We’ve developed examples to help you understand when a child at your service may be considered in need of wellbeing support for the purposes of Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) child wellbeing.
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Assessing harm
The following examples illustrate circumstances where a provider may assess a child is in need of wellbeing support. These examples are fictional and do not feature real people.
When a child does not meet the definition of being in need of wellbeing support under state or territory law
Balendra’s parents separated recently and are currently sorting out their living arrangements. Balendra’s educators notice his attendance has become very random. They also notice he wears the same clothes most days and does not bring food, despite families being expected to supply food.
Following a conversation with Balendra’s parents, you determine that he is in an environment that indicates apparent neglect. You make a file note of the conversation, outlining your concerns and why you believe Balendra is in need of wellbeing support.
Balendra does not meet the definition of being in need of wellbeing support under state or territory law. However, his family’s circumstances indicate neglect, so he meets the definition of being in need of wellbeing support for the purposes of ACCS child wellbeing. You may issue a child wellbeing certificate so Balendra can attend care while his family gets extra help with fees.
Emerging risk
Tim and his daughter, Brianna, have lost their temporary accommodation. Tim has let his service know that he and Brianna are living with friends until they find something more permanent. While Brianna seems fine and Tim is searching for stable accommodation, the circumstance suggests that Brianna may experience neglect in the future. These circumstances are real and apparent, as Tim and Brianna do not have access to permanent accommodation.
In this event, you may give Brianna access to ACCS child wellbeing based on your assessment that Brianna may not be provided with the basic needs that are essential for the child’s physical and emotional wellbeing. When granting access based on emerging circumstances, you must have evidence showing there remains real and apparent likelihood that the child’s basic needs will not be meet. This could include evidence of significantly different or unusual behaviour.
Circumstances where a child is not necessarily in need of wellbeing support
The following examples illustrate circumstances that, on their own, do not necessarily mean that a child is in need of wellbeing support.
Family income
Lucy and Camille receive income support as their family’s sole source of income. While this can be financially challenging, on its own it does not mean their child Jack is in need of wellbeing support.
However, Camille spends most of the income support on gambling. As a result, Jack regularly misses meals. These circumstances, when considered in full, would meet the definition of Jack facing harm as a result of neglect. The family’s income is part of the context, but not the sole reason that Jack is being neglected.
Ethnic, cultural, religious or racial background
Amez’s family are refugees from Iraq and do not speak English. His family fled racial persecution in Iraq and are living in a town in regional Australia. There are no other families with a similar background in Amez’s town. Amez’s ethnicity alone does not mean that he is in need of wellbeing support.
However, Amez’s mother Ashti suffers from serious post-traumatic stress disorder from her experiences in Iraq. Ashti does not have friends or family nearby to provide support. Ashti’s emotional state sometimes impacts on her ability to meet Amez’s basic needs that are essential for the child’s physical and emotional wellbeing. In this circumstance, Amez’s background has contributed to the circumstances, but is not the sole reason to assume neglect is happening.
Location
Bernard and his 4-year-old daughter, Kirra, live in a remote part of the Northern Territory. Kirra would not be considered to be in need of wellbeing support based only on the location where she lives. However, Bernard experiences bouts of severe depression and avoids interacting with Kirra during these episodes. While family try to check in with Bernard and Kirra periodically, their location makes these visits infrequent. Bernard regularly leaves Kirra unattended for many hours with inadequate amounts of food and mental stimulation, and their family is not aware of this until after the fact.
As there is evidence of neglect, Kirra would meet the definition of being in need of wellbeing support. If Bernard and Kirra lived closer to their family, they may receive enough support to prevent Kirra from being in need of wellbeing support. In this circumstance, location is only a contributing factor. It is Bernard’s behaviour when he is experiencing a depressive episode that impacts Kirra’s basic needs being met.
Disability, severe illness or mental illness
Disability, severe illness or mental illness does not necessarily mean that a child will be in need of wellbeing support. In some cases, however, these circumstances may result in a parent or carer not being able to care for their child when they normally would do so. Although there is no intent, this may result in a child needing wellbeing support because they face risk of serious abuse or neglect.
Emma’s mother, Anita, relies on a wheelchair for mobility and has been formally recognised as a person with disability. Anita is otherwise healthy, able to drive a car, looks after Emma’s daily needs and has the support of her husband, Joe. Emma would not be considered as being in need of wellbeing support.
Thanh’s mother has a psychiatric condition that is managed with medication. When Thanh’s mother stops taking her medication, she forgets to purchase food and prepare meals. In this circumstance, Thanh’s mother’s failure to take her medication impacts Thanh’s basic physical needs being met. The psychiatric condition alone does not mean that Thanh needs wellbeing support.
Evidence needs to address the type and extent of disability, severe illness or mental illness, and how it impacts the child.