See procedure Fire risk behaviours for tasks that must be undertaken when a child or young person living in care is known or suspected to demonstrate fire risk behaviours.
Children with fire risk behaviours pose a risk to themselves and others. The possibility of serious consequences increases the need for active intervention and is relevant to the exercise of duty of care by the child's care team.
Fire risk behaviour can include the lighting of matches or lighters without the approval or supervision of a primary carer (generally there is no intention to start a fire) or the intention to deliberately start a fire, leading to property damage, injury, or loss of life.
Each year Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) responds to a number of fires caused by children and young people and interfaces with a significant number of children and young people who engage in serious fire risk behaviours. The aim is to reduce the harm associated with fire risk behaviours. The Firelighting Consequence Awareness Program (Fire-CAP) has identified the following trends as to why children light fires:
Reasons
- Curiosity or fascination
- Attention seeking
- Peer Pressure
- Anger/revenge
- Malicious or mischievous behaviour
- Boredom
It is important to note that trauma associated with maltreatment, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect, particularly in boys, is commonly linked with fire risk behaviours.
Where a child going into care has known or suspected fire risk behaviours, the care team should, as part of the case plan and actions table, develop an active fire safety strategy including:
- an assessment of the child to determine the severity of the behaviour and the likely risks (for example, assessment by Fire-CAP)
- the use of the Country Fire Authority (CFA) Youth Fire-setting Support Guide – a resource for caregivers and practitioners concerned about fire risk behaviours in a child or young person
- identified strategies for managing or modifying the behaviour and addressing related causal issues, as determined and documented in the:
- o case plan
o looking after children (LAC) placement referral record
o essential information record (EIR)
o care and placement plan
- o case plan
- active implementation of these strategies as part of LAC and in conjunction with the care team
- referral to an appropriate service for education and support to address the fire risk behaviour.
When a child going into care has known or suspected fire risk behaviours, the carers must receive this information. Child protection practitioners should discuss this with kinship carers, and Community Service Organisation staff should discuss it with foster carers or residential carers. See our approach information sharing in child protection practice.
Although all residential and foster care placements must meet required fire safety standards and the department monitors these standards, additional support and equipment may be necessary when placing a child with known or suspected fire risk behaviours. For kinship care placements, the assessment of the placement for a child demonstrating fire risk behaviours will include these issues.
Home-based carers must receive full support if they are to care for a child or young person demonstrating fire risk behaviours. They must be given all the facts and scenarios that may eventuate in undertaking such a placement. The department will pay for approved equipment and arrange supply and installation in the carer's house as outlined in the active fire safety strategy. Any equipment purchases, installation or modification of a carer's home should be discussed with the team manager and the appropriate divisional placement manager.
A child or young person demonstrating fire risk behaviours may present complex supervision and case management challenges. Divisions should manage young people with serious fire risks as high-risk youth according to divisional processes and systems for the identification, monitoring and review of high-risk young people. See procedure High-risk youth for tasks that staff must undertake.
The Youth Fire Setting Support Guide is a resource developed by the CFA for caregivers and practitioners concerned about a child or young person’s fire risk behaviours. The guide provides information about fire risk behaviour and a range of support services that may be able to assist within the community.
Fire-CAP is a fire safety educational and intervention program that is generally delivered in the young person’s place of residence, free of charge and confidential, works with children in their home environment to address their fire lighting risk behaviour. The firefighter works closely with the young person and their family/carer group to reduce and control their fire risk behaviour, highlighting the dangers/risks of their actions and developing good fire safety principles. The program content and approaches vary according to the age and maturity of the child/young person.
This state-wide service employs specialist professionals trained to work with young people demonstrating fire risk behaviours. Psychiatrists and psychologists from the Royal Children's Hospital and private practice support the program.
If required, arrangements can be made for more intensive assessment to be made by the Royal Children's Hospital.
Fire-CAP program policy:
- If you are a third person making a referral to this program on a family’s behalf, please ensure the young person’s primary carer knows you are making the referral on their behalf and that you have their consent to supplying their details to program staff.
- FRV only contact the nominated primary carer of the young person, NOT the young person.
- The program is never delivered to the young person on their own, the young person’s primary carer must be present at all times.
All referrals can be made to the Fire-CAP office via the online referral form which can be found here: Fire-CAP Referral Form | Fire Rescue Victoria (frv.vic.gov.au)