Living arrangement type for child under care code N[N]

A code set representing the type of living arrangement for a child under the care of a department responsible for child protection.

CODE 1 Residential care

Where the placement is in a residential building whose purpose is to provide placements for children and where there are paid staff.

CODE 2 Family group home

Family group homes provide care to children in departmentally or community sector agency provided homes. These homes have live-in, non-salaried carers who are reimbursed and/or subsidised for  the provision of care.

CODE 3 Relatives/kin who are reimbursed

Where the caregiver is a relative (other than parents), considered to be family or a close friend, or is a member of the child or young person's community (in accordance with their culture) who is reimbursed (or who has been offered but declined reimbursement) by the state/territory for the
care of the child. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, a kinship carer may be another Indigenous person who is a member of their community, a compatible community or from the same language group.

CODE 4 Foster care

Where the caregiver is authorised and reimbursed (or was offered but declined reimbursement) by the state/territory for the care of the child and supported by an approved agency. There are varying degrees of reimbursement made to foster carers.

CODE 5 Other home based care (reimbursed)

Home-based care which does not fall into either of the categories ‘Relative(s)/kin who are reimbursed’ or ‘Foster care’.

CODE 6 Relatives/kin who are not reimbursed

Where the caregiver is a relative (other than parents), considered to be family or a close friend, or is a member of the child or young person's community (in accordance with their culture) who is not reimbursed by the state/territory for the care of the child.

CODE 7 Independent living

This includes private board and lead-tenant households.

CODE 8  Parents

A natural or substitute parent (spouse or natural parent, adoptive parent or spouse of an adoptive parent) who has an ongoing legal responsibility for the care and protection of a child.

CODE 9  Detention

Where the child was ordered by the court to reside for a specified time in a juvenile or adult correctional facility.

CODE 88 Other living arrangement

Includes living arrangements that do not fit into the above categories. This includes any placements made in disability services, psychiatric services, Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS), overnight child-care services, boarding schools, hospitals, hotels/motels and defence force. These living arrangements may have rostered and/or paid staff, and are generally not a home-like environment.

CODE 99 Not stated/inadequately described

Is used when the care arrangement in which a child lives is not recorded or is unknown.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2013. Child protection and support services National Minimum Data Set, data collection manual 2012-13. Canberra: AIHW.

Supersedes Care arrangement (care and protection order) code N[N] Housing assistance, Standard 23/08/2010, Homelessness, Standard 23/08/2010, Community Services (retired), Standard 30/04/2008

Has been superseded by Living arrangement type for child under care code N[N] Children and Families, Superseded 20/04/2018

Service event—living arrangement type, child under care code N[N] Children and Families, Superseded 22/11/2016