Case planning and review
Case planning is about identifying the decisions and actions required to achieve stability and security for the child or young person in care. Wherever possible the child or young person, their family and their carer, as well as their caseworker, are all involved in the development of the Case Plan.
What is a case meeting?
A case meeting is an opportunity to talk about the wellbeing of a child or young person in care and discuss any support needed, any issues or achievements. Meetings are called by the caseworker and are usually the first step in developing or reviewing a Case Plan.
There are many different reasons for holding a case meeting, including:
- getting support from your caseworker
- developing a plan to return a child or young person to their family
- reviewing the child or young person’s progress
- considering an unplanned change in placement
- dealing with a critical incident that may impact on the child or young person.
Who takes part in case meetings?
People who are invited to a case meeting typically include the child or young person (if they’re old enough and wish to attend), the carer, parents or other significant people in the life of the child, your caseworker and sometimes their supervisor, and relevant agencies and professionals such as the child’s counsellor or health worker, if appropriate.
Your participation is important because you live with the child and are responsible for making day-to-day decisions for them. Talk to your caseworker if you need an interpreter, childcare or other assistance so you can take part in case planning meetings.
The child’s parents or family will also be encouraged to participate in case planning, if appropriate. Your caseworker will talk to them about how they can be involved and explain that the interests of the child come first.
Getting ready for a case meeting
To get the most out of a case meeting, it’s a good idea to:
- talk to your caseworker before the meeting if you have an issue and ask them to put it on the agenda
- be on time so you don’t miss out on raising some of your issues or hearing important information
- think ahead about what sort of things the other people in the meeting will want to know, particularly the child or young person’s parents
- bring any relevant information with you such as recent medical information, school letters and awards
- think about any questions or concerns you may have before the meeting and the best way to raise these
- be open to sharing information and answering questions.
What happens at a case meeting?
Your caseworker introduces everyone and explains the meeting’s purpose. The previous Case Plan is reviewed and comments are made on what has and hasn’t been achieved since the plan was drawn up. The meeting then focuses on the agenda and each item is discussed at length. If a child or young person isn’t at the meeting, the caseworker is responsible for making sure their views and wishes are expressed.
Areas of the Case Plan that may be reviewed include:
- the Case Plan goal
- the placement’s stability and other permanency planning issues
- the child or young person’s legal status
- their needs around things like health and education
- your needs, such as access to training or other forms of support, or the need for any additional financial assistance.
Notes are taken and kept as minutes of the meeting. Following everyone’s input, the Case Plan is updated by the caseworker or a new Case Plan is created. All people at the meeting, including the child or young person if they’re old enough, get a copy of the Case Plan when it’s finalised.
If you have any issues after the meeting or disagree with anything in the Case Plan, discuss this with your caseworker. If the issue remains unresolved, you can speak with your caseworker’s supervisor or their manager.