Follow this procedure when referring eligible young people to Better Futures.
Document ID number 1129, version 1, 7 January 2022.
Young people in statutory care arrangements who meet Better Futures eligibility criteria are to be referred to Better Futures as soon as they turn 15 years and nine months. These referrals are submitted via the Client Relationship Information System (CRIS) Referral for Service process.
This procedure is for child protection practitioners, contracted case managers and Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care (ACAC) case managers working with young people in scope of Better Futures.
See Better Futures advice for more information and details about the eligibility criteria and related procedure Accessing Better Futures Flexible Funding for tasks to be undertaken to access Better Futures flexible funding.
Detailed information about Better Futures CRIS referral process is available at the CRIS intranet site for department staff or accessible via the 4 Help! Ask CRIS icon (accessed via CRIS Launch Page).
Case practitioner tasks
- Determine the young person’s eligibility to access Better Futures.
- Check CRIS My Client and My Team Clients grid to determine eligibility or confirm eligibility by contacting relevant Better Futures provider or the Better Futures/Home Stretch senior project officer.
- Discuss the Better Futures referral with the young person, engaging them in the process and obtaining their verbal consent to the referral.
Note: where formal consent cannot be obtained for practical reasons, referral to Better Futures should still proceed.
- Complete the Better Futures referral checklist.
- Submit the Better Futures referral via CRIS Referral for Service as soon as young person turns 15 years and nine months. Ensure to attach the following documents to the CRIS referral:
- 15+ care and transition plan
- cultural plan (if applicable)
- CRIS client overview document; and
- Better Futures referral checklist.
Other relevant documentation may also be attached (if applicable), such as:
- actions table from the case plan (submit this document at point of referral at 15.9 years if the 15+ care and transition plan has not yet commenced)
- assessment and progress record
- essential information record
- health or education assessments, individual education plan
- NDIS plan
- meeting minutes
- contracted case management quarterly reports
- Include any other information regarding security alerts or safety risks.
Note: for more information about leaving care services contact the Leaving Care Hotline 1300 532 846 or leavingcare@mcm.org.au or to find out more about the Better Futures referral pathway operating in your division contact the divisional Better Futures/Home Stretch senior project officer.
See Better Futures advice for more information and details about the Leaving Care Hotline and the divisional Better Futures/Home Stretch senior project officer.
Once referral has been processed
- Check on CRIS that the referral has been accepted by the Better Futures provider, if not follow up with Better Futures.
- The Better Futures provider must accept the referral via CRISSP and set the CRISSP Service Provision status to Allocated Service Commenced.
- Respond to follow up questions from Better Futures related to the CRIS Better Futures referral or about the young person.