Kinship care connections
When a child or young person enters care, Child Safety pulls together a team of people to help support the child, young person and family. As a kinship carer there are certain people who you will need to connect with who will help you to support and advocate for the family member/s you are caring for.
Your primary contacts will be:
- a Foster and Kinship Carer Support Agency Worker
- a Child Safety Officer or CSO
- a Community Visitor or CV
- a Child Advocate Legal Officer, and
- people within the child or young person’s Safety and Support Network.
Foster and Kinship Carer Support Agency Worker
Foster and kinship care (FKC) services are funded by Child Safety to recruit, train, assess and support foster and kinship carers and to manage and monitor the quality of care arrangements provided to children and young people. FKC services operate in a particular region and Child Safety Service Centre (CSSC) catchment areas. FKC services identify carers best able to meet the needs of children and young people referred by Child Safety.
Find a Foster and Kinship Carer Support Agency within your area.
Child Safety Officer (CSO)
A CSO is generally the first person to call for everything related to the care and protection of the family member/s in your care. The CSO is responsible for ensuring their work aligns with the child protection legislation and that they adhere to the Child Protection Act 1999 as an authorised officer to work together with families, community and other government and non-government agencies to meet the needs of children, young people and families within the child protection system.
Find more information about the roles and responsibilities of CSOs.
Community Visitor (CV)
A CV is an independent person employed by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG); they are not from a government department or community organisation. They will visit with children and young people in care to ensure their concerns, views and wishes are heard and considered in any decision making regarding their care.
Find more information about the role of a CV.
Child Advocate Legal Officer
A Child Advocate Legal Officer is also employed by the OPG to protect the rights of children and young people in the child protection system and ensure they have a voice in legal matters. The Child Advocate Legal Officer will work alongside the CV if the family member/s in your care requires help with any legal issues.
Find more information about the role of the Child Advocate Legal Officer.
Safety and Support Network
The Safety and Support Network is a group of people from different services (both government, non-government and community organisations) who will work together with you, the family member/s you support and other family members – such as the parents of the child or young person in your care, as well as any other supportive family members. The Safety and Support network can also be referred to as the ‘Care Team’.
Find more information about Safety and Support Networks.
Safe Care and Connection
When working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, Child Safety follows a Safe Care and Connection approach that recognises the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to self-determination while acknowledging the long-term effects of decisions on identity and connection with family and culture.
Find more information about Safe Care and Connection.