Care arrangement matching

Care arrangement matching refers to the process of identifying the most suitable care arrangement for a child. This may be with a foster or kinship carer family, whose motivation, characteristics, skills and experience will, as far as possible, meet the assessed needs of the child or sibling group. It may also be a residential care service, a supported independent living service or an arrangement under the Child Protection Act 1999, section 82(1)(f), if that is assessed as the most suitable. 

The matching process considers information specific to the child and the potential carer or non-family based care service to determine the options for a care arrangement that can meet the child’s specific social, emotional and physical needs, including the length of time the care arrangement will be required.

Where possible, including the views of the child, their family and prospective carers in care arrangement matching can lead to greater stability in the care arrangement, which may result in better outcomes for the child.

Care arrangement factors to consider

The care arrangement referral needs to include all relevant information about the child, including the child’s strengths, needs and hopes for the care arrangement. This allows the foster and kinship care service provider, and the delegated officer responsible for making the decision about where to place the child, to better match children and young people to care arrangements that will provide for their safety, belonging and wellbeing needs.

The Foster care matching tool provides a table of factors to consider when assessing the level of match between a child’s needs and a proposed care arrangement. 

When seeking a care arrangement for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child, include as much information as you can about a child’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural identity, relevant child rearing practices and connection to country. In addition:

• seek the views of the child and parents
• ensure the care arrangement decision provides for the optimal retention of the child’s relationships with parents, siblings and other people of significance to the child under Aboriginal tradition or Island custom
• apply the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legislative additional provisions for placing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child, which outlines the  order of priority required to ensure the strongest level of connection for the child to their family, community and culture  (Child Protection Act 1999, section 83(4)-(7))
  • a member of the child’s family group
  • a member of the child’s community or language group
  • an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person who is compatible with the child’s community or language group
  • another Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person
  • a person who lives near the child’s family, community or language group and has a demonstrated capacity for ensuring  the child’s connection to kin, country and culture.

A care arrangement in a geographical location that is culturally safe for the child is more likely to support the child’s cultural needs and contribute to the child achieving better outcomes and to achieving the case plan goal.

Care arrangements and trauma

It is very important to understand the impact of trauma on a child’s feelings and behaviours when matching a child with a care arrangement. A child may have been removed from their parents, may have had to change care arrangements, or may have been removed from carers due to the outcome of a harm report.

A child may experience trauma and disruption in their feelings, emotions, and attachment to significant others at any stage and this is likely to be confusing for them, the people that care for them and the people who work with them.

This is particularly important for children aged 5 and below, as this is an important developmental stage for attachment. Early secure attachment to a primary carer helps a child to develop emotional coping mechanisms. Attachment-related difficulties may disrupt relationships, communication, stress regulation, and a child's awareness of their 'inner world', as well as coping with the outside world.

A significant and abrupt change in a child’s living arrangement can be a significant struggle and challenge for a child. 

It is critical to empathise, listen, care and keep their feelings, thoughts and responses about change at the centre of your decision making and responses in times of transition.

A child’s trauma continues if they are removed from their home in a highly emotional and unplanned way or if they are separated from siblings, placed in unfamiliar care arrangements, moved repeatedly, and if they lose connections with safe, familiar people.

Sometimes children beginning new care arrangements exhibit externalising behaviours such as throwing things, kicking, punching and running away. They may internalise their emotions in ways that are not visible, or they may appear anxious, withdrawn or sad or may hurt themselves. These are consistent with trauma-related responses. It is important to support the child in their transition to the care arrangement, and help the carer respond effectively to the behaviours, so the child can develop a sense of safety and security.

Work together with the carer to reassure the child by providing comfort such as items from their home (for example, their favourite teddy). Reassure them about things that you know will stay the same, such as going to the same school. Make sure the child has an age-appropriate understanding of what you will do next and when they will speak to you again. Tell the child when they may expect to speak with and see their parents and siblings next. Consider other factors that will help provide continuity for them during this time of change.

Care arrangements for siblings

It is important that siblings are placed together wherever possible and safe to do so.

The CREATE fact sheet Siblings in out-of-home care outlines important considerations when making care arrangement and contact decisions for siblings.

Care arrangement matching for a young person

Some additional points to consider when matching a young person to a care arrangement:

• young people require the continuation of existing relationships through family contact, community connections and relationships at school and work, as well as the establishment of new, positive, and enduring relationships.
• a positive care arrangement experience will result in better outcomes and help prepare the young person for adulthood 
• the active participation of the young person in their care arrangement decision leads to more positive outcomes. Ask them:
  • where they would like to live and what type of care arrangement they would like
  • what family or support network member they would like to be close to
  • about their strengths and needs, likes and dislikes, routines, and health needs
• provide them with information about the care arrangement in advance—this gives them an idea of where they will be living. This might include what the house will look like, what pets they have, and what room they’ll be sleeping in, reducing the number of unknowns for the young person and the trauma they may experience.

Trauma and young people 

For a young person, experiencing trauma can contribute to them unconsciously re-enacting scenarios from their past or engaging in behaviours such as substance use, sexual exploitation, self-harm or aggression to manage ‘intrusive traumatic reminders’ (Robinson et al.).

The adverse effects of complex trauma on individual functioning are pervasive. They significantly disrupt key developmental processes in at least three major domains of young people’s development:

• attachment—the capacity to form and maintain healthy emotional and mutually safe and supportive relationships
• self-regulation—the capacity to modulate emotions, manage impulse control and self-calm during times of stress and turmoil
• development of competencies—particularly to achieve educational outcomes and complete basic developmental tasks of adolescence (Kezelman et al.).

We need to know the young people we work with well. We also need to empower them by using inclusive decision making on issues such as where they will live and other lifestyle choices.

Young people with trauma and high risk behaviours

There is likely to be additional matters to consider when matching a young person with high risk behaviours to a suitable care arrangement. 

These young people can present with characteristics such as:

• they are generally aged between 12 and 17 years, but occasionally as young as 10
• have multiple and complex behavioural and emotional difficulties
• require long term and substantial support. 

The term ‘young people with high risk behaviours’ is both a reference to the level of risk or the likelihood of danger that their behaviours are leading to, and a reference to the trauma and cumulative harms these young people have already experienced (Department of Health and Human Services).

For some young people, their maybe significant changes in their normal development because of the abuse they have experienced.

Young people with high risk behaviours have unique developmental challenges relating to histories of abuse, neglect and complex trauma. Practitioners and safety and support network members need to create a personalised response that supports each young person’s development. This response needs to take into account that the young person’s chronological age (for example, 16 years old) and their presenting behaviour (for example, acting tough, aggressive and street smart) is not a reflection of their emotional and social age, which may be closer to that of a 12 year old.

Gender and sexual orientation diversity

Sexual or gender diversity can sometimes present challenges when finding a care arrangement for a child. Some parents may not be comfortable to have their child placed in an approved family-based care arrangement with a same-sex couple. This can create significant challenges for supporting the child in the care arrangement. You will need to try to help the parents increase their understanding on the topic, reduce their fear of the unknown, and build a relationship with the carers.

Some carers may struggle to have a sexually or gender diverse child placed with them. It is important that the child can feel safe and accepted in their care arrangement and you may have to work with the carers to ensure they can provide a safe place for a child. 

Religion

It is important to recognise the religious affiliations of families. This can help the practitioner to develop a deeper understanding of the child’s family life and cultural practices. It is particularly relevant when working with the child’s family during ongoing intervention, such as when the case plan goal is reunification. 

Religious affiliation can be closely connected to a person’s culture, or it may be a separate factor of their identity. It is important to bridge the gap between our own religious understanding and the families’ religious affiliations. This ensures we identify a care arrangement that supports the child’s religious identity and meets their spiritual needs. This contributes to the child’s sense of safety, belonging and wellbeing.

While the religious makeup of Australia is shifting over time, with the 2021 census showing that 40.7% of Queenslanders have no religion and 7.6% did not state any religion, being respectful and supportive of a child and family’s beliefs remains an important consideration when undertaking care arrangement matching. (Australian Bureau of Statistics).