Information is
requested from all callers to clarify the nature of their
involvement with the child/ren and family in need of a
service.
When the caller is a
“self referrer” workers will collect information
about which members of the immediate family are aware that this
contact is being made. This information is helpful to ensure we are
aware of any safety concerns relating to family violence where the
caller may not want to disclose to their partner (at this stage)
that they are seeking support from an agency. This information is
also important to ensure that the method of communication back to
the caller will not increase immediate safety risks to the caller
or child/ren.
When the caller is
other than a self referrer, we will gather information about
the families' awareness of the referral and their consent to
information being released to our service. This information assists
us to:
-
clarify issues of knowledge of
referral and consent of the family
-
assess the best method of engaging
directly with the family
-
understand the callers current
relationship to the family in order to appropriately involve them
in supporting the process of linkage to the family of
concern
-
respond appropriately when a caller
requests “protection” of their personal details
(relates only to Significant Concerns for a Childs Wellbeing
referrals). The grounds for protecting a referrer's identity must
be clearly articulated on case notes to ensure compliance
with the new Legislation.
