Out of Home Care services

What is out of home care?

Out of home care (OOHC) refers to care arrangements for children outside of their own family home including after-hours placement, district care, foster care, group homes and transitional high needs care.

The main reasons for children entering out of home care are for substantiated allegations of emotional abuse and neglect, which are underpinned by alcohol and drug misuse, mental health issues and family and domestic violence. These factors often combine with structural disadvantage, poverty and intergenerational trauma to create deeply entrenched patterns of dysfunction and child safety issues.

The Department’s prime objective for the Western Australian out-of-home care system is to continue the development of a quality system that places children in stable care arrangements that best meets their needs, as early as possible, for as long as is needed.

Out of home care reform

Communities has undertaken significant Out of Home Care (OOHC) reform to align services with current evidence-based, trauma informed child protection case practice and reduce the number of children in care.

The key priorities of the sector wide reform have been greater stability for children entering care, with an emphasis on siblings remaining together; improved opportunities for early reunification and young people leaving care well prepared; greater cultural connection; and a service system that is Aboriginal led, flexible and needs-driven with improved accountability and regulation.

For all children and young people – but especially Aboriginal children and young people – changes to the whole system have supported children in care arrangements that meet their physical, emotional, cultural, and spiritual needs in keeping with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle.

ACCO service providers are:

• Yorganop Association
• Karla Kuliny Aboriginal Corporation
• Kinship Connections
• Wungening Aboriginal Corporation
• SWAMS – Kwaba Bidi

Community Services Organisations are:

• Key Assets
• Lifestyle Solutions
• Life without Barriers
• Mackillop
• Parkerville
• Wanslea
• Uniting WA
• Australian Childhood Foundation
• MyPlace
• Safe Places

Physical and Sexual Abuse Insurance 

Information for out of home care and youth homelessness accommodation service providers seeking to access the State Government’s temporary indemnity arrangements for physical and sexual abuse claims. Find out more about Physical and sexual Abuse Insurance.