Supporting children in care
Out-of-home care
Children and young people are sometimes not able to live at home safely. They may have experienced significant harm or are at risk of abuse or their families might be unable to care for them because of illness, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence or poverty.
Children who cannot live at home are placed with relatives, foster parents, in residential care or independent living arrangements. DoCS aims to keep children with their families wherever possible.
Out-of-home care aims to help families regain care of their children, provide care for children who cannot live at home in a family-like environment and maintain the existing ties that children and young people have with their families and communities.
To remove a child from home, DoCS must have sufficient evidence to satisfy a court that the action is necessary for the child’s wellbeing, or must have a parent’s consent to provide support to the family. In all cases DoCS must act in the child’s best interests.
The Children’s Court ultimately determines whether the parental responsibility for a child or young person will be placed with the Minister for Community Services or with another person.
