Child Protection ServicesDepartment of Health and Human Services

Maggie CrawfordState Manager

Child and Family Services3 April 2006

Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1997

The object of the legislation is to provide for the care

and protection of children in a manner that maximises

their opportunity to grow up in a safe and stable

environment and reach his or her full potential

Principles

The family has primary responsibility for the care and protection of children

A high priority is to be given to supporting and assisting the family to carry out this responsibility in preference to legal proceedings

If a family is not able to meet its responsibilities to the child and the child is at risk, the Secretary may accept those responsibilities.

Features of the legislation

Serious consideration must be given to keeping the child within their family

Preserving and strengthening family relationships

Not withdrawing the child from their familiar environment, culture or neighbourhood

Not interrupting their education or employment

Preserving and enhancing the ethnic religious and/or cultural identity of the child.

Child Protection Services

Child Protection Advice and Referral Service

Assessment Services

Case Management Services

Out of Home Care Services

Policy and Development

Manager Child Protection

Services

Child Protection Advice & Referral Service

Child and Family Services - South

Child and Family Services – North

Child and Family Services – North West

Assessment Services

Case Management Services

Out of Home Care & Adoption Services

Client Support Services

Assessment Services

Case Management Services

Out of Home Care & Adoption Services

Client Support Services

Assessment Services

Case Management Services

Out of Home Care & Adoption Services

Client Support Services

Policy and Development Unit

Client support services

Child Protection Advice and

Referral Service

AssessmentServices

Case Management

Services

Out of Home Care

Services

Information and referral to government or community services

Child Protection Pathway

Early Support Program

Notifications

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Children in Out of Home Care

350

400

450

500

550

600

650

700

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Placement types

Foster Care 49%

Cottage Care

Family Group Homes

8%

Extended Family

8%

Other placement

types8%

Rostered Care4%

Kinship Care15%

Ashley2%

Key Issues Increase in demand Workload of staff Increase in children with high needs Recruitment and retention of staff Sustainability of the current system

Increase in demand

Broader definition of abuse and neglect

Greater community awareness of issue

Increase in abuse of alcohol and drugs

Increase in mental illness, disability and family violence

Expanded definition of prescribed people

Key areas for action Focus on prevention and early intervention

Increase the capacity of families to care for their children

Work with government & community organisations

Improve the quality and performance of services

Provide a range of services to meet different needs

System Development & Improvement Project

Examine all areas of child protection services

Provide advice and recommendations on immediate service improvement

Inform the development of strategic directions and a five year plan for child protection services

Other initiatives

Safe at Home

Early Support Program

Kinship care

Looking after Children

Family group conferencing

Agency collaborative strategy

Other initiatives

Review of Family Support Services

Early Years Centres

1300 Parenting Line

Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention

Redesign of Family Child & Youth Health Service

Joint case management with Youth Justice Services

Future developments Home visiting program

Support for relative carers

Better support for children with complex needs

Effective interventions with young offenders

Promoting the healthy development of children is

both an ethical imperative and a critical economic and

social investment. A decent and wise society

protects and nurtures all of its children, particularly

those who experience disadvantage, so that they

grow up to be productive adults and because it is the

right thing to do (Phillips and Schonkoff 2000).