The provision of foster care may be via a large government entity (e.g. Department of Children & Family Services), a local authority (e.g. Local Safeguarding Children's Board), a non-governmental agency (e.g. Children's Aid Society) or an indigenous agency. Any of these agencies will identify, license and maintain a source of foster care providers (or carers). Within Cúram, these resources are known as placement service providers. A placement service provider offers out-of-home placement services (e.g. foster care) for one or more children for a designated time period. Some placement service providers specialize in placement services to children with special needs or serious medical conditions. Typically placement services are allocated to children in single units, usually for a number of days.
Payments made to providers are typically based on a pre-negotiated rate structure. Cúram can be configured to support a child services agency's rate structure as well as contract-agreed rates. Registration and maintenance of individuals or agencies as providers is managed through the Cúram Provider Management™ (CPM). For more information about providers and payment methods, see the CPM Guide.