NSW Interagency Guidelines for Child Protection Intervention 2006

1. NSW Interagency Guidelines for Child Protection Intervention 2006 Briefing Information Session Child Protection Senior Officers Group

2. The existing Guidelines were revised in order to: • ensure they contained accurate, up to date and useful information • make them easy to follow • include major new government commitments to prevention and early intervention • reflect achievable and sustainable practice commitments for all partner agencies • reinforce the importance of all partners in contributing to child protection intervention

3. Briefing outline • Interagency Work • Reporting • Exchanging Information • Feedback to reporters • Case management • Resources available

4. Chapter Headings • Building interagency collaboration • Making a child protection report • Practices and procedures following a child protection report • Exchanging information in a child protection context • Criminal proceedings • Best practice principles for working with children and young people

5. Conventions used in the Guidelines • Tables • Practice points • Flags such as refer • Flags such as notes • Flow charts • Appendices • Glossary

6. Key resource - Tables outlining indicators of abuse and neglect • Table 4 outlines indicators for neglect • Table 5 outlines indicators of physical abuse • Table 6 outlines indicators of sexual abuse • Table 7 outlines indicators of serious psychological harm • Table 8 outlines indicators of Domestic Violence (detailing indicators also in adult victims and in perpetrators)

7. Feedback to Mandated Reporters “At a minimum, the Community Services Centre will provide feedback to mandated reporters who request it and who have an ongoing role with the child, young person or family and the feedback will enable that work to continue.” NSW Interagency Guidlelines for Child Protection Intervention 2006, Section 2.12

8. Legal frameworks for exchanging information • The NSW Privacy and Protection Information Act 1998 which outlines 12 information protection principles. Generally these principles require NSW government and funded non-governmentagencies to get the consent of a client before information about them is shared. • NSW Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 • Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988 • Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000

9. Prescribed agencies: • NSW Police • A government department or a public authority • A government school or a registered non-government school or a TAFE college • A public health organisation or a private hospital

10. Prescribed agencies cont.: • A private fostering agency or a private adoption agency • Agencies that provide residential child care centre or a child care service under the Act • The Family Court of Australia • Centrelink

11. Prescribed agencies cont.: • The Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Aboriginal Affairs • Any other organisations that have direct responsibility for, or supervision of, the provision of health care, welfare, education, children’s services, residential services or law enforcement, to children.

12. DoCS’ information request • Must relate to a current or future concern for the safety, welfare and well-being of a child, young person or class of children or young people • Can only request information that already exists • Cannot request an agency to collect new information or to undertake a separate assessment

13. DoCS can request the following information from other agencies on: • A child or young person’s history, current circumstances and their views • A parent or other family member • Other significant or relevant relationships that the child or young person may have • The agency’s engagement with the child, young person and their family, including past support arrangements.

14. Issues DoCS will consider when a request for information is received • Is the agency providing a service under a case plan that has been developed with DoCS? • Does the agency have ongoing contact and the service outcome will be compromised without the information? • Does the agency need assistance and/or advice to make a decision about future supports or service delivery? • Is there a report involving an employee and details need to be given to the Ombudsman? • Do the police need to manage a child or young person until an appropriate person takes responsibility?

15. Best Endeavours • Section 17 Director-General’s request for services from other agencies “In deciding what action should be taken to promote and safeguard the safety, welfare and well-being of a child or young person, the Director-General may request a government department or agency, or a non-government agency in receipt of government funding, to provide services to the child or young person or to his or her family” Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998

16. Best Endeavours • Section 18 Obligation to co-operate “The government department or agency must use its best endeavours to comply with a request made to it under section 17 if it is consistent with its own responsibilities and does not unduly prejudice the discharge of its functions. “ Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998

17. Revised Commitment by DoCS “The Department will appoint a case manager where a matter has been allocated for a *SAS 2.” (*Secondary Assessment Stage 2) NSW Interagency Guidlelines for Child Protection Intervention 2006, Section 3.7.2

18. Revised Commitment by DoCS “At a minimum the Department of Community Services as case manager, will convene a case meeting or teleconference with key interagency partners, eg Physical Assault and Neglect of Children Services (PANOC), when it has been determined that a child or young person is in need of care and protection following a secondary assessment (SAS 2).” NSW Interagency Guidlelines for Child Protection Intervention 2006, section 3.7.2

19. Managing case closure “The Department of Community Services will consult with the family and with all interagency parties who have a role in implementing the case plan prior to a decision, to close an allocated case.” NSW Interagency Guidlelines for Child Protection Intervention 2006, section 3.7.5

20. Engaging Aboriginal People “Child protection interventions remain higher for Aboriginal children – an indication that Aboriginal families continue to experience significant disadvantage. Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare indicate that Aboriginal children are subject to orders of the Children’s Court at a rate of nearly 8.5 times higher than other children” (NSW Interagency Guidelines for Child Protection Intervention 2006, section 6.4)

21. Engaging Aboriginal People “Recognition of the historical impacts does not override the need to report and respond to child protection concerns in Aboriginal families and communities”. NSW Interagency Guidlelines for Child Protection Intervention 2006, section 6.4

22. Engaging people from culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse backgrounds: • different perceptions, language, cultural and religious beliefs increase the chance of miscommunication • we need to use accredited interpreters • accredited interpreters need to be used when working with deaf people

23. What are some strategies that can help create opportunities for interagency practice?