ACT Care System

The care system in the ACT is currently managed by two main entities; Children and Youth Protection Services (CYPS) and ACT Together.

Children and Youth Protection Services (CYPS)

CYPS is a government department working under the umbrella of the Community Services Directorate (CSD). The CSD, headed by the Director-General, has responsibility for all children in the foster and kinship care system within the ACT.

CYPS perform several functions within the system:

  • They receive Child Concern Reports (CCR) from mandatory reporters and members of the public, and may act upon such concerns. In these circumstances they may perform investigations known as an appraisal to determine whether children are safe or not.
  • They also hold case management for foster and kinship care placements that are short-term or new to the system.
  • They make the big decisions (and have the final say), such as whether a child will remain in foster care, move into a kinship placement or return to their parents.

CYPS may be in charge, but that does not mean that they are always right, or fair. Nor do they always have the best interests of the child/children at the forefront. As the carer you know your child best, and you are the best person to speak for them. Interactions with CYPS can be challenging, confrontational and emotional. It is entirely within your rights to have a support person or people present for any meetings and dealings with CYPS representatives. This may include a family member, Carer Support Worker from ACT Together or a carer’s advocate (or all of the above). You are also entitled to a copy of the minutes of any meetings.

If you experience issues or difficulties when dealing with CYPS you can provide feedback or make a complaint through their internal avenues. You can be supported to do this by a carer’s advocate. Currently there is no external review body for CYPS decisions, and it is extremely difficult to obtain an internal review. Hopefully this will change in the future.

ACT Together

ACT Together are the only foster agency in the ACT, working under CYPS. They are a consortium made up of Barnardos Australia, the Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF) and OzChild. Currently, if you wish to provide official foster or kinship care within the Canberra region, you will have to be a registered carer with ACT Together (unless the case management still lies with CYPS, as it does for new and short-term kinship placements). There is some hope that when the government tender for the provision of foster and kinship care becomes open again, a second agency may be added, providing a much needed choice for carers in Canberra.

ACT Together are responsible for:

  • Day to day case management for children in both foster and kinship placements.
  • Supporting the child (and the carers) to access internal, external and community programs, education, and interventions as required.
  • Performing home inspections and placement reviews.
  • Providing training and education for carers.
  • Providing carer support workers for each carer.
  • Facilitating contact if required, both in the community and on-site.
  • Running and staffing residential care homes.
  • Making recommendations to CYPS regarding placement, contact and medical care.

ACT Together, like CYPS, are not infallible. Case Managers are often young or inexperienced, and almost always overloaded. This is a difficult job, and the burnout rate is high. You can expect to have multiple case managers over the course of the child’s care.

The ACT Together Case Manager is your first port of call if you have questions, require assistance, or have feedback. You can have an advocate, carer support worker and/or a family member support you through any meetings with ACT Together, and if your issue isn’t solved at that level, you can work up the chain of command.

ACT Together have some carer resources available on their website which may be useful. You can access the Carer Handbook here along with information regarding the carer’s subsidy and financial guidelines. Also, of particular interest, is the Reportable Conduct Scheme Webinar.