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CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY SERVICES ACT 2004 - SECT 89

89 .         Care plan

        [(1)         deleted]

        (2)         As soon as practicable after a child first comes into the CEO’s care, the CEO must prepare and implement a plan (a care plan ) for the child.

        (3)         Subsection (2) does not apply in the case of a child taken into provisional protection and care.

        Note for this subsection:

                Section 39 requires the CEO to prepare and implement a provisional care plan for a child taken into provisional protection and care.

        (3A)         A care plan for a child must —

            (a)         be in writing; and

            (b)         identify the needs of the child; and

            (c)         outline steps or measures to be taken to address the needs of the child; and

            (d)         for an Aboriginal child, Torres Strait Islander child or child of a culturally or linguistically diverse background — incorporate a cultural support plan for the child; and

            (e)         for a child who has reached 15 years of age (subject to subsection (3F)) — incorporate a leaving care plan for the child; and

            (f)         record decisions made by the CEO about the care of the child, including —

                  (i)         decisions about a placement arrangement for the child; and

                  (ii)         decisions about contact between the child and a parent, sibling, other member of the child’s family or other person who is significant in the child’s life; and

                  (iii)         secure care decisions;

                and

            (g)         contain a summary of —

                  (i)         how the principle set out in section 10 has been applied in connection with the decisions recorded in the plan; and

                  (ii)         the wishes and views expressed by the child about the decisions recorded in the plan.

        (3B)         Subsection (3A)(d), (e) and (g) do not apply to a care plan in existence immediately before the commencement of the Children and Community Services Amendment Act 2021 section 37 until the completion of the first review of the plan under section 90 after that commencement.

        (3C)         Subsection (3A)(g) only applies to the application of the principle set out in section 10, and to wishes and views expressed by the child, after the commencement of the Children and Community Services Amendment Act 2021 section 37.

        (3D)         The CEO must modify a care plan if a decision recorded in the plan is varied, revoked or substituted or a further decision about the care of the child is made by the CEO.

        (3E)         The modification must be made as soon as practicable after the decision is varied, revoked or substituted or the further decision is made.

        (3F)         The CEO must modify a care plan to include a leaving care plan as soon as practicable after the child reaches 15 years of age.

        (4)         The CEO may modify a care plan at any time if the CEO considers that it is appropriate to do so.

        [(5A)         deleted]

        (5)         However, the CEO cannot modify a care plan in a manner that would be contrary to section 94(3).

        (6)         As soon as practicable after the CEO prepares or modifies a care plan, the CEO must give a copy of the care plan or modification, as the case requires, to —

            (a)         the child; and

            (b)         each parent of the child; and

            (c)         any carer of the child; and

            (d)         any other person considered by the CEO to have a direct and significant interest in the wellbeing of the child.

        (7)         Despite subsection (6), the CEO may decide not to give a copy of the care plan or modification to a person mentioned in that subsection if the CEO considers that to do so would pose an unacceptable risk to the safety of the child or another person.

        (8)         If the CEO decides under subsection (7) not to give a person a copy of the care plan or modification, the CEO must give the person written notice of the decision and written reasons for it.

        [Section 89 amended: No. 49 of 2010 s. 10; No. 23 of 2015 s. 37; No. 18 of 2021 s. 37.]



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