circumstances.

Also see changing the case plan goal from long term care to another case plan goal

When a child and their siblings are placed separately, PSP providers exercising primary case responsibility ensure siblings:

• have regular time with each other
• have ‘sibling-only’ time, that is time with each other, without the presence of parents or other family/kin
• are provided with information about their respective care arrangements, including information about changes in their placement
• are provided with information about their siblings’ birthdays and other relevant dates, and can celebrate these occasions together
• are provided with their siblings’ contact details, including their telephone number and email address, unless there is a court order prohibiting the disclosure of this information, or when a caseworker considers disclosing this information could place the child or others in the household at risk of harm
• are supported to engage with each other through social media, safely and subject to their age and development.

The development of a plan for sibling time by a PSP provider always:

• includes the participation of the child, their carers and siblings in planning
• includes consultation with the sibling’s carers, parents and family/kin
• is subject to quarterly reviews of the sibling contact plan – in addition to annual case review – to ensure sibling time is occurring
• utilises Aboriginal family-led decision-making for Aboriginal children.

For a child and their siblings with the same cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) background, who are placed separately, their OOHC case plans include sibling time enabling them to participate in their family’s traditions, rituals, faith, ceremonies, celebrations and customs as a sibling group.

For an Aboriginal child and their siblings placed separately, their OOHC case plans include sibling time enabling them to participate in cultural activities as a sibling group ‘on Country’ of their family’s Aboriginal nation, lands or mob.

Also see PCMP Resources - Checklist: Sibling Contact Planning.