5.3 Prioritisation and allocation decisions
Allocation Prioritisation levels
Prioritisation occurs at two levels
1. Urgent
2. Weekly
Urgent cases require services immediately or prior to the next Allocation meting in the relevant LGA network.
The Urgent or Weekly Priority decision is determined by the professional judgment of the catchment Intake teams (Child FIRST or local agency).
The Urgent priority is independent of the IRIS case category ie may be any of significant wellbeing concerns, Complex or Other IRIS Issue cases.
All agencies involved in intake roles must be cautious about messages given to families and referrers about what and when services will be offered, particularly at times of limited capacity.
Line responsibility for intake decisions
Responsibility for Intake decisions is with the respective Team Leader or Manager in the receiving agency.
Family Services Intake and allocations decision responsibility
The intake receiving the referral (Child FIRST or local agency) is responsible for:
1. Determining the case is appropriate for Family Service allocation
2. The urgent or weekly priority for allocation
Decisions made at intake (Child FIRST or local agency) about appropriateness and priorities are made on behalf of the NCC&FSA. The next actions occur after decisions are made in the weekly allocation and review meeting about the relative priority of the families' needs (considered alongside the capacity of the local agencies to commence the work).
The intake agency (Child FIRST or local) is accountable for all decisions made prior to allocation.
The allocated agency is accountable for all case decisions and outcomes allocation occurs.
Issues arising about practice consistency or thresholds for services are to be raised at the Operational Management group, including policy implications arising from disagreements or disputes between partner agencies.
Responsibility in instance of multiple referrals for same family
Responsibility is with the agency that has the currently open case, or received the case first, subject to review at the Allocations meeting (for example if new information changes assessment and required services).
Allocating urgent cases
All catchment (ie Child FIRST and local referral) urgent allocations are authorised by the Child FIRST manager to occur as soon as possible.
Partner agencies are to provide Child FIRST with weekly advice of their capacity to enable immediate allocation where required.
If urgent cases cannot be allocated immediately for ongoing service, they must be immediately allocated for active holding.
If an urgent case cannot be allocated for immediate allocation (ongoing or active holding), the Operational Managers in the effected LGA network are to be advised immediately and contingency responses initiated. (These are to be further developed: examples include group work, single sessions, x- LGA boundary support)
Allocating weekly priorities and cases receiving active holding
The agency that received the intake is responsible and accountable for any necessary actions to support the wellbeing of the family prior to the weekly allocation meeting.
All weekly allocation priority cases (Child FIRST and local referrals) and all cases currently receiving active holding service are to be discussed and allocated at the LGA network Allocation meeting.
Cases are presented in order of:
1. Significant concerns about wellbeing
2. Complex IRIS issues and
3. Other IRIS issues and prioritised for allocation on the basis of greatest risk and need.
The network Allocations meeting is therefore responsible for allocation decisions regarding both:
  • Ongoing Family Service roles
  • Active holding - who has responsibility and reviewing priority. This may include upgrading the status of a weekly allocation to an urgent or high priority case, requiring immediate allocation (ongoing or holding).
Allocation occurs through negotiation with family service providers, CPU and Child FIRST staff. The following factors should be considered in determining relative priority.
  • Age and vulnerability of children
  • Complexity of need - particularly in relation to factors including mental health, family violence, Drug and Alcohol,  and disability issues
  • Risk of family breakdown /placement breakdown
  • Other services currently involved
  • Vulnerability of child/ren and family unit
  • Need for care coordination
  • Natural networks and available community supports
Any case that is presented and not allocated for ongoing service for more than three weeks is to be reported to the Operations Managers within the LGA network, and triggers a review of throughput in all agencies in the LGA network.
Executive level of the effected agencies are to be advised if a family is not allocated for four weeks
Top