Operationalising the Aboriginal Case Management Policy

The Aboriginal Case Management Policy spans the continuum of support, from targeted earlier supports delivered to families through to out-of-home care, restoration and leaving care supports. Across the continuum of support, services and practitioners are focused on delivering services aligned to family need, applying “downward pressure” with respect to identified risks (see Figure 1), diverting families from more intensive or intrusive interventions and strengthening supports to reduce risk of harm and promote healthy development.

Figure 1: Case management is intended to alter an otherwise linear trajectory (orange), through proactive efforts that divert families from statutory intervention (or promote restoration) (grey arrows), thereby reducing the risk and incidence of harm experienced by Aboriginal children and young people. As risk increases, a more intensive service response is required.

The Aboriginal Case Management Policy is complemented by Aboriginal Case Management Rules and Practice Guidance, providing practical guidance to practitioners about expectations, roles and responsibilities, and elements and operating functions across the continuum of support, aligned to three key levels:

• Aboriginal Community Response Case Management Rules and Practice Guidance
• Aboriginal Family Strengthening Case Management Rules and Practice Guidance
• Aboriginal Child Safety Case Management Rules and Practice Guidance.

The Aboriginal Case Management Policy, and upcoming Rules and Practice Guidance are aligned to the following enabling foundations:

• The experience and expertise of Aboriginal practitioners and communities providing key supports to Aboriginal children and families on an ongoing basis
• existing evidence regarding child development, capacity and capability building and best practice with Indigenous communities.
• the Convention on the Rights of the Child
• the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
• the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, in particular the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Principles (sections 11-14)
• AbSec’s Achieving a Holistic Aboriginal Service System for NSW
• The NSW Permanency Support Program, in particular Aboriginal Care
• Targeted Earlier Intervention program.

Related child protection programs including intensive family based services, Brighter Futures and other intensive family preservation and restoration programs.