Do you reasonably suspect that a child is
experiencing child abuse and/or neglect?
Know your organisations policies &
procedures.
Provide as much information as possible,
particularly about how parental actions are impacting on the child and the
family’s circumstances (think of the risk assessment model).
You may hold a critical piece of the puzzle.
Remember Child Safety Services may have other
pieces of that puzzle that cannot be shared with you.
Child protection is everyone’s business
In accordance with the Child Protection Act
1999, Child Safety Services will not disclose the identity of the notifier,
will not confirm or deny the notifier’s identity if the family speculate about who
the notifier may be, and will try to protect the notifier’s identity when
specific information provided by the notifier is likely to identify them.
At times, given the nature and details of the
concerns, many families will make assumptions as to who has notified.
It is important to note however that as a
professional, your views may be sought post the receipt of the initial
notification to which you are not protected under confidentiality legislation.
You may be asked to provide evidence to a
Children’s Court either through an affidavit or as a witness.
If a child protection
notification has been recorded, then a timeframe for the investigation and
assessment to commence will be determined, depending on the assessed safety of
the child
–
24 hour
–
5 day
–
10 day
The departmental response to all
notifications is the completion of an investigation and assessment.
A thorough and holistic approach
to the investigation and assessment is critical to determining the current and
ongoing safety and protective needs of the child.
An Investigation & assessment
may involve an Authorised Officer executing powers under the Act.
Contact with Children in
school/Child Care etc (S17)
Moving a child to a safe place
(S21)
Take a child into immediate custody
(S18)
Entry & Search powers (S18)
Information gathering about a
child and family
•
In
assessing a child’s safety, accuracy is a crucial goal.
•
The
aim is to correctly identify parents who are abusive and minimise distress to
those who are not.
•
Temporary
Assessment Orders & Court Assessment Orders may be used.
At the completion of the
investigation and assessment, the department will determine whether or not a
child is in need of protection.
The outcome will be one of the
following:
substantiated - child in need of
protection
substantiated - child not in need
of protection
unsubstantiated - child not in
need of protection
The harm will either have been
experienced by the child, or there would be an assessed unacceptability of the
risk of harm in the future to the child’s physical, psychological or emotional
wellbeing.
When considering the harm
experienced, the department needs to establish a link between the harm caused
to the child as a result of abuse or neglect from the parent.
