Children placed in OoHC are among the most vulnerable in our community and benefit from access to, and meaningful participation in, high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) services.
It is critical to ensure that services work together to increase access, meaningful participation and inclusion of young children in OoHC in key universal and targeted services. This includes Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services, funded kindergarten programs, supported playgroups and specialist support where needed.
Work in partnership with carers and caseworkers
Work in partnership with carers. Make them feel welcome. Listen, and take a flexible and compassionate approach to support them and the child in care. Remember the child, carer and family members may be experiencing a stressful time and need additional support to meet service requirements.
Communicate about the child’s learning and development. Provide resources and information that promote stimulating home learning environments.
Actively communicate and collaborate with the child’s caseworker and other agencies that are working with the child to support their enrolment and ongoing participation in your service.
This includes your local council who will have a designated OoHC contact and the local MCH nurse who may be involved in the planning for a child in OoHC, where appropriate.
Aboriginal children
Aboriginal children are significantly over-represented among children placed in OoHC. Some Aboriginal children are placed with kinship or extended family arrangements, which may also require support.
Services should provide culturally safe and responsive practice, and where appropriate, work in partnership with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), including Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care (ACAC) providers, to support children’s connection to family, community, culture and Country.
Find out more about early childhood services for Aboriginal children and their families and Early childhood education programs supporting Aboriginal children.
Children with additional needs
Children with disabilities or developmental delays are over-represented in OoHC. Early support and intervention for a child with a disability are critical to helping them reach their potential.
A range of supports and information is available to enable services to support the inclusion, learning, development and wellbeing of young children with a disability or developmental delay. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has an early childhood approach that connects the child’s carers with an early childhood partner organisation.
Priority of access
All funded kindergarten providers are required to follow the Department's priority of access guidelines for children at risk of or experiencing abuse or neglect, including children placed in OoHC.
Approved child care services must also comply with the Commonwealth Government’s priority of access requirements.
If a child placed in OoHC leaves your service and later returns to the area, make every reasonable effort to offer a place again to support continuity of learning and relationships.
Information sharing
Services must comply with the protecting the safety and wellbeing of young people protocol (PDF, 1.67 MB) and applicable Victorian information-sharing schemes and privacy legislation, including the Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) and Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS), where relevant. Services should share relevant information with the child's carer and caseworker, where appropriate and consistent with legislative requirements, to support the child's safety, wellbeing and development.
Information about individual children placed in OoHC may be shared between authorised professionals and organisations, in accordance with relevant legislation and agreements, where it is in the best interests of the child. Any information shared must be treated sensitively and confidentially.
Individual learning plans
Under the National Quality Framework (NQF) all children attending an ECEC must be supported through an ongoing cycle of planning, documentation and evaluation that reflects their learning and development needs.
The Early Childhood Agreement for Children in Out-of-Home Care recognises the importance of Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) for children placed in OoHC. ILPs should reflect the child's strengths, needs, experiences and goals and, where possible, be developed in partnership with carers, caseworkers and other relevant professionals. Carers should be engaged and informed on a regular basis on the plan for the child’s plan.
Planning for learning and development forms part of the Quality Area 1 National Quality Standard (NQS) educational program and practice. Refer to the Guide to the National Quality Framework (NQF) for guidance on how to apply this standard.
Transition to early childhood service or school
Transition to school or to ECEC services can be a stressful time for any young child because it involves significant change, such as adjusting to new routines, environments and forming new relationships with adults and peers.
LOOKOUT Transition to Primary School guidance resources
- LOOKOUT - Transition to Primary School Guidance (PDF, 368KB)
- LOOKOUT - Transition to Primary School Guidance (DOCX, 387KB).
A resource for carers, education providers and statutory authorities to provide best practice support for children living in out-of-home care.
Transition to or between ECEC services
Case workers in Child Protection, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), including Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care (ACAC) providers where relevant, community service organisations, and MCH nurses play an important role in supporting children placed in OoHC to access funded kindergarten and transition to ECEC services or school.
MCH nurses can support children placed in OoHC to access funded kindergarten programs by linking them to council central enrolment schemes or directly to kindergarten services.
Planning should be put in place to help the child's carer understand and prepare for the new arrangements, including session times and transport requirements.
Transition to school
The child’s care team should work closely with the ECEC service to ensure that all practical arrangements for the child are in place for the start of the school year. This includes help with:
- enrolment processes
- purchasing uniforms and stationery
- funding applications for any additional supports the child might need.
The care team should also work closely with the ECEC service and the child’s carers and the Koorie Education Support Officer (KESO), where the child is Aboriginal, to ensure that culturally safe transition planning is in place.
Before the child starts primary school, your ECEC service should ensure that the online Transitions and Learning Development Statement (TLDS) is completed. The TLDS is important for all children but is particularly important for children placed in OoHC who may benefit from coordinated transition planning and continuity of support.
For Aboriginal children, the relevant Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) including an Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care (ACAC) provider where applicable, and the appropriate KESO, may contribute to the online TLDS. Where available, relevant information from the child’s cultural support plan or cultural story may also be used to support transition planning and the TLDS, in line with agreed information-sharing arrangements.
Find out more about your requirements for transition planning.
Supports
There are a number of people who may assist in navigating the supports and services available to children placed in OoHC. They include:
- Local government contacts (MCH, central enrolment).
- Department regional contacts (LOOKOUT advisors, early years managers, KESOs, Preschool field officers).
- LOOKOUT centres.
- Preschool field officers, Commonwealth Inclusion Support Program staff and MCH nurses can provide valuable support, particularly where referral to an allied health professional may be required.
- Koorie Engagement Support Officers and Koorie Education Coordinators work with funded services and schools to better engage Aboriginal learners and communities. They are available to provide expert advice and support on culturally inclusive strategies to improve engagement.
- Flexible support packages – can provide short-term bridging support for children while longer-term supports are being established.
Funding and subsidies
Children placed in OoHC have access to funded kindergarten programs in the two years before school, supported through the Best Start, Best Life reforms, including:
- Early Start Kindergarten for 3-Year-Old Kinder
- More hours of 4-Year-Old Kinder
- Priority cohort funding rates
You can also check with your local government contact about local enrolment supports, priority of access arrangements and available kindergarten places (including pre-purchased places).
School Readiness Funding: Refer to the wellbeing area on the menu for both free and fee-for-service items that could be relevant.
Eligible children placed in OoHC may be able to access Commonwealth child care fee assistance, including the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and the Additional Child Care Subsidy (Child Wellbeing), subject to eligibility requirements. For more information, refer to:
Professional Learning: Supporting Children in Out-of-Home Care (OoHC)
The Department of Education (LOOKOUT) provides free online training for early childhood educators and kindergarten teachers.
These sessions help you support children in Out-of-Home Care (OoHC). You will learn about trauma, practical strategies, and ways to support inclusion and wellbeing.
Session details
- 1.5 – 2 hours
- Join one or more sessions
- More dates later this year
- Counts towards VIT professional development
Read the full partnership agreement
Updated