Frequently asked questions

Data and information requirements

What will NGOs need to enter?

Providers will need to enter and maintain authorisation care conditions in ChildStory Partner Community.
This information is critical to ensure:

carers can see accurate details about their authorisation in Carer Connect NSW
placement matching is based on reliable, up-to-date data.

What information can carers enter in Carer Connect NSW?

Carers will be able to enter and update:

availability, including weekly patterns (via a calendar)
household information, including culture, religion and languages
home environment details, including accessibility features
skills and experience.

Why is accurate data important?

Accurate and up‑to‑date data is essential for the system to work effectively. It ensures carers are matched appropriately and builds trust in the information they see and use.

Placement matching and practice

How will placement matching work?

Placement matching will occur using the new Foster Carer Search Tool by:

prioritising results based on placement principles e.g. cultural background and
encouraging continuity of care and keeping family together by auto surfacing previous carer households and existing sibling placements
prioritising authorisation conditions (for example age ranges and care types)
using additional information (such as availability and household context) to support decision-making
filtering and targeted matching rather than broadcast approaches.

Professional judgement remains central to all decisions.

What updates to the Permanency Case Management Policy are being made to support these changes to practice?

Changes to the PCMP are being progressively implemented to support each stage of this project.

Stage 1: Stronger, shared carer data

Updates to introduce and support the ongoing maintenance of accurate and current carer and carer household information designed to provide the foundation for better foster carer search functionality and safer, more stable placements.

Stage 2: Carer Connect NSW

Updates to introduce a definition of Carer Connect NSW, a new secure online platform that gives carers a more active role in the system by enabling carers to view, record and update household information and availability.

Stage 3: Digital Foster Carer Search Tool

Updates to replace reference to the existing broadcast functionality in ChildStory within the following sections:

Arranging an OOHC placement: Collaborating in arranging immediate placements;
Collaborating in arranging foster care placements; and
Placement matching.

How is carer capacity determined?

Capacity will primarily be based on authorisation conditions and current placements recorded in ChildStory. It is important providers keep placement information up to date in Partner Community for children at all times. The system will calculate availability using authorisation capacity minus current placements.

Will existing household dynamics be considered?

Yes. Placement searches will show the number of existing children in a household. Caseworkers will continue to assess suitability using professional judgement and agency consultation.

Will the broadcast system still be used?

The broadcast system will no longer be used to find foster care placements. Other uses of the broadcast system are still being considered.

Will placement decision-making change?

No. Existing processes remain:

Principal Officers will continue to validate and authorise placements
agencies will continue to participate in placement planning and decision-making
professional judgement remains central.

Will DCJ contact our carers directly?

DCJ will not contact carers directly. DCJ Child Family District Unit (CFDU) staff will still contact providers to negotiate placements.

What will happen if NGOs do not accept a placement where a carer has indicated they are available?

Foster Carer Search is designed to populate a list of available carers in a timely manner. It is not designed to make placement decisions. Placement matching is still a decision to be made between DCJ and providers.

How will after hours placements be arranged?

Carer Connect NSW allows carers to record if they are willing to accept an after hours placement. Providers will continue to provide details of their on call contact details to the Helpline, as per the PCMP.

Roles and responsibilities

What is the role of the Principal Officer (PO)?

Principal Officers will continue to validate and authorise placements. The new tools support identification of potential matches but do not replace final decision-making.

Will case management or supervision arrangements change?

No. There are no changes to case management, supervision of carers, or NGO responsibilities in authorising carers.

Access and visibility

Will NGOs be able to see all carers across the system?

No. NGO staff will only be able to view and search carers authorised by their own organisation.

If providers need support identifying carers outside their organisation, they can continue to work with CFDU, who can search across the system.

Will DCJ and NGO staff use the same system?

Yes. ChildStory and Partner Community will be the shared systems used across DCJ and the sector.

Privacy, consent and participation

How will privacy and consent be handled?

A clear privacy statement and consent process will be implemented. Information security will follow existing DCJ standards.

Can carers opt out of using Carer Connect NSW?

Yes, and it’s important to note that:

providers can enter information on behalf of carers who do not use the app
if carers opt out entirely, they may still appear in placement searches, but information may be less reliable.

Is it mandatory for carers to update their availability?

No. If carers are unable or choose not to use the app, providers or caseworkers can support them by updating information on their behalf.

Carer Connect NSW

How will carers update their availability?

Carers will use a calendar within Carer Connect NSW to update their availability, including recurring patterns.

Systems and integration

Will the new solution integrate with NGO systems?

There is no requirement for system-to-system integration (B2B) at this stage.

Future integration may be explored based on sector interest.

Is B2B integration mandatory?

No.

What technology is the solution built on?

The solution is built using Salesforce.

Relationship with existing systems including OCG

Will this replace the OCG Carers Register?

No.

Providers must continue to maintain and update the OCG Carers Register as per current practice.

The new solution complements the Register by adding more detailed authorisation information to support placement matching.

Has the OCG been consulted?

Yes.

Is the integration with the Office of the Children's Guardian Carer Register in real-time?

While there are plans for real-time integration with the OCG Carer Register in the future, this is not yet in place. In the interim, monthly updates are made to carer household data based on data extracts from OCG Carer Register.

If in the OCG Carer Register, the carer has the following status:	ChildStory/Partner has created the following:
Statutory Foster Care	Foster Care AND Relative/Kinship Care
Other care	Relative/Kinship Care

The OCG records carer authorisation differently to DCJ.

In the OCG Carers Register, carers can only be recorded for either Statutory Foster Care or Other Care. They cannot be recorded for both, even if they provide different types of care.
In ChildStory, DCJ record a separate Authorisation (AUT) record for each type of authorisation e.g. one AUT for foster care, another AUT for relative/kinship care.

To manage this variation and accommodate carers who are authorised for both foster care and relative/kinship care, ChildStory has applied the following logic:

OCG Carers Register authorisation	Foster Care	Relative/Kinship Care
Statutory Foster Care	Y	Y
Other Care	N	N

This explains why you can see carers with both a Foster Care and Relative/Kinship Authorisation (AUT) in Partner Community.

If a carer does NOT provide relative/kinship care, please ignore the relative/kinship care Authorisation (AUT). You do not need to create an ACC record for a relative/kinship care authorisation.

Do I need to create authorisation care condition records for carers who care for long term children and are not aking any placements?

Yes. It is important that all Foster Carers have their authorisation conditions recorded correctly, even if they may not be seeking any additional placements at this time. This helps DCJ understand that those carers do not have any additional capacity.

Authorisation and compliance

How are reportable conduct matters managed?

Existing processes remain unchanged. Providers can:

place carers on hold where required
update authorisation status as appropriate.

What happens if a carer is 'on hold'?

Carers can be placed on hold (for example during investigations or when checks are outstanding).

They will not appear as available in placement searches until reactivated.

Are checks required before carers can be active?

Yes. Carers should meet all required checks before being entered on the OCG Carers Register. Where checks lapse, agencies can place carers on hold.

Implementation and timing

What is happening in Stage 1 (April 2026)?

Stage 1 focuses on:

improving how carer information is recorded
introducing authorisation care conditions
a data optimisation period to ensure records are complete and accurate.

What are the next stages?

Stage 2: Carer Connect NSW goes live
Stage 3: Foster Carer Search Tool is introduced

Reporting and monitoring

Will providers be able to report on their data?

Yes. Reporting is available through the Analytics dashboard, including:

Authorisation Care Conditions missing
draft records
active records.

Scope and inclusion

Are kinship carers included?

Kinship carers are not included in placement matching. However, they will have access to Carer Connect NSW for resources and updates.

Are all carer types included?

Only carers authorised for foster care (including those dually authorised) are in scope for placement matching.

Benefits and impact

Will this increase administrative workload?

There is an initial effort required to ensure carer data is complete, accurate and maintained ongoingly.

Over time, this is expected to:

reduce reliance on broadcast requests
minimise repeated contact with agencies
streamline placement processes.

How will this benefit providers and children?

The new approach will:

enable faster identification of suitable carers
improve placement stability
reduce time spent on manual processes
support better outcomes for children.

Design and engagement

Was there NGO engagement on this project?

Yes. An NGO working group was established to advise the project Steering Committee on design matters. A similar group was established for carer representatives. Engagement is ongoing, with targeted consultation as the project progresses.

Carer information and data

Why are some of the carers and co-residents inaccurate in some households?

Refer to FAQs in ChildStory Partner Community.

Why can I see both Foster Care and Relative/Kinship Care authorisations for my carers, when they are only authorised for Foster Care?