Glossary

The 5 elements of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle,  Child Protection Act 1999 , section 5C are  applied in administering the Child Protection Act 1999  when working with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander children and families. Decisions about an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child must be made in a way that upholds the 5 elements of the child placement principle:

• Prevention - that a child has the right to be brought up within the child’s own family and community
• Partnership - that Aboriginal or Torres Strait islander peoples have the right to participate in significant decisions under the Child Protection Act 1999 about Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander children
• Placement - that if a child is to be placed in care, the child has a right to be placed with a member of the child’s family group
• Participation - that a child and the child’s parents and family members have the right to participate, and be enabled to participate, in an administrative or judicial process for making a significant decision about a child
• Connection - that a child has a right to be supported to develop and maintain a connection with the child’s family, community, culture, traditions and language, particularly when the child is in the care of a person who is not an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.

Aboriginal tradition is defined as the body of traditions, observances, customs and beliefs of Aboriginal people generally or of a particular community or group of Aboriginal people, and includes any such traditions, observances, customs and beliefs relating to particular persons, areas, objects or relationships.

• requires active efforts to be made to apply the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle when a significant decision is being made about an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child
• defines active efforts as being purposeful, thorough and timely efforts to apply the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle.

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal conducts independent merits review of administrative decisions made under Commonwealth laws, and in limited circumstances, decisions made by state government and non-government organisations. It was established by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 and reviews decisions relating to the National Disability Insurance Scheme. It may affirm or vary a decision, set aside a decision and substitute a new decision, or remit a decision to the decision maker for reconsideration.

Adoption and Permanent Care Services, Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs, is responsible for providing services in Queensland for:

• parents considering adoption for their children
• children requiring adoptive placements
• people seeking to adopt children
• people seeking information or to lodge a contact statement in relation to a past adoption
• unaccompanied humanitarian minors.

An adoption consent is an agreement given by a child's parents for an adoption order to be made in relation to their child. If an adoption order is made, all legal parental rights and responsibilities are permanently transferred to the child's adoptive parents.

• defined in the Child Protection Act 1999, schedule 2, who may apply, as provided for under the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2009, to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal , or
• who experiences domestic or family violence.

Attachment refers to the the emergence of an emotional bond between an infant and a primary carer and the way this affects the child's behavioural and emotional development into adulthood.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder which affects how a person's nervous system develops. It impacts on and impairs how a person thinks and acts. A person with ADHD usually has problems focusing and remembering what is said or done around them. They can be impulsive and may also have extra trouble sitting still or being quiet. 

The Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) is a national register, administered by the Australian Department of Human Services, that records vaccines given to all people in Australia.

Autism spectrum disorder is a brain-based, developmental condition that affects the way a person relates to their environment. A child with autism spectrum disorder can have communication difficulties, narrow interests and repetitive behaviour. The word spectrum is used because not all people with autrism spectrum disorder have the same needs.

In the context of the Framework for Practice, 'belonging' refers to providing a child with the opportunity to develop strong, meaningful, lifelong connections with family, extended family, community and culture. The connections may be with the family a child was born into or with the family they grow up in.

Buai relates to the Torres Strait Islander kinship system. It includes Elders within the family group, or senior members of the family who are often the 'spokesperson’ for the family group.

Carepay is the Child Safety system used to manage the payment of the fortnightly caring allowance and associated payments to foster carers, kinship carers and provisionally approved carers. Carepay works in conjunction with ICMS to calculate carer payments.

• the matter has been assessed by Child Safety as a child concern report, and
• the core member representative has contacted the approving Child Safety senior team leader for further discussion regarding the decision, rationale and any follow up actions discussed, and
• the matter remains a child conern repor and the core member representative seeks a multi-agency discussion (Child Protection Act 1999, section 159MD).

The Central Screening Unit is the Child Safety Unit responsible for undertaking personal and criminal history checks of prospective or existing foster and kinship carers and adult members of their households in accordance with the Child Protection Act 1999, section 135.  The Central Screening Unit also undertakes personal history screening of all employees, managers, directors and nominees of licensed care services.

The charter of rights for a child in care (Child Protection Act 1999, schedule 1) sets out 11 rights for  evey child in the custody or guardianship of the chief executive. The Child Protection Act 1999, section 74, requires the chief executive to ensure the charter of rights are complied with. It also requires children to be told about the charter, having regard to their age and ability to understand, and to be told about the public guardian and other entities that can help them if their rights are not being complied with.

• Child Protection Offender Register (CPOR)
• ARGOS internet child exploitation unit
• Child Trauma Unit (CTU)
• Sexual Crimes Unit
• Blue Card Operations and SCAN (Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect) Team.

Child advocate legal officers are employed by the Office of the Public Guardian to complement the work of community visitors. Their role is to protect the rights of children in the child protection system and gives them a voice in legal matters.

• in a sexual context, including for example, engaging in a sexual activity, or
• in an offensive or demeaning context, or
• being subjected to abuse, cruelty or torture.

• has suffered significant harm, is suffering significant harm, or is at unacceptable risk of suffering significant harm, and
• does not have a parent able and willing to protect the child from the harm.

Personal information held by Child Safety, or another statutory department or agency in Australia or overseas, with responsibility for child protection. 

This information is used to inform decision making and assessments undertaken in relation to the protection of children under the Child Protection Act 1999.

A Child Safety planning officer is a senior team leader who is allocated the role of working with the QPS planning officer to identify matters that meet the criteria for a joint response and to triage the Child Protection Joint Response Team (CPJRT) response priorities.

• providing culturally appropriate, practical prevention and early intervention support services to children and families to meet agreed case plan goals
• supporting positive family connection, referrals and advocacy for services
• providing high quality casework support and advice to assist in making decisions about the safety, belonging and wellbeing of children.

Child sexual exploitation is a form of sexual abuse. When a child or young person is exploited, the abuser gives them things such as gifts, drugs, money, status and affection in exchange for performing sexual activities. Children and young people are often tricked into believing they are in a loving and consensual relationship. This is referred to as grooming. They may trust their abuser and not understand that they are being abused. A perpetrator of child sexual exploitation can be any age, gender or race. The relationship may be framed as a friendship or a romance. Children and young people who are exploited may also be used to find or coerce others to form relationships with abusers or join groups whose members are abusers. 

The collaborative assessment and planning framework supports a balanced and comprehensive child protection assessment to be undertaken with families and their networks. It is used collaboratively with all the significant people involved with a child from the first point of contact with a family right through until case closure. The process involves the use of the framework to organise all information known about a child and family at any given time into key domains relevant to the goal of enhancing ongoing safety, belonging and wellbeing for children.

A community visitor is an independent officer employed by the Office of the Public Guardian to visit children and young people in care, to promote their rights and interests. Community visitors visit children and young people living in visitable locations across Queensland, including the home of a foster or kinship carer, a residential care facility, a youth detention centre, a disability service or a mental health facility.

The complex support needs allowance is a payment, in in addition to the fortnightly caring allowance, to assist foster and kinship carers to meet the direct and additional indirect costs of caring for children in a care arrangement assessed as having complex and extreme needs, to ensure each child's individual need are met in a timely and effective manner.

Long-term guardians and permanent guardians are eligible to receive the complex support needs allowance if they were an approved foster or kinship carer and caring for the child when the order was made and exceptional circumstances apply. The complex support needs allowance may be paid to long-term and permanent  guardians for a maximum period of six months.

A comprehensive health assessment is an assessment conducted by a health professional for a child in care as part of the child health passport process. It covers all domains of a child's health including physical, developmental, and psychosocial and mental health and may include a recommended health management plan for early intervention. 

A disorder diagnosed in childhood or adolescence that presents through a range of emotional problems and antisocial behaviours. Conduct disorder presents as a repetitive and persistent pattern of behaviour in which the basis rights of others or major age appropriate norms are violated.

• the child's parents have not provided their consent for these actions or the parents consent cannot be obtained
• it is considered that it will take more than three business days to complete the investigation and assessment.

• children subject to departmental intervention
• departmental staff and carers
• departmentally funded or licensed services
• matters where media attention has occurred or is possible.

A cultural recognition order (CRO) will permanently transfer a Torres Strait Islander child’s parentage from the birth parents to the cultural parents.

Under the Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa (Torres Strait Islander Traditional Child Rearing Practice) Act 2020, section 66(1)(a-e):
a)    the person’s parentage being transferred from the birth parents to the cultural parents
b)    the person becoming a child of the cultural parents
c)    the cultural parents becoming the parents of the person
d)    the person stops being a child of the birth parents
e)    a birth parent stops being a parent of the person.

The term ‘cultural parents’ is sometimes used to explain Torres Strait Islander child rearing practice. It is not a term to be used when engaging with Torres Strait Islander families, or in written correspondence. When a child is living within a traditional child rearing practice, use only the terms mother, father or parents. 

The term cultural safety was first defined by the Maori nursing fraternity in New Zealand and is expressed as "an environment that is safe for people where there is no assault, challenge or denial of their identity, of who they are and what they need. It is about shared respect, shared meaning, shared knowledge and experience, of learning, living and working together with dignity and truly listening." (Williams, Robyn, 2008). Cultural safety: what does it mean for our work practice? Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 23(2): 213-214.

• a child's daily care
• making decisions about a child's daily care.

Data Management Services is a central data quality unit which undertakes a range of processing activities to assist and directly support frontline staff in CSSCs. Its role includes requesting information from authorised external agencies as well as duplicate client management in ICMS.

A person who holds appropriate qualifications and experience to carry out an assessment of a child to ensure the child understands the legal effects and meaning of updating their record of sex, as outlined in the Births, Deaths and Marriages Regulation 2024, section 10.

• to do or refrain from doing something directly related to the child's protection, and/or
• not to have contact (direct or indirect) with the child, or to only have contact when a stated person or a person of a stated category is present.

The Director of Child Protection Litigation is an independent statutory agency in the Department of Justice and Attorney-General portfolio which conducts child protection legal matters.

The Director of Child Protection Litigation Act 2016 provides that when the chief executive of Child Safety is satisfied that a child is in need of protection and a child protection order is the most desirable and appropriate order to protect the child, it must refer the matter to the Director of Child Protection Litigation.  The Director of Child Protection Litigation is responsible for applying for child protection orders and conducting child protection proceedings before the Childrens Court.

Disrupted attachment is the negative affect a history of separation or traumatic events has had on a child's opportunity and ability to form close bonds with their parents or primary carers in early childhood.

A domestic violence order is an official document issued by the court to stop threats or acts of violence. It sets our rules that the respondent (the person who has committed domestic violence) must obey. It is designed to keep the aggrieved person (the person who has had violence against them) safe by making it illegal for the respondent to behave in specific ways. 

There are 2 types of domestic violence order:

•  a protection order made by a magistrate in court to protect people in domestic and family violence situations which usually last for 5 years but can be made for shorter or longer periods in some circumstances
• a temporary protection order that a person who needs urgent protection, or police, can apply for if a person needs protection urgently. It is designed to protect those in danger up until the date a magistrate can decide the application for a full protection order.

The NDIS has a national approach to early childhood early intervention that gives children 0-6 years of age quick access to support tailored to their needs. Early childhood early intervention support aims to promote the child's learning, development and ability to participate in family, early childhood education and care settings and broader community life. It also aims to assist parents and families to have the knowledge, skills and support to respond to the needs of their child.

Evolve Therapeutic Services provide therapeutic and behaviour support services for children and young people in  care, subject to an interim or finalised child protection order granting custody or guardianship to the chief executive, who have severe and complex psychological needs.

Evolve Therapeutic Services is a collaborative arrangement between the Child Safety and Queensland Health.

Family and Child Connect are funded non-government community-based intake and referral services that helps families to care for and protect their children at home. Family and Child Connect support vulnerable families by assessing their needs and connecting them with appropriate support services.

The Family Participation Program is an external program run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisations, funded by Child Safety. The program facilitates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family-led decision making processes and may assist children and families to identify an independent person to facilitate their participation in significant decisions being made under the Child Protection Act 1999.

• improve the wellbeing and safety of children, young people and their families
• help preserve families
• prevent entry or re-entry to the statutory system.

Family-based care refers to a care arrangement for a child with an approved foster or kinship carer (or provisionally approved carer).

Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder refers to a range of physical, cognitive, developmental and emotional problems caused by exposure of a foetus to alcohol during pregnancy.  Consequences may be serious and lifelong. 

The fortnightly caring allowance is a payment provided to foster and kinship carers for each child in their care to assist with the basic costs of caring for the child. It is also paid to long-term guardians and permanent guardians who were approved carers for the child prior to becoming the child's guardian.  It is paid fortnightly in arrears and rates of payment differ depending on the age of the child.

Foster and kinship care services are funded to recruit, train, assess and support foster and kinship carers. They:

• identify carers best able to meet the needs of children and young people referred by Child Safety
• manage and monitor the quality of care provided to children and young people. 

Services operate in a particular region and CSSC catchment area. 

The foster care matching tool assists Child Safety and foster and kinship care services in working together to identify the most suitable care arrangement for a child.

The tool records information about the child and the proposed carer to assess the level of match between the child's needs and characteristics and the carer's skills, knowledge and ability to meet the relevant needs. It also helps to identify supports, services or strategies that may assist in addressing any gap in the match.

A graphic representation, similar to a family tree, that illustrates demographical, biological, and household information about the relationships between family members.

Gillick competence is a term used in medical law to describe when a child may be competent to consent to their own medical treatment, despite their age. The standard is based on a decision of the United Kingdom's House of Lords in the case of Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech Area Health Authority [1985] 3 AII ER 402. The health professional decides if the child is able to provide consent for medical procedures based on the concept of 'Gillick competency'.

In accordance with the Child Protection Act 1999, a person who has or is granted guardianship of a child has the powers, rights and responsibilities to:

• attend to a child's daily care
• make decisions that relate to day-to-day matters concerning the child's daily care
• make decisions about the long-term care, wellbeing and development of the child in the same way a person has parental responsibility under the Family Law Act 1975.

An hallucination is an experience in which a person perceives or senses something that is not present. A person may, for example, see, hear, feel, taste or smell things that are not apparent to others. Hallucinations may be part of a pattern of mental health issues for young people, parents and people with a psychiatric disability.

Any detrimental effect of a significant nature on a child's physical, psychological or emotional wellbeing. Harm can be caused by physical, psychological or emotional abuse or neglect, or sexual abuse or exploitation. Harm can be caused by a single act, omission or circumstance; or a series or combination of acts, omissions or circumstances (Child Protection Act 1999, section 9). 

The harm household is the household where harm to a child is alleged to have occurred. This is relevant when a child lives part time with more than one parent, and there may be no harm in one household, but alleged harm in the other.

A harm report is recorded where information indicates that a child in a care arrangement has experienced harm or it is suspected that they have experienced harm in their care arrangement due to the actions or inactions of a carer, household member or the staff member of a non-family based care service.

The health care file is a physical client file that is registered in Child Safety's records management system and cross-referenced to the child's file. It contains all health related information about a child in care and a copy of the child health passport.

A health management plan provides an outline of the child's current health needs and goals, actions that are required to meet these health needs and the identification of who will carry out each recommended action.

The Child Protection Act 1999, schedule 3 defines a health practitioner as:
•    a person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise, other than as a student, in any of the following—
i.    the dental profession (dentist, dental therapist, dental hygienist or oral health therapist)
ii.    the nursing profession
iii.    the medical profession
iv.    the occupational therapy profession
v.    the optometry profession
vi.    the physiotherapy profession
vii.    the psychology profession, or
•    a person who is eligible for practising membership of The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited ACN 008 393 440, or
•     person who is eligible for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers.

A team of officers from all agencies with a role in keeping victims of domestic and family violence safe and holding perpetrators to account.

Officers from Child Safety, police, health, corrections, housing and specialist domestic and family violence services work together to rapidly identify victims at high risk of violence who need urgent intervention. Team members collaborate to provide integrated, culturally appropriate safety responses to victims and their children who are at high risk of serious harm or lethality.

The high support needs allowance is a payment to assist foster and kinship carers to meet the direct care costs of caring, in an approved care arrangement, for children who are assessed as having high support needs, when the costs regularly exceed the scope of the fortnightly caring allowance.

Long-term guardians and permanent guardians may be eligible to receive the high support needs allowance if they were an approved foster or kinship carer for the child when the order was made. In exceptional circumstances, the high support needs allowance may be paid to long-term guardians and permanent guardians for a maximum period of six months.

Household members include all persons who have significant in-home contact with a child, including those who have a familial or intimate relationship with any person in the home. The person does not have to permanently reside in the home to be considered a household member. 

iDOCS is a searchable repository for the storage of electronic Child Safety files and client files, including all types of supporting documents and media formats. 

Immediate harm indicators (behaviours or conditions) focus on key parental behaviours or household conditions that present a serious and immediate threat of harm to a child. The indicators are considered for every child in every investigation and assessment, and are assessed following the initial interviews with the child and family, and prior to leaving the home. The harm indicators focus on whether there are imminent or present dangers for the child.

An immediate safety plan is an agreement between a child's family, other relevant people and Child Safety. It outlines what Child Safety is worried might happen and what everyone agrees to do immediately to keep the child safe.  It is completed when one or more immediate harm indicators are identified during the safety assessment.

An indictable offence is an offence where the defendant has the right to trial by jury. The majority of indictable offences must be heard in the District Court or the Supreme Court

An intake enquiry is the appropriate response when:

• The information relates to Child Safety's core business, but does not contain allegations of harm or risk of harm to a child or unborn child, and does not require any further action by Child Safety
• The information contains allegations of harm or risk of harm to a child or unborn child, and relates to extra-familial abuse but a parent is assessed as able and willing to protect the child, or the information contains allegations of harm or risk of harm to a child living in another jurisdiction.
• The death of a child is reported as suspicious or non-accidental (and the child had no siblings) or reported as accidental or there are no suspicious circumstances.

An intake event is a record in ICMS where child protection information received from a notifier is recorded. The Child Safety response to the information is also recorded in the intake event.

Following an assessment of the information by Child Safety, one of the following responses is recorded:                                                                                           

• safe place movement record
• limited intake response
• intake enquiry
• child concern report
• notification
• additional notified concerns.

The Integrated Client Management System is an electronic system for managing information about the children and families Child Safety comes in contact with across the child protection continuum from intake to care arrangements made with carers and care services.  It records information received and professional activities such as assessments, plans and reviews undertaken with children, families and courts and information required to fulfil responsibilities under the Child Protection Act 1999.

The Integrated Justice Information Strategy program is a cross-agency initiative designed to create an integrated information sharing system between the QPS, the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Queensland Corrective Services, and Child Safety. 

It provides court information from all Queensland criminal and civil jurisdictions via an email alert to the RIS or CSSC if the information relates to a child subject to a current investigation and assessment or ongoing intervention.

Intensive family support services are funded by Child Safety to provide support to help families address multiple and/or complex needs and assist them to build their capacity to care for and protect their children.

On the adjournment of a proceeding for a court assessment or child protection order the Childrens Court has the power to make an interim order. An interim order made on adjournment of a court assessment order may grant temporary custody to the chief executive, or the child's parents will retain custody.  An interim child protection order may grant custody to a family member or the chief executive.

The interstate liaison team, situated in Court Services, that facilitates Child Safety's interstate liasion functions.

Intervention with parental agreement refers to time-limited intensive intervention by Child Safety focusing on the safety, belonging, wellbeing  of a child who is in need of protection, without the need for a court order. The child's parents agree to work cooperatively with Child Safety to keep the child safe, and are able and willing to work actively to reduce the level of risk in the home. The aim is to build the capacity of the family so they are able to meet the needs of the child following the intervention.

Interviewing Children and Recording Evidence is a training program designed to ensure that Child Safety staff undertake interviews of children in a way that minimises further trauma to the child and ensures information obtained from children meets judicial and legislation requirements.

An investigation and assessment is Child Safety's response to all notifications, and is the process of assessing a child’s need for protection, when there are allegations of harm or risk of harm to the child (Child Protection Act 1999, section 14 (1)).

An investigation and assessment event is the place in ICMS where information about an investigation and assessment is recorded, including information gathered, safety assessment tool, interviews, the assessment of the child's need for protection, and outcomes of the investigation and assessment.

Island custom (Ailan Kastom) is defined as the body of traditions, observances, customs and beliefs of Torres Strait Islanders generally or of a particular community or group of Torres Strait Islanders, and includes any such traditions, observances, customs and beliefs relating to particular persons, areas, objects or relationships

A judicial transfer is a decision made by the Childrens Court to transfer a child protection order to another state or territory. The DCPL may apply to the Childrens Court for a Queensland child protection order to be transferred to another state or territory.

kicbox is a Child Safety app that provides a private, digital memory box that keeps everything safe and in one place. It also provides a convenient way for young people to communicate and share information with their Child Safety team.

Kin, in relation to a child, means the following persons:

• a member of the child’s family group who is a person of significance to the child
• if the child is an Aboriginal child—a person who, under Aboriginal tradition, is regarded as kin of the child
• if the child is a Torres Strait Islander child—a person who, under Island custom, is regarded as kin of the child
• another person
  • who is recognised by the child, or the child’s family group, as a person of significance to the child, and
  • if the child is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child—with whom the child has a cultural connection.

Child Protection Act 1999, Dictionary.

A person may be approved as a child's kinship carer if they meet all the requirements outlined in the Child Protection Act 1999, section 135(1)(b), including that the carer applicant:

• is kin to the child to whom the approval relates
• is a suitable person to be an approved kinship carer
• is able to meet the standards of care
• is able to help in appropriate ways towards achieving plans for the child's protection
• all members of the applicant's household are suitable persons to associate on a daily basis with the child
• holds a current blue card or exemption card, as does each adult member of their household.

Legal permanence refers to having a legal arrangement that provides a child with a sense of permanence and long-term stability.  Legal, physical and relational permanency are central to meeting a child's safety, belonging and wellbeing needs.

A licensed care service is a service operating under a licence, in accordance with the Child Protection Act 1999, to provide care arrangements for children in the custody or guardianship of the chief executive.  A licensed care service may provide family-based foster and kinship care services, or non-family based residential care services, with a number of different service delivery models possible under each service type.

Care services must ensure that the care provided to children meets the required statement of standards in the Child Protection Act 1999.

• the information does not relate to Child Safety’s core business, and
• the information does not contain allegations of harm or risk of harm to a child, and
• no further action is required, such as a report to the QPS under the Child Protection Act 1999, section 14(2), advice to an interstate agency about a child, or a review of ICMS to determine if it is an appropriate response.

A long-term guardian is a person (other than a parent or the chief executive) who is granted long-term guardianship of a child by the Childrens Court under the Child Protection Act 1999, section 61(f).

A child protection order under the Child Protection Act 1999 granting long-term guardianship of a child to a suitable family member (other than a parent of the child) or another suitable person nominated by the chief executive.

A child protection order made under the Child Protection Act 1999 granting long-term guardianship of a child to to the chief executive until the child's 18th birthday. This gives the guardianship rights and responsibilities in relation to the child, including matters associated with the child's daily care, to the chief executive.

A medical examination is a physical, psychiatric, psychological or dental examination, assessment or procedure, and includes forensic examination and an examination or assessment normally carried out by a health practitioner (Child Protection Act 1999, schedule 3).

A type of health assessment for diagnosing mental health conditions (if any) and making recommendations about treatment.  A mental health assessment can be performed by a mental health trained professional, such as a GP, psychiatrist, or other health practitioner.

A mental health problem may interfere with how a person thinks, feels and behaves but to a lesser extent than a mental illness. Mental health problems are less severe than mental illnesses, but may develop into a mental illness if they are not effectively dealt with. 

In 2020, the Torres Strait Islander traditional child rearing practice was legally recognised in Queensland legislation. The Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa (Torres Strait Islander Traditional Child Rearing Practice) Act 2020, means ‘For Our Children’s Children’, and is legal recognition through the application of a cultural recognition order to the Office of the Commissioner (Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa) in the Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts. It provides for the recognition and acknowledgment of traditional child rearing practice in the Torres Strait community. There is no legal recognition of traditional child rearing practices within Aboriginal families at present.

A mobile family alert is created in ICMS when attempts made to contact a family or a pregnant women during an investigation and assessment are unsuccessful or indicate the family or woman is transient.

My Health Record is an Australian Government initiative providing an electronic summary of an individual's health information that can be shared securely online between an individual and registered healthcare providers involved in their care.

The National Disability Insurance Agency is an independent statutory agency which implements the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which supports Australians with a significant and permanent disability and their families and carers.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme is administered by the National Disability Insurance Agency and provides reasonable and necessary disability supports for eligible people with intellectual, physical, sensory, cognitive or psychosocial disability, as well as early childhood intervention supports for children with developmental delay.

A National Disability Insurance Agency team, within the National Disability Insurance Agency Access and Workload Management Branch who review National Disability Insurance Scheme access applications and decisions relating to a participant's eligibility for the National Disability Insurance Scheme

An National Disability Insurance Scheme plan is a written agreement that outlines the individualised funding for disability supports to be provided for the child by the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

A natural mentor is an informal role recognised under the Next Step Plus program.  A young person may choose to nominate a natural mentor to support their transition to adulthood.  A natural mentor is someone who can ‘walk beside’ the young person, providing stability and continuity, and advocate their needs and goals.

The child's basic needs of life are unmet by their parent to such an extent that the child's health and development are affected, causing harm, or likely to cause an unacceptable risk of harm to the child.

Next Step Plus is a service provided by a funded non-government organisation to support young people between the ages of 15 up to 25 years who are leaving, or who have left care.

A My Health Record holder, or their authorised representative, can invite someone else to be their nominated representative to access their My Health Record. This might be the child's carer, family member or trusted friend. Three types of access can be given to a nominated representative - general access restricted access and full access. A nominated representative can access the person's information but cannot change it.

Strategies used at the point a child is demonstrating high risk behaviour. These strategies do not aim to prevent the situation from occurring again in the future but are used for the primary aim of reducing risk in the moment in a timely, safe and least restrictive way. Strategies include de-escalation, diversion and distraction and should always be considered before an emergency restrictive practice is used.

A non-government organisation is a not-for-profit community-managed organisation that receives government funding specifically for the purpose of providing community support services. 

Non-suicidal self-injury is the direct, deliberate act of harming one's body without the conscious intention to die.

A notification is recorded where there is a reasonable suspicion that a child is in need of protection, that is, a child has been significantly harmed, is being significantly harmed, or is at risk of significant harm, and does not have a parent able and willing to protect them.

A notifier is a person who informs Child Safety that they reasonably suspect a child may be in need of protection, or that an unborn child may be in need of protection after he or she is born. A notifier may be a child, family member, carer, a member of the community, another professional or a person mandated by law to report child protection concerns.

The Office of the Child and Family Official Solicitor (OCFOS) is an in-house legal unit providing early and independent information and legal advice to Child Safety Service Centres in relation to the commencement of child protection applications in Queensland.

The Office of the Public Guardian is an independent statutory office established to protect the rights, interests and wellbeing of children and young people in the child protection system and adults with impaired decision-making capacity.

Ongoing intervention refers to intervention by Child Safety that occurs with a child and their family following the completion of an investigation and assessment, when it is assessed that:

• a child is in need of protection
• an unborn child is in need of protection following their birth.

Ongoing intervention may also occur in certain circumstances for a young person who has previously been a child in need of protection, following their eighteenth birthday.

An ongoing intervention event is created in ICMS to record information relating to the ongoing intervention services provided to a child and family.

Other child is a term used in ICMS to indicate a child who is a relevant person to an event, but who is not the subject child of the event. 

Our Child is a real-time, multi-agency information sharing platform, allowing Child Safety Officers and Queensland Police Officers access to important child data from Child Safety, the Department of Education, Office of the Public Guardian, Youth Justice and Queensland Health.

A parent of a child for the purposes of the Child Protection Act 1999, chapter 2, parts 2, 3 and 3AA and 3A and 4, sections 67 and 117 and 117 and chapter 7 is:

• the child’s mother or father
• a person in whose favour a parenting order operates
• a person, other than the chief executive, having custody or guardianship of the child under another Act or law of another state
• a long-term guardian of the child
• a permanent guardian of the child.

(Refer to the Child Protection Act 1999, schedule 3.)

Otherwise, a parent of a child is the child’s mother, father, or someone else (other than the chief executive) exercising parental responsibility for the child, other than a person standing in the place of a parent on a temporary basis.

For an Aboriginal child, a parent includes a person who, under Aboriginal tradition, is regarded as a parent of the child. For a Torres Strait Islander child, a parent includes a person who, under Island custom, is regarded as a parent of the child.

(Refer to the Child Protection Act 1999, section 11.)

The parental strengths and needs assessment is a structured decision making (SDM) tool that uses a consistent approach to considering each parent’s strengths and needs when gathering information for the development or review of a case plan.

A parenting order is a set of orders made by a court about parenting arrangements for a child. A court can make a parenting order based on an agreement between the parties (consent orders) or after a court hearing or trial. When a parenting order is made, each person affected by the order must follow it.

In accordance with the Child Protection Act 1999, section 5BA, permanency for a child means the child experiencing:

• ongoing positive, trusting and nurturing relationships with persons of significance to the child (relational permanency)
• stable living arrangements with connections to the child's community (physical permanency)
•  legal arrangements for the child's care that provide the child with a sense of permanence and long-term stability.

A type of child protection order made by the Childrens Court. A permanent care order grants long-term guardianship of a child to a suitable person, nominated by the chief execitve. 

A permanent guardian is a person (other than a parent or the chief executive) who is granted long-term guardianship of a child by the Childrens Court under the Child Protection Act 1999, section 61(g).

Physical harm refers to any detrimental effect of a significant nature on a child's physical wellbeing, as defined in the Child Protection Act 1999, section 9.

Physical permanency refers to the experience of having stable living arrangements with connections to the child's community, which meet the child's developmental, educational, emotional, health, intellectual and physical needs. 

Placement refers to when a child is 'placed' in an approved care arrangement, under the Child Protection Act 1999, section 82

A written agreement between Child Safety and the carers for a child in a care arrangement, excluding placements with parental consent, which:

• provides the relevant information known by the department about the child, and sufficient information to allow the carers to provide adequate care for the child and ensure the safety of a child, the carers and other members of the carer's household
• records the agreed support and services to be provided to the carers.

A placement event is created in ICMS to record details of a child's care arrangement including its start and end date and the service or organisation with which the child's carer is affiliated. Placement related documents and forms are saved in the event. 

A Placement Services Unit (PSU) is responsible for managing a continuum of care arrangement options for children in care. It is the conduit for all care arrangement referrals from Child Safety Service Centres to external placement service providers, and facilitates a transparent matching process. A PSU also coordinates all carer applications and approvals and implements process to govern individualised funded care arrangements.

An option available in the SDM response priority tool which enables an officer to override the outcome from a five or 10 day response priority timeframe, to a 24 hour response priority timeframe.

A practice panel is an internal process in which Child Safety engages with partners and critical friends, to facilitate a structured case discussion.  The aim of the practice panel is to elicit information and increase critical thinking through analysis and reflection at key decision making points. This is then used in making decisions about outcomes for children, young people and families.

A pre-notification check is an enquiry by a CSO to another professional, an external agency or an interstate or international child protection jurisdiction, to gather further information about allegations of harm to a child, to determine if the concerns meet the threshold for a notification. 

A prescribed entity includes any of the entities listed in the Child Protection Act 1999, section 159M.

Before it sentences a child found guilty of an offence, a court may order the chief executive, Department of Justice and Attorney-General, to give to the court a pre-sentence report concerning the child and containing specified information, assessments and reports relating to the child or the child's family or other matters.

A private arrangement is when the outcome of a safety assessment is ‘unsafe’ and a child needs to reside outside the home for a period of time due to the level of risk identified. The parents agree to take protective action and arrange for the child to stay with a family member or friend. The parent, not Child Safety, makes the private arrangement and the person caring for the child does not need to be approved as a carer. It will only be for a short period of time, generally two to three days, to allow parents time to take immediate actions required to address the safety issues identified.

Problem sexual behaviours refer to sexual behaviour that is abusive in nature, being displayed by children under the age of criminal responsibility (10 years). 

A procedural order is an order the court can make about actions to be carried out during a period of adjournment as outlined in the Child Protection Act 1999, section 68. The purpose of the action is to assist clarify and resolve, if possible, issues related to the child's protection.  The order may result in a report being prepared for the court to assist it make a decision in relation to an application.

Prohibited practices are unlawful and unethical practices and practices which cause a high level of discomfort and trauma. Any action which is contrary to the Child Protection Act 1999, section 122, because it frightens, threatens or humiliates a child or young person is a prohibited practice.

The ‘Application for approval – Form 3 APA’ is properly made only when it has been completed, signed and dated by the applicant and each adult member of their household, has all appropriate identification documents attached, and is lodged at a Child Safety Service Centre or Placement Services Unit.

A child’s protective needs are those that the child requires in order to be physically and emotionally safe in their home environment.  

A provisional approval authorises a person to care for a specific child while their application to be a foster or kinship carer is assessed. Provisional approval is valid for a maximum of 60 days. However, it may be extended for a further 30 days. Provisional approval cannot exceed 90 days. It is expected that the person's application to become an approved foster or kinship carer will be finalised during this time.

A provisionally approved carer is a person who has been approved to care for a particular child for a defined period of time. A provisionally approved carer must have made an application to be either a foster or kinship carer.

Under the Human Rights Act 2019, a public entity is an organisation or body providing services to the public on behalf of the government or another public entity. There are two types of entities: core public entities that are public entities at all times (such as the public service and its employees), and functional public entities, that are only public entities when they are performing certain functions (such as a non-government entity engaged to deliver services to the public, on behalf of the government or another public entity). Both have the same obligations under the Human Rights Act 2019.

The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal is an independent, accessible tribunal that efficiently resolves disputes on a range of matters. The tribunal's purpose is to provide a quick, inexpensive avenue to resolve disputes between parties and make decisions.

Queensland Foster and Kinship Care (QFKC) is the peak body for foster and kinship carers. It is funded by the Queensland Government to represent and advocate for carers and to contribute to an inclusive and responsive family-based care system.

The Queensland Police Service is the principal law enforcement agency responsible for policing across Queensland.

The National Redress Scheme provides support to people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse. 

Child Safety's Regional Intake Services (RIS) receive information and child protection concerns from community members and government and non-government agencies during business hours.

Relational permanency refers to a child's experience of having ongoing positive, loving, trusting and nurturing relationships with significant others including the their parents, siblings, extended family members and carers.

A reasonable suspicion that a child in care has suffered, is suffering, or is at unacceptable risk of suffering, significant harm caused by physical or sexual abuse. Child Protection Act 1999, section 13F(2).

A residence order is an order made under the Family Law Act 1975, by the Family Court of Australia, regarding the person or persons with whom a child is to live.

Residential care services are provided to a child or young person in a residential premise by paid employees or contract workers. Employees or workers may include rostered or live-in staff. Non-government residential care services are funded by Child Safety to provide an approved number of places for children and young people requiring a care arrangement.

Response priority is an Structured Decision Making (SDM) tool to guide the timeframe in which an investigation and assessment is to be commenced. There are three response timeframes are immediate or within 24 hours, within five days, or within 10 days.

Interventions or strategies that are used in response to a child's high risk behaviour which have the effect of restricting the rights or freedom of movement of the child.

Reunification is the process of working with a child and their parents to address risk factors and return a child to live safely at home.

In accordance with the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2000, a reviewable decision is one made under an Act including the Child Protection Act 1999, that a person may apply to have reviewed by QCAT.

Risk assessment is the collection and analysis of information about the child, their family and their physical and social environment used to determine the likelihood of future harm to a  child. The risk assessment helps determine the level of intervention required.

Risk of harm is the probability or likelihood of a child suffering physical, psychological or emotional harm in the future. To make this assessment, the presence of risk factors and protective factors for the child must be considered and assessed. 

The Safe and Together model is a perpetrator pattern-based approach to assessment, intervention and safety planning for children, young people, parents and families impacted by domestic and family violence.

Safe houses provide residential care services in remote Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities for children and young people under 18 years of age who have been assessed as having a moderate or high level of support need.  Safe house care is provided in a residential premise (not a carer's, or young person's, own home) by paid or contracted workers and/or volunteers.

A safe place movement record is completed  when a child under 12 years is taken to a safe place and cared for until the child’s parents or a family member can resume the care of the child, under the Child Protection Act 1999, section 21.

In the child protection context, safeguarding refers to the process of Child Safety taking action to promote the safety and wellbeing of children in care and protect them from harm, when responding to their challenging or high risk behaviour, in particular, the use of a prohibited and restrictive practice.

A safety and support network is a team of family, friends, community members, carers and professionals who are willing to work with the child and the family to help the child's parents keep the child safe. 

A safety and support plan is developed with the child, family and their safety and support network at any point in the child protection continuum to keep a child safe in the longer term.

The purpose of a safety assessment is to assess the child's immediate safety and determine what interventions are required to keep them safe if an immediate harm indicator is identified. A safety assessment will always occur at the commencement of an investigation and assessment and is the focus of the first contact with the child and family. Subsequent safety assessments are completed whenever new information becomes available or circumstances change significantly and/or a threat to a child's safety is indicated, or prior to closure of an ongoing intervention case.

The screening criteria is a structured decision making tool that assist the CSO to assess whether the concerns received met the legislative threshold for a notification or are to be recorded as a child concern report. 

Secondary services are early intervention services available to families who have needs that, if unmet, are likely to lead to children becoming in need of protection. Services are provided with the family's consent and aim to support families earlier before they reach the point of requiring tertiary interventions.  Non-government agencies in the family support sector usually have lead responsibility for the delivery of secondary services and the case management of clients.

The Self Service of Document Retrieval portal provides access to Queensland criminal history and/or domestic and family violence information from the Queensland Police Records and Information Management Exchange (QPRIME) database. QPRIME does not include expunged or youth justice history.

State schools ensure that students in Year 10 develop a Senior Education Training plan in partnership with their parents. The SET plan is a key component of a school’s career education program. It maps out a plan of action to put students on track for success in senior secondary, post-school education and work.

A senior team leader is a Child Safety position responsible for leading and supervising a team of child safety officers, in the delivery of collaborative frontline child protection services to children, their families and communities. A senior team leader also ensures that work complies with legislation, delegations, policies, procedures and quality standards.

A service provider is defined by the Child Protection Act 1999, section 159M as person providing a service to children or families, or a licensee, or an independent Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander entity for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Ilsnader child. 

Sexual abuse is any sexual activity or behaviour that is imposed on a child and results in physical or emotional harm. It includes the inducement or coercion of a child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, sexually explicit conduct or behaviour for the sexual gratification or profit of the person responsible. It also includes circumstances where there is an unacceptable risk that the child may be sexually abused.

Someone’s sexual orientation or sexuality refers to who a person is emotionally, physically and/or romantically attracted to. Sexual orientations can include, but are not limited to, gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, heterosexual, demisexual and pansexual. 

Sexually abusive behaviours refer to sexual behaviour of children, aged 10 years and over, displayed towards a person with less power. A child displaying sexually abusive behaviours can be charged with a criminal offence.

An order made under the Child Protection Act 1999, where guardianship rights and responsibilities in relation to the child, including matters associated with the child's daily care, are granted to the chief executive (for a period of up to 2 years) - see definition of guardianship.

Show cause requires a person to produce satisfactory grounds for application of (or exemption from) a procedure or penalty. For exampl e, the Youth Justice Act 1992 provides that where a young person is charged with a prescribed indictable offence that was alleged to have been committed whilst on bail for another indictable offence, there will be an onus on them (through their lawyer) to show cause why their release is justified.

Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples mourn the loss of a family member by following traditional ceremonies and practices, often known as 'sorry business'. Sorry business is an important time of mourning in which family and community members have responsibilities and obligations to attend funerals and participate in other cultural events, activities or ceremonies with the community.

Sortli (a contraction of the phrase 'sort out your life') is a free mobile app for young people to help them with their transition to adulthood. Sortli is a fun, informative and easy-to- navigate app that can be installed on Apple, Android or Microsoft mobile devices.

A specialist service provider is a prescribed entity that is a non-government entity funded by the state or Commonwealth to provide a service to a relevant child or the child’s family.  A relevant child is a child in need of protection or a child who may become a child in need of protection if preventative support is not given to the child or child’s family.  Examples of a specialist service provider include Family and Child Connect Service (FACC), Intensive Family Support (IFS) Service or Assessment Service Connect (ASC).

Child Safety regionally based position which provides advice and guidance in relation to children and young people with high and complex disability support needs who are in care or at risk of entering the child protection system.

Spiritual abuse is the denial or use of spiritual or religious beliefs and practices to control or dominate a person. Spiritual abuse can happen as part of domestic and family violence and alongside other types of abuse, such as physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and financial abuse.

The statement of standards (Child Protection Act 1999, section 122) sets out the standards by which children in care are to be cared for. These standards apply to all placements made under the authority of the Child Protection Act 1999, section 82(1). 

A standards of care review is conducted in relation to a child placed in a care arrangement when:

• concerns indicate that the care provided to the child may not have met the standards of care
• the specific standards requiring review can be identified
• there is no information that the child has experienced harm or is suspected to have experienced harm
• a review is required to determine if the standards are being met, and where not met, what actions are required to meet the standards and improve the level of care provided to the child.

The Child Protection Act 1999, section 122, prescribes the chief executive's responsibility to ensure that a child placed in the care of an approved foster carer, licensed care service or departmental care service is cared for in a way that meets the statement of standards.

Structured Decision Making is an assessment and decision-making model to assist the Child Safety practitioners in making critical decisions about the safety of children. 

A child or unborn child, who is the subject of notified concerns and is reasonably suspected of being a child in need of protection (or in need of protection after birth, for an unborn child).

A substantive application is an application made by a person seeking to be approved as a foster or kinship carer under the Child Protection Act 1999.
A person who has made such an application, may be provisionally approved to provide care for a limited time for a specific child while their application to become a foster or kinship carer is being assessed. A provisionally approved carer’s application to be approved as a foster or kinship carer is referred to as their substantive application.

• suicidal ideation ― thoughts of engaging in suicidal behaviour
• suicide attempt ― a potentially self-injurious act intended to end one's life which does not result in death
• suicide ― a self-injurious act intended to end one's life which results in death.

• Suicide risk alert
• Non-suicidal self-injury risk alert
• Suicide and non-suicidal self-injury risk alert.

Suicide is death caused by self-inflicted injury with the intent to die. Suicide risk refers to the range of factors that are the warning signs that a person is having suicidal thoughts or feeling suicidal.

A supervision order is an order made under the Child Protection Act 1999, section 61(c), requiring the chief executive to supervise the child's protection in relation matters stated in the order while the child remains in their parents' care.

A support person is a person who is known and trusted by a child, a parent, or a carer, and chosen by the child, parent or carer to support them during a process, such as an investigation and assessment process or a standards of care review.

It is not appropriate for the alleged person responsible for harm to be the support person for a child or a parent.

Supported independent living is a type of care arrangement for young people in care 15 to 18 years. It provides young people with accommodation and support workers but not live-in workers or carers.  This type of care arrangement may be suited to young people who are transitioning from care.

The Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team refers to  team made up of core member agencies and other stakeholders involved in providing a multi-agency response to children in contact with Child Safety, as part of the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team system. See Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team core member agencies.   

The Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team is comprised of:

•  a Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team coordinator (Child Safety)
•  a Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team administration officer (Child Safety)
• core member agency representatives
• relevant stakeholders from core member agencies, other prescribed entities or service providers who can provide expertise and resources to inform discussion and deliberations by core member representatives.

The Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team core member agencies are Child Safety (lead agency), the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Health and the Department of Education. Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team core member agencies provide senior level representation (core member representatives), with sufficient authority to commit their agency to recommendations, to represent their agency in Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team discussions.

A temporary assessment order authorises actions during the investigation and assessment process when parental consent cannot be obtained. A  temporary assessment ordercan provide the authority to take a child into the custody of the chief executive, but guardianship rights and responsibilities remain with the child's parents. A temporary assessment order may also order specific actions relating to the assessment of a notification, for example, the conduct of a medical assessment in relation to a child. A temporary assessment order can only be granted for a period of 3 business days and can be extended by 1 business day.

A temporary custody order authorises the actions necessary to secure the immediate safety of a child, pending a decision of what further action is necessary to meet the child’s protection and care needs. A temporary custody order can provide the authority to take a child into the custody of the chief executive, but guardianship rights and responsibilities remain with the child’s parents. A temporary custody order may also order specific provisions considered appropriate, for example, authorising a medical examination or directing contact. A temporary custody order can only be granted for a period of three business days and can be extended by one business day if intending to apply for a child protection order.

Tertiary services are statutory ongoing interventions for children who, following completion of an investigation and assessment, are assessed as in need of protection. The goal of tertiary services is to ensure children in need of protection remain safe and to reduce the long-term implications of harm on their wellbeing and development.  Child Safety has lead responsibility for the delivery of tertiary services and the case management of clients.

Therapeutic model of residential care provided for young people whose needs are unable to be met in home-based care or other residential services.  The aim of therapeutic residential care is to work with young people to support them in developing skills and the ability to regulate behaviour so that they can meet their goals and transition to a less intensive care arrangement.

The threshold for recording a notification is reached if information received indicates there is a reasonable suspicion that a child is in need of protection, that is: a child has been significantly harmed, is being significantly harmed, or is at risk of significant harm, and does not have a parent able and willing to protect them (Child Protection Act 1999, section 10 and 14).

Torres Strait Islander traditional child rearing practice is part of Ailan Kastom and involves the blessing or gifting of a Torres Strait Islander child from birth parents to cultural parents, to be raised within that cultural parents’ family structure. It is a permanent arrangement and the child is not returned to the care of their birth parents.

Child Safety regionally based position responsible for providing direct support to a young person with a disability, mental health needs or complex and high risk behavioural, psychological or emotional needs, who is at risk of homelessness when they leave care.

The Childrens Court may make a transition order under the Child Protection Act 1999, section 65A, which has the effect of continuing an existing child protection order for a period of up to 28 days, to allow the child’s gradual transition from care arrangements to their parent's full-time care. A transition order cannot be extended.
A transition order can be made when the court:

• revokes a child protection order
• decides an appeal against the making of the order in favour of a person other than the chief executive
• refuses to extend the order or grant a further order before the order ends.

A transition plan outlines how the chief executive will provide support and gradually transition a child into their parent's care, to minimise distress and disruption to the child.

A process of helping a young person in the custody or guardianship of the chief executive transition from care and enter adulthood. Child Safety has a responsibility to ensure help is available to young people to assist them transition to adulthood from age 15, up to the age of 25 (Child Protection Act 1999, section 75). It is a young person's right to receive appropriate help to transition from care to adulthood, in accordance with the Charter of rights for a child in care (Child Protection Act 1999, schedule 1).

Trauma-informed care and practice is based on understanding and knowledge of how trauma adversely affects child development and people's lives. It promotes physical, emotional and cultural safety.

Unacceptable risk of harm refers to situations where the risk identified is probable, not possible, and likely to occur in the near future, where there are insufficient protective factors to ensure the child's safety without intervention by the department. The harm must be likely or probable, not just possible and may be a single act or series or combination of acts, omissions or circumstances that have a cumulative effect on the child’s safety and wellbeing. There must be a reasonable belief that the parents behaviour, actions or verbal statements or threats will result in harm to the child. The assessment of whether there is unacceptable risk of harm, must take into consideration whether there is a parent able and willing to protect the child from harm.

Worry statements document unacceptable risk of significant harm to a child and describe actions or inactions that may happen in the future to significantly harm the child if nothing changes.  

The Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs (Youth Justice) is responsible for administering the Youth Justice Act 1992  and managing youth detention centres, youth justice service centres, youth justice conferencing and court proceedings and working with young people in contact with the youth system. Youth Justice staff support young people and supervise and monitor young offenders' progress as they carry out orders and bail programs.

A youth justice order is an order made under the Youth Justice Act 1992 if a young person pleads guilty to, or is found guilty of, an offence. A youth justice order may be community-based or require that a child serve a specified period in detention. A court can make a range of orders including a good behaviour order, a fine, community service orders, supervised release order, probation order, graffiti removal order, conditional release order, intensive supervision order or detention order.