167Permanency objective

167 Permanency objective

(1) A case plan must include one of the following objectives (a permanency objective) to be considered in the following order of preference as determined to be appropriate in the best interests of the child—

(a) family preservation—the objective of ensuring a child who is in the care of a parent of the child remains in the care of a parent;

(b) family reunification—the objective of ensuring that a child who has been removed from the care of a parent of the child is returned to the care of a parent;

(c) adoption—the objective of placing the child for adoption under the Adoption Act 1984;

(d) permanent care—the objective of arranging a permanent placement of the child with a permanent carer or carers;

(e) long-term out of home care—the objective of placing the child in—

(i) a stable, long-term care arrangement with a specified carer or carers; or

(ii) if an arrangement under subparagraph (i) is not possible, another suitable long-term care arrangement.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(c) to (e), it is to be preferred that a child is placed—

(a) with a suitable family member of the child or other person of significance to the child; or

(b) if a placement under paragraph (a) is not possible, with another suitable carer or carers.

S. 167(3) amended by No. 8/2016 s. 3(1).

(3) For the purposes of this section, a permanency objective of family reunification would be appropriate if the child has been in out of home care for a cumulative period of less than 12 months and the safe reunification of the child with a parent is likely to be achieved.

(4) For the purposes of this section, a permanency objective set out in subsection (1)(c) to (e) would be appropriate if—

S. 167(4)(a) amended by No. 8/2016 s. 3(2)(a).

(a) the child has been in out of home care for a cumulative period of 12 months and there is no real likelihood for the safe reunification of the child with a parent in the next 12 months; or

S. 167(4)(b) amended by No. 8/2016 s. 3(2)(b).

(b) except in exceptional circumstances, the child has been in out of home care for a cumulative period of 24 months.

S. 167(5) inserted by No. 8/2016 s. 3(3).

(5) Section 287A(4) applies to the determination of a cumulative period under this section.

S. 168 substituted by No. 61/2014 s. 97.