Code of Conduct for Authorised Carers

Authorised carers are required to:

General

• Follow the lawful policies, procedures and guidelines brought to your attention by your agency.
• Maintain the rights of the child in your care as set out in theNSW Charter of Rights for Children and Young People in Out-of-Home Care in NSW.
• Immediately report to your agency any allegations or incidents of abuse, neglect, ill-treatment or reportable allegations of which you become aware.
• Allow your agency to inspect your home and meet with and speak to the child in your care. Your agency needs to give you reasonable notice and arrange a reasonable time to visit the child.
• Actively participate in the development, implementation and review of case plans for the child in your care.

Care environment

• Provide a home that is safe, clean and comfortable and meets the needs of the child in your care.
• Respect that children are entitled to personal privacy and ensure their belongings are kept safe and treated with respect.
• Provide a care environment where the child is not exposed to physical, sexual, emotional, psychological or verbal abuse, ill treatment or neglect.
• Provide a range of things for the child in your care to do. These activities and toys should reflect the child’s age, development, skills and interests.
• Report immediately to your agency any incidents in the home or any change in who lives in your home. Incidents include:
  • the child is expelled or suspended from school
  • the child is absent without your permission for a period of 24 hours or more
  • the child travels interstate without the appropriate notification or approval (check with your agency, as these requirements are currently under review).
  • the child suffers a serious accident, injury, illness or death
  • the child witnesses any acts of domestic or family  violence
  • you become a parent to another child
  • another child joins your household
  • you or any other member of your household are charged with or convicted of an offence for which a penalty of imprisonment for 12 months or more may be imposed.
• Allow the child in your care to participate in normal childhood activities that are appropriate for their age and level of development.
• Include the child in your care in activities with other children in the home, appropriate to their interests, developmental stage and ability.

Sleepovers and holidays

• It is your responsibility to ensure that children placed in your care are provided with safe care arrangements. You remain responsible for making decisions about the children in your care and should remain contactable when children are with part time carers (formerly respite), camps, sleepovers and like activities.
• Children in your care can have occasional sleep-overs, holiday visits and play dates with extended family and friends. These people do not need Working With Children Checks and you do not need prior approval from your agency. You remain the child’s carer during these times. It is your responsibility to make sure the people the child is visiting are safe and appropriate. You need to obtain approval from your agency for any regular sleepover arrangements such as where a child is spending more than 21 nights per year with the same person.

Family and significant others

• Recognise and respect that the child has a right to maintain relationships with their birth family where safe to do so.  A child’s connection to their birth family should extend beyond their parents.
• Recognise and respect that the child has a right to maintain relationships with significant people in their life and their cultural community/s where safe to do so.
• Support these relationships as per the child’s care plan, case plan and any relevant court orders.
• Listen to and respect the views of the child about the manner and frequency of time they spend with family and significant people.

Identity, emotional and social development

• Support the child to feel safe and develop a sense of security.
• Work with your agency to meet any specific trauma or disability needs that a child in your care may have.
• Support the child to develop a positive sense of identity.
• Support and encourage the development of positive friendships.
• Respect the right of the child to express their views freely about decisions that affect them and properly consider those views with regard to the age and maturity of the child.

Culture

• Recognise the importance of the child’s cultural identity to their wellbeing.
• Assist in implementing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in your care.
• Assist in implementing the Cultural Plan for culturally and linguistically diverse children in care.
• Allow the child to observe their religion (if any).

Wellbeing, health and education

• Follow the positive behaviour support policy of your agency. This will include ways to encourage positive behaviour in children and will help you respond to challenging behaviours.
• Focus on using positive behaviour support practices as described in the positive behaviour support policy or approved Positive Behaviour Support Plan by your agency.
• Only use behaviour support practices as described in the positive behaviour support policy or approved positive behaviour support plan by your agency.
• The use of any physical punishment or coercion, force-feeding, deprivation of food or any punishment intended to humiliate or frighten a child is unlawful and is not permitted. Only use restrictive practices that are part of an approved Positive Behaviour Support Plan or Behaviour Support Plan, time limited and reviewed regularly.
• Report any incident where physical restraint has been used following the protocol for critical incident/event reporting within your agency.  These reports enable your agency to respond quickly and provide appropriate support. Physical restraint is only to be used in extreme situations where there is a risk of serious injury to the child or another person. Physical restraint is an action taken to restrict a child or young person’s movement.
• Dispense medication, particularly psychotropic medication, according to medical advice. Psychotropic medication is any medication prescribed by a doctor which affects a child or young person’s thinking, mood, behaviour, level of arousal or perception. An example is dexamphetamine which is often prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). You must not reduce or withdraw medication without medical advice. You must let your agency know if the child is prescribed a psychotropic medication or if the prescription is changed. A child who is prescribed psychotropic medication requires a Positive Behaviour Support Plan to ensure that other behaviour support strategies are being used to manage behavioural difficulties.
• Ensure the child’s health, wellbeing and dental needs are met and any planned intervention is carried out in a timely manner.
• Support and seek assistance for any disability needs of a child in your care.
• For a child with a disability, it is the responsibility of your agency to seek access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), in collaboration with carers. You should work with the NDIS Support Coordinator to implement the NDIS plan to meet the disability needs of the child.
• Immediately notify your agency of any major medical events, surgery, hospitalisation and school suspension.
• Regularly provide information to your agency about the child’s well-being, including issues that may arise about their development, health, behaviour and educational progress.
• Have expectations around duties – such as chores or participation in activities – that are reasonable and reflect the age and physical and intellectual development of the child in your care.
• Provide an environment which promotes learning and helps the child to reach their full potential and future goals.

Leaving care plans

• In consultation with and with the help of your agency, support young people to develop skills and transition to adulthood. This will include teaching the young person the skills required for independent living. Recognise that a young person may not be ready to live independently as soon as they turn 18 years old.
• Leaving Care Plans for the young person should be developed from the age of 15 years old.
• Where the young person has a disability or disabilities, work with the assistance of your agency and the NDIA, implement plans for a transition period to independent living or a more supportive accommodation option if required, depending on the young person’s needs.