Permanency progress reviews

What is a permanency progress review?

One of the fundamental objectives of the PSP is to provide funding packages to support PSP providers undertaking the casework required to achieve permanency outcomes for children, within a two-year time frame.

Permanency progress reviews support this objective by:

• reviewing progress made towards achieving a child’s case plan goal
• ensuring permanency progress reviews occur at minimum review periods.

PSP providers participate in and contribute to 6 monthly permanency progress reviews (at a minimum), for children with case plan goals of restoration, guardianship or adoption in collaboration with the Department.

Where permanency is unlikely to be achieved within two-years, or there are specific challenges requiring more support, reviews occur every three months for restoration, guardianship or adoption.

The permanency progress reviews provide a valuable opportunity for PSP providers and the Department to jointly:

• check in on the progress of the child’s case plan goal being achieved within two years
• consider whether a change to the case plan goal is required
• identify any areas in which additional support is required and
• ensure permanency reviews support culturally appropriate practice.

DCJ Permanency Coordinators provide oversight and monitoring of outcomes within the two-year timeframe.

Collaborating in permanency progress reviews

The Department and PSP provider have complementary roles in permanency progress reviews:

• the Permanency Coordinator convenes a meeting with a PSP provider to conduct one or more permanency progress reviews
• the Permanency Coordinator is responsible for:
  • documenting the progress review for each child
  • providing PSP providers with a copy of each review
• the PSP provider is responsible for participating in and providing evidence to inform the review
• the PSP provider works to address any challenges in achieving a child’s case plan goal, in consultation with the Permanency Coordinator, before proposing a change to the case plan goal
• if an outcome to the permanency progress review is a recommendation the case plan goal be changed, see changing the goal from long term care to another case plan goal.

Permanency Coordinators do not make final decisions about case plan goal changes. While a Permanency Coordinator may support a PSP provider’s proposal to change a case plan goal, the decision to change the case plan goal is subject to approval by a Manager Casework (delegation level 5 or above) *.

For more information see Permanency Progress Review and Case Plan Goal Extension Policy. (PDF, 830.0 KB)

(* Subject to other approved local arrangements, pilots or trials, a position other than Manager Casework may hold this delegation (if grade 9 or above).)