Home Based Care including Foster Care
Home Based Care is provided to children unable to live at home due to risk of abuse and neglect (see also Residential Care; Permanent Care). Children are placed with appropriate caregivers via a community service organisation.
The majority of children referred to a home base care service are the subject of protective services intervention. A small percentage of clients enter the system on a voluntary basis, that is, with no involvement from the Department of Human Services.
Service Description
Foster Care - General
Foster care is a home-based service provided to children and young people up to 18 years of age who are temporarily or permanently unable to live with their families of origin. Volunteer caregivers look after children and young people in their own home. Foster Care Community Service Organisations are responsible for recruiting, training and supporting caregivers. Caregiver payments are provided to meet the everyday costs of caring.
Foster Care - Shared Family Care (SFC)
Shared Family Care is a program jointly funded by the Protection and Care and Disability Services areas of the Department of Human Services, to provide foster care for children and young people with a developmental delay (0-6 years) or an intellectual disability (6-18 years). Trained volunteer caregivers offer their services to families in need of emergency short-term care, planned respite care, or continuous care where the family is unable to continue caring. Caregiver payments are provided to the caregiver to meet the everyday costs of caring. There is also a special fund to meet exceptional costs. Guidance and professional support to the client and the caregiver is provided through the Community Service Organisation social worker. The Shared Family Care program also incorporates access to specialist support services and other local community resources.
Specialised Home Based Care
The Specialised Home Based Care program provides community based placements to children and young people where previous, less intensive, community based placements have been inappropriate or unsuccessful because of the child's or young person's challenging behaviour, additional needs, recruitment difficulties, or high demands associated with co-placing large sibling groups.
Adolescent Community Placement
The Adolescent Community Placement program provides accommodation and support for young people aged 12 to 18 years who are experiencing crisis and are unable to live with their families for a range of reasons. ACP helps young people to access a temporary, but safe and secure, home with a volunteer placement provider in their local area. Caregiver payments are provided to the caregiver to meet the everyday costs of caring.
Kinship Care
Kinship Care is a home-based placement with approved caregivers who are either relatives of, or people known to the child or young person. This service is targeted at children and young people aged 0-18 years who are subject to intervention by Protective Services and assessed as requiring out-of-home care. Caregiver payments are provided to meet the everyday costs of caring.
One to One Care
One to One Care is an intensive, individualised home based care option for very high needs young people. Caregivers are reimbursed and supported commensurate with the complexity and intensity of the clients needs for care, support and supervision, and are an integral part of the care/case management team, providing a service response to high risk clients.
Innovative Home-Based Care
This service was established to meet the specialised and specific needs of clients outside the standard home based care programs with funding provided on a client need basis.
Caregiver Payments
Caregivers are reimbursed for costs associated with caring for a child or young person. Payments are made fortnightly by either the Community Service Organisation or Department of Human Services.
The payment is to reimburse caregivers for the ordinary costs of care, i.e. food, fuel, household provisions, clothing, gifts, pocket money and entertainment.
In a situation where extra expenses are incurred, beyond what is considered the ordinary costs of care, additional financial support may be available.
Information available
Are you a caregiver? For information about caregivers see Community Service Organisations and Foster Care Association of Victoria (external link).
Are you a relative, friend or potential client? For information see Community Service Organisations.
Are you a funded community service organisation? For information see FACTS, Centre for Excellence on Child and Family Welfare.
Who do I contact?
Contact Department of Human Services Regional Offices or local Community Service Organisations.
Additional information
See also: Foster Care, Residential Care, Support Services, Permanent Care, Adoption