Standards of care

Sometimes Child Safety may get serious information that your carer (foster carer, kinship carer or residential care worker) is not caring for you properly.

If Child Safety gets concerning information about the standard of care being provided to you, the information is recorded and it means that a worker from Child Safety needs to talk to you and your carer about your care and safety.

They will ask for information about the care being provided to you by your carer so they can see if it meets the ‘statement of standards’ outlined in the Child Protection Act 1999.

It is important your carer meets the ‘statement of standards’. You can ask your Child Safety Officer (CSO) for a copy of these standards.

What happens next

If Child Safety receives concerns about the standard of care you are receiving, they will:

• talk to you to find out if you are being cared for properly and to make sure you are safe
• talk to your carer and any other people they need to about any concerns you or they have about your care and placement.

Child Safety does this to make sure you are being cared for safely and all of your physical and emotional needs are being met.

Child Safety or the licensed care service (e.g. a residential care service) may then develop a plan to help your carer or youth worker care for you in the future.

In some circumstances, if a decision is made that you have to leave your placement for your safety, Child Safety will provide you with a letter that explains why the decision has been made and your right to appeal that decision in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal or make a complaint, if you don’t agree with the decision.

Where to get support

• You can have a support person, who you choose, to help you take part in the standard of care process.
• You can also have an advocate who is someone who can speak, act or write on your behalf. Their job is to support and protect your best interests and wellbeing.

Child Safety can help you choose a support person or advocate if you like and organise for them to help you.

Your support person or advocate could be one of the following:

• your CSO
• a caseworker from a licensed care service (for example a residential care service) or community agency
• a worker from your Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander service
• a counsellor who you may be seeing as part of your case plan
• a youth advocate from Legal Aid.

Find out more

For more information about standards of care, you can call your CSO, Community Visitor or one of the following organisations:

• CREATE Foundation - Australia’s peak body representing children and young people in out-of-home care. Phone 07 3317 6020, 1800 655 105 (free call) or email.
• Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) - The OPG has special responsibilities to support and protect the rights of children and young people in out-of-home care. Phone 07 3225 8325 or 1800 661 533 (free call).