1、New Client Support Funding FrameworkFrequently asked questionsFrequently asked questions New Statewide Client Support Funding Framework3The Department of Health and Human Services (department) introduced a new Client Support Funding Framework on 1 July 2016. The framework ensures a fair and consiste

2、nt approach to providing additional financial support to help meet the needs of children and young people in statutory homebased care. These frequently asked questions provide answers to common questions about the framework and are informed by feedback received during consultation with carers, servi

3、ce providers, departmental staff and peak body representatives on the framework.The department would particularly like to acknowledge the participation of carers and out-of-home care service providers in the consultation process, which has helped shape the framework, develop a common understanding o

4、f existing arrangements and gather suggestions for arrangements that provide a fair and equitable approach.The scope of the framework is children and young people placed in statutory home-based care with foster and kinship carers.What is client support funding and what does framework mean?Client sup

5、port funding is financial support in addition to the service funding the department provides to community service organisations and separate to the care allowance home-based carers receive to meet the needs of children and young people in their care. The framework outlines the financial support that

6、 carers may be eligible for to meet the needs of children and young people in their care, in addition to the care allowance.How will the framework make a difference?The framework clearly articulates the role of the department, service providers and care teams in supporting carers to identify and acc

7、ess the full range of financial supports available to help deliver the things children and young people need. The framework will establish a consistent approach to the allocation, approval and expenditure of client support funding. It will ensure client support funding is co-ordinated and integrated

8、 with other available supports, including care allowances.The framework responds to calls from carers for a transparent and fair approach in accessing and providing additional financial support for children and young people in out-of-home care. What does the framework look like?The framework outline

9、s the additional funding that carers may be eligible for to help cover costs that exceed the day to day costs of what a care allowance contributes to or a high cost that places an unreasonable financial burden on the carer. The framework will organise client support funding into two streams: placeme

10、nt support to help address the needs of the placement or care arrangement to provide carers with assistance to commence, maintain or sustain a placement client expense to help address the individual needs of the child where the expense is directly related to the support of the child.Who manages clie

11、nt support funding and how can it be accessed?Placement support funding will be made available to the service providers of foster care and lead tenant. The funding will be managed by service providers to accommodate the needs of all children and young people in their care arrangements. Client expens

12、e funding will be made available to Child Protection Team Managers for all children and young people in statutory home-based care. All client support funding will be managed in accordance with the framework guidelines.Where a child or young persons support needs exceeds what the day to day cost of a

13、 care allowance contributes to, or a high cost is an unreasonable financial burden, carers should contact the service from which they receive support to apply for client support funding.What constitutes an unreasonable cost in relation to the care allowance?The framework outlines the most common eve

14、ryday expenses that carers can apply for under the Client Support Funding Framework, such as school, medical, transport and child care costs. As a general rule, where a cost is outside of the day-to-day costs of what the care allowance contributes to, or the high cost of the expense places an unreas

15、onable financial burden on the carer AND there is no alternate funding source, then a request for client support funding is appropriate.Why isnt placement support funding available to kinship care service providers?The framework aligns budget responsibility with operational decision-making. Currentl

16、y in Victoria case management responsibility for the majority of children and young people in kinship care is with the statutory child protection program. This does not preclude access to client support funding to provide kinship carers with assistance to commence, maintain or sustain a placement. K

17、inship carers can access client support funding through child protection for the purpose of both placement and client-related support.What about client support funding for children and young people in residential care?Through Roadmap for Reform: strong families, safe children the Victorian Governmen

18、t has committed to the transformation of residential care to a treatment model that focuses on helping children recover from abuse, neglect and family violence and to transition to home-based care as quickly as possible. The scope of the framework has been refined to focus on client and placement su

19、pport for children and young people in statutory home-based care. Further advice will be provided regarding the Roadmap for Reform and any impact of this work in relation to supporting the needs of children in residential care, including future access to client support funding.What can be realistica

20、lly expected in the provision of client support funding?The framework includes processes to support the timely response to requests for client support funding, and controls for the timely reimbursement or payment of expenses. Carers should expect clear communication for: acknowledging receipt of a r

21、equest advising of the outcome of a request and the process for resolving an issue arising from the outcome of a request.The framework will depict workflows and processes to ensure children and young people and their care arrangements are not compromised pending the outcome of a request for client suppor