The wellbeing of children and young people and their safety and stability in out-of-home care is important. Out-of-home carers, service providers and the department share these responsibilities.
It can be a challenge to manage concerns about children and young people in out-of-home care placements. Children and young people in care placements can still experience harm or be at risk of harm. In these circumstances, an incident report may be needed.
Incident reports and investigations can help service providers to understand how incidents occur. The right response can also prevent similar incidents from occurring again.
The department's Client Incident Management System (CIMS) enables clients, service providers and the department to work together in response to an incident.
CIMS respects all people involved in an incident. It encourages hearing their values, beliefs and circumstances. CIMS balances the need to support carers with the overarching safeguarding role of CIMS.
In 2024, updates to the CIMS policy aimed to improve the carer experience of CIMS processes. The department worked with Kinship Carers Victoria and Foster Carers Association Victoria. Feedback and input from carers with lived experience informed new guidance and requirements.
Updates include strengthened support for carers who are the subject of a CIMS allegation.
Incident management
The Carers Recognition Act acknowledges the importance of care relationships.
The Victorian charter supporting people in care relationships (the charter), which includes care provided by foster and kinship carers, supports the Act.
When managing an incident where the carer is the subject of an allegation, the service provider must act in a way that upholds the charter.
The Client incident management policy and guidance (CIMS) (word) describes each of the actions, roles and responsibilities required of service providers to manage client incidents.
Guidance for Service Providers and Carers
Information for service providers reporting incidents for Out of Home Care and information for people in the role of carers:
- Information for carers involved in a CIMS investigation (Word)
- Carer development plan - Client Incident Management System (CIMS) (Word)
- Information for carers involved in a Victoria Police investigation (Word)