Plan Approval Panel
The HCN Plan Approval Panel decides if an Interagency Plan will meet a child’s or young person’s unmet needs, and if it will, the Panel then approves HCN funding.
Who are the Plan Approval Panel?
The Plan Approval Panel is made up of HCN Advisors chaired by the HCN Unit Manager. HCN Advisors can provide information to the Panel but they do not participate in decision-making for any Plans they are advising on.
Decision-making principles
The Panel uses the following principles to guide their decision-making for the child’s or young person’s Plan:
- Interventions must focus on making gains.
- Interventions must support and strengthen the child’s or young person’s culture and spiritual identity.
- As far as possible, the child or young person should participate in planning and decision making processes affecting their future.
- Services should be delivered within the least restrictive environment possible.
- The needs of the child or young person should dictate the type and mix of services provided.
- Interventions should support and strengthen family/whanau/caregiver ability to nurture and care for the child or young person.
- Interventions should contribute to increased responsiveness of local services.
What does the Plan Approval Panel do?
The Panel makes decisions based on the written information supplied, about both the interventions and the funding requested.
The Panel considers each situation and request individually as there is a lot of variation in both children’s needs and service levels across the country. It asks questions about process, content and resources – as outlined below – to help them reach a decision.
Interagency Plan
Process
- Has there been input from the child/young person and family/whanau?
- Does the plan reflect interagency collaboration, including support from managers?
- Has any potential conflict of interest been avoided?
Content
- Is there a fit between assessed need and proposed interventions?
- Are the interventions consistent, comprehensive and based on a shared understanding of the child’s or young person’s situation, needs and required interventions?
- Are there clear and sustainable long-term goals?
- Are medium-term (12 month) outcomes expressed in (SMART) terms – ie, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely?
- Are the interventions consistent with good practice?
- Is there a comprehensive and appropriate crisis plan?
- Are the interventions individualised?
Resources
- Are relevant service contributions identified?
- Is there a clear rationale for the HCN resourcing?
- Are the funding requests consistent with proposed interventions?
- Are the funding requests clearly articulated (hours, rates, days)?
- Are the requests within HCN funding benchmarks?
Interagency Plan Review
Process
- Are the child’s / young person’s views included?
- Is the review on time?
- Was there good representation from the Interagency Team?
- What is the feedback about working together on the Plan?
Content
- Have the interventions worked? If not, what needs to change?
- Are there new objectives or goals for the child / young person, with explicit rationale?
- Has the Interagency Team responded to the Panel’s feedback and requests?
- Have achieved outcomes been clearly reported (i.e., in SMART terms)?
- At the third review, is the Panel clear about its intention regarding continuation or cessation of the funding?
Resources
- Has the HCN Unit received invoices/journals?
- Is there a clear rationale for any funding change request?
- Are the funding requests consistent with proposed interventions?
- Are the funding requests clearly articulated (hours, rates, days)?
- Are the requests within HCN funding benchmarks?
- Does the local manager support the request?
Funding Change Request
- Is there a clear rationale for the funding change request?
- Are the funding requests consistent with proposed interventions?
- Are the funding requests clearly articulated (hours, rates, days)?
- Are the requests within HCN funding benchmarks?
- Does the local manager support the request?
Transition Plan
- Are the interventions reducing in intensity?
- Is the Plan for six months or less?
- Will existing local service arrangements be in place by the end of the Transition Plan period?
Timing and process
All information for the Panel needs to be received in hard copy at the HCN Unit by the Wednesday before the Panel meeting so information can be copied and sent to all Panel members to read before the meeting.
Information should be sent to the HCN Unit, c/- Child, Youth and Family, 34 Bowen Street, PO Box 2620, Wellington.
The Panel meets every two weeks, and the HCN Unit should advise on decisions, in writing, within 5 working days of the meeting.
The HCN Unit acknowledges receipt of each HCN funding application and will confirm the date of the next meeting of the Plan Approval Panel.