Referrals to Child FIRST/Family Services from
Child Protection Intake Unit will be made regarding children where
there are significant concerns for their wellbeing and the
issues are assessed to be appropriate for a community based family
services response.
It is expected that referrals from Child
Protection Intake Unit relate to children who will not need ongoing
Child Protection involvement. Referrals from Child Protection
Intake Unit will be categorised as high priority or routine
priority.
Referrals from Child Protection Intake Unit
reflect the recognition of the need to provide earlier support to
vulnerable children and families by community based responses where
appropriate.
Child Protection Intake Unit will advise/explain
the legislative provisions to Reporters relating to the protection
of Reporter details and the passing of Reporter details to Child
FIRST.
High priority referrals relate to
significant child wellbeing concerns including complex/multiple
risk and needs, parental/child resistance to support, concerning
pattern and history in the family and clear indication that a
service is required to assist the child’s
wellbeing.
Routine priority referrals relate to
significant child wellbeing concerns including less complex
matters, parents who are seeking or likely to accept support from
Child FIRST/Family Services, and/or more able to understand the
needs of their children and children with minor Child Protection
histories. In these cases a referral to Child
FIRST is deemed beneficial in addressing the significant wellbeing
issues and that the linkage to Family Services is best made by
Child Protection.
Child Protection Intake Unit in consultation with
the CBCPW will identify cases reported to Child Protection that may
be are suitable for a referral to Child FIRST/Family
services. Child Protection Intake Unit will direct all
referrals for Family Services to Child FIRST. Child
Protection Intake Unit will use the state- wide Child FIRST
Referral Form (see attachment?) for all
referrals.
It is anticipated
that in most instances, Child FIRST will accept a referred case on
the assessment of the CBCPW. However, Child FIRST retains the
responsibility to determine the outcome of a referral.
In the event of a disagreement between Child Protection Intake and
Child FIRST about the appropriateness of a case for acceptance by
Child FIRST, the Child FIRST Manager and Child Protection’s
Community Partnerships Manager will endeavour to resolve the
matter. The dispute resolution mechanisms in the Shell
Agreements will be utilized if informal discussions cannot resolve
the disagreement.
Child Protection Intake Unit staff will have a
dedicated telephone number to Child FIRST, for the purposes of
consultations, queries, and referral related
matters.
The CBCPW will screen all Child Protection
Intake practitioners’ referrals to ensure they are
appropriate for Child FIRST/Family services. The priority
rating for referrals will be decided by consultation involving the
CBCPW and Child Protection Intake Unit. The CBCPW will deliver (via
fax or hard copy) the Child Protection practitioners’
referrals to Child FIRST.
Child Protection will provide the Reporter’s
details only at Child FIRST’s request and are not routinely
provided at the point of referral. If however, a professional
Reporter wants to be kept informed of the Child FIRST intervention,
the Reporter details will be provided on the referral form.
Child FIRST may contact the Reporter to discuss their willingness
to be involved in supporting the family and assisting with
engagement.
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For routine
priority referrals from Child Protection Intake, the following
points will generally apply.
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Child Protection
Intake Unit to discuss by telephone the reported concerns with the
parent(s) or legal guardian(s), discuss the need for family
services and encourage engagement. Telephone contact is the
preferred practice
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Child
Protection’s decision to contact the parents is made on a
case by case basis and predicated on the child’s best
interests and presenting issues.
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If Child Protection is unable to, or
makes the decision not to make contact with the family then a
referral can still proceed and Child FIRST/Family Services will
initiate contact with family.
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Community Based Child Protection
Worker will advise Child FIRST by phone of the pending referral
with the written referral to follow.
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Child Protection Intake Unit will
complete the written referral with the appropriate priority
rating.
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Following a
routine priority referral to Child FIRST/Family Services, Child
Protection Intake can close the Child Protection
file.
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Child FIRST will
provide a decision in writing on whether the referral is accepted,
including a rationale if the referral is not accepted, within five
working days of the referral’s receipt. Preferred practice is
for Child FIRST to provide a decision as soon as possible within
the five- day period. The outcome of the referral is to
be recorded on CRIS.
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There is no
further advice required from Child FIRST/Family Services about the
referral/family situation unless consultation with CBCPW or a
Report back to Child Protection is required at a later
stage.
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For high
priority referrals from Child Protection Intake, the following
steps apply:
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High priority
referral cases will remain open with Child Protection for up to
five working days until Child FIRST provides a decision to accept
or reject the referral.
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Child FIRST will
provide a decision in writing (electronic or fax) within five
working days of the referral’s receipt from Child Protection
Intake, about the referral’s acceptance or rejection,
including a rationale for those cases
rejected.
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Preferred
practice is for Child FIRST to provide a decision as soon as
possible within the five-day period. In addition to this, on
the day the referral is received from Child Protection, Child FIRST will
send a œdate
referral received” email to Child
Protection.
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If Child FIRST
accepts the case, transfer of case responsibility will occur on the
day Child FIRST accept the referral. If Child FIRST does not
accept the case, then case responsibility remains with Child
Protection Intake.
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For high
priority Child Protection Intake referrals to Child FIRST, the
Child Protection Intake Unit is not expected to contact the
parents.
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Upon Child
FIRST’s acceptance of the referral, the CBCPW may if
requested by Child FIRST advise the parent(s) or legal guardian(s),
by telephone and/or in writing, that such a referral has been made
and assist Child FIRST/Family Services to engage the
family.
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Joint visit to
discuss the reported concerns.
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Explain the
potential for statutory intervention.
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Emphasise the
benefits for the family of accepting community based
support.
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The
CBCPW’s initial role with high priority cases is decided on a
case by case basis in consultation with Child FIRST and predicated
on the child’s best interests and presenting
issues. The
criteria below will cause Child FIRST to consider a request for the
CBCPW to make first contact with the family concerned.
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Known history where the family has
been difficult to engage or aggressive to service providers in the
past.
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There is a need to clearly/assertively
explain to families that there are protective concerns that require
addressing.
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There is a report from a child in the
family
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Significant protective history and/or
prior substantiated concerns.
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A history of family
violence
No one single issue
listed above will necessarily be cause for CBCPW making the first
contact and any family contact by CBCPW is to be decided on a case
by case basis.
