Engage and partner

Partnership and participation

We engage and partner in line with the values of partnership and participation in the Framework for Practice. We build collaborative working relationships and use our authority respectfully and thoughtfully. We use our skills in the development of effective working relationships.

When we engage and partner with others, we will treat them fairly, respectfully, professionally, courteously and without bias. (Refer to the brochure Let’s treat each other with respect and the practice guide Power, privilege and use of self in child protection.)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisation

We work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations in line with the elements of partnership and participation in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle.

Participation— ensuring the participation of children, parents and family members in decisions regarding the safety belonging and wellbeing of their children.

Partnership— ensuring the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community representatives in:

• service design
• service delivery
• individual case decisions.

Peak bodies

We value our partnerships with peak bodies and their members in Queensland, including:

• Create— children and young people
• Family Inclusion Network (FIN) — parents
• Queensland Foster and Kinship Care (QFKC) — carers
• PeakCare— non-government organisations delivering of child protection, out-of-home care and related services.
• Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak (QATSICPP).

Government agencies

In providing services to vulnerable children and families in Queensland, we work together with other government agencies to provide priority services, especially:

• Queensland Family and Child Commission
• Health
• Education
• Housing
• Justice (Office of the Public Guardian, DCPL)
• Youth Justice
• Disabilities.

National disability services

To support children who have a disability, their families and carers, the department works in partnership with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland (NIISQ).

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

The NDIS can provide all people with disability with information and connections to services in their communities such as doctors, sporting clubs, support groups, libraries and schools, as well as information about what support is provided by each state and territory government. Refer to Support a child in care.

The National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland (NIISQ) provides necessary and reasonable lifetime treatment, care and support for people who sustain eligible serious personal injuries in a motor vehicle accident in Queensland, regardless of who is at fault in the accident. NIISQ support can be provided to children in care who have been seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident and can continue to be provided after they transition to adulthood. Refer to Support a child in care.

Domestic and family violence services

In providing services to children, young people, parents and families impacted by domestic and family violence we work together with domestic and family violence services in Queensland, which are guided by the Practice principles, standards and guidance - Domestic and family violence services.

Multidisciplinary collaboration

To develop better outcomes for children and families, we engage collaboratively with stakeholders  including:

• SCAN teams
• Evolve
• High Risk Teams for Domestic and Family Violence.

Complaints management

We are committed to effectively managing complaints in an accountable, transparent, timely and fair manner. We recognise that effective complaints management is integral to good client service and take a people-focused approach when responding to complaints.

We ensure complaints are managed in a fair, efficient, consistent and culturally responsive manner and analyse information from complaints to identify opportunities to improve our working relationships with children, parents and family members, carers and community and government partners.

Staff in CSSCs and Regional Intake Services apply the First attempt at resolution (FAAR) process when managing a person’s initial expression of dissatisfaction. Refer to the practice guide Complaints management: First attempt at resolution.

If an expression of dissatisfaction becomes a formal complaint, the complaint is responded to in accordance with the Child Safety Complaints management policy and procedure. 

Senior practitioiners and other suitably qualified staff conducting a pratice review as part of a complaints management process will refer to the practice guide Complaints management: practice reviews.

If the complaint is raised directly at a local level with a staff member, they will complete the Complaint received at local level - form, to ensure Child Safety has a record of the complaint. For further information refer to Compliments and complaints.