Where appropriate, families should be asked as soon as a child enters care about their identity in a respectful, appropriate and mindful way so that the cultural planning process can begin immediately.
As a cultural plan needs to be developed and endorsed within the first 19 weeks of a child entering care, it is important that the worker meets with the family as a priority to ensure that the child’s cultural information and needs are recorded. This information will then inform the case plan process and enable the cultural plan to be implemented as soon as possible by all care team members and carers.