4.2.3 Classifying referrals
Child FIRST will receive and record referrals from Community, Professionals, Self, Community Based Child Protection Worker (CBCPW), Child Protection and DHS.
Referrals will be classified under one of the following
A. Redirect to Child Protection
B. Significant Wellbeing Referral
C. Complex or Other Family Services Referral
D. Current or previous case in Family Services
E. Referral to other service (assisted or directed)
F. Information and Advice to Caller or           
    Information/Advice/Assistance to Family
A. Redirect to Child Protection
  • For children considered to be in need of protection, Child FIRST will redirect the referrer to Child Protection. 
B. Significant wellbeing referrals
  • Following the initial assessment, Child FIRST will undertake to further determine the level of risk and need for the child and family. 
  • For children and families considered to be 'high risk', a response role  for purpose of comprehensive assessment and risk management will include, short term interventions e.g.: immediate assistance to child and family, crisis intervention, single session work, case conferencing and casework.
  • Child FIRST will continue to provide active service until the child and family is stabilized and allocation to a local agency is possible. 
  • The maximum time period for active service by Child FIRST is three weeks - prior to allocation to a sub-catchment Family Services network.
  • A Child and Family Action Plan will be developed by Child FIRST and interventions undertaken by Child FIRST will be recorded prior to allocation.  
  • In some instance, referrals received by Child FIRST and classified as Significant Wellbeing referrals will be not be assessed as having significant risk indicators or high need e.g. cases classified on the basis of referrer's identity protected. These cases may not require comprehensive assessment or response and will be presented at allocation meeting with initial assessment and service response recommendations only.
C. Complex and other Family Services referrals
  • In most cases, the Child FIRST agency will undertake the initial assessment, including recommendations for a Child and Family Action plan, and present at the next allocation meeting.  Some situations may require an immediate response, e.g.: housing issues, CAMHS or case conference.
D. Current or previous Family Services cases:
Referrals received by Child FIRST 
  • For all referrals, Child FIRST will contact agencies within the LGA of client to determine whether the child and family are current or previous clients of Family Services. 
  • If the child and family are current clients of a Family Services agency, Child FIRST will forward the callers concerns to the Family Services agency.
  • If the child and family are not current or previous clients, Child FIRST will undertake the initial assessment.  
  • Discussion is required regarding an agreed process for families unwilling to engage with previous service.
E. Referral to other service (assisted or directed) - Child FIRST - close.
  • These clients would typically not be eligible for Family Services and a more suitable service response would be sought from another service sector.
F. Information and Advice to Caller or Information/ Advice/ Assistance to Family - Child FIRST records as a non-substantive entry on iris.
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