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Child Safety Practice Manual

Decide the response

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This page was updated on 01 July 2026. To view changes, please see page updates

The response will depend on whether the concerns relate to:

  • a current carer, adult household member or staff member
  • a child who is currently in care
  • harm, risk of harm or the quality of care experienced.

The response to the concerns must be made within 2 business days of receiving the concerns from the notifier. (Refer to Make the decision.)

Take action to ensure a child’s immediate safety

If the concerns indicate that an urgent response may be required to ensure a child’s safety, immediately consult the senior team leader to discuss appropriate actions to protect the child.

In these circumstances, the CSSC manager may decide to record a harm report prior to further consultation.

Note

If the concerns are subject to the reportable conduct scheme and action is required by the CSSC to ensure the child’s immediate safety, these actions will form part of RCIs initial report to the Queensland Family and Child Commission.

A reportable conduct investigation does not delay a response to a child’s immediate safety. The child’s safety is paramount.

Decide if a standards of care consultation meeting is required

Discuss the concerns with the senior team leader to decide if a standards of care consultation meeting (SOC consultation meeting) is required. 

A SOC consultation meeting is required if the concerns indicate that a standards of care review or a harm report will be required for a child in care. (Refer to the handout Decide the response to the concerns.)

A SOC consultation meeting is not required when:

  • a proactive response to emerging issues is required to ensure concerns do not continue or escalate and
    • the standards of care have been met
      and
    • the child has not experienced harm
  • the concerns relate to a former carer, adult household member or staff member and the subject child is no longer in care (including a former child in care, now an adult).

Practice prompt

The purpose of a SOC consultation meeting is to ensure:
  • the relevant parties have an opportunity to share information and participate in decision-making
  • the delegated officer has all the relevant information needed to make a timely decision about the appropriate response to the concerns.

Take action if a standards of care consultation meeting is not required

If a proactive response to emerging issues is required to ensure issues do not continue or escalate, refer to Procedure 7 Respond proactively to emerging issues.

If the concerns relate to a former carer, adult household member or staff member, and the subject child is no longer in care (including an adult):
document the concerns in an intake enquiry in Unify
include the former carer, adult household member, or staff member in the relevant parties grid in the intake enquiry
update RCI regarding the response to the concerns via the mailbox RCI@families.qld.gov.au.

Note

No further action by the CSSC is required if the concerns relate to a former carer, adult household member or staff member and the subject child is no longer in care.

In these circumstances, RCI will take appropriate action in accordance with the reportable conduct scheme.

Convene a standards of care consultation meeting

Attention

Do not create the standards of care case and complete the record of a standard of care consultation meeting until after the decision is made to respond with a standards of care review or harm report. (Refer to Record the decision.) 

The senior team leader or CSSC manager will decide the response to the concerns within 2 business days of receiving the concerns from the notifier. The decision may be made at, or following, the SOC consultation meeting. (Refer to Make the decision.)

Seek information from the service

Once it is decided that a SOC consultation meeting will occur, prior to the SOC consultation meeting, advise the family based care service or non-family based care service of the concerns and ask the service to complete the SOC consultation form (family based care service) or the SOC consultation form (non-family based care service).

If the service is unable to complete the SOC consultation form, ask them to provide the information verbally at the SOC consultation meeting. Record a summary of the information in the record of a standard of care consultation meeting in Unify.

Arrange the standards of care consultation meeting

Arrange a SOC consultation meeting with the following participants to discuss the information, exchange views and consider the response to the concerns:

Involve the child safety officer with case responsibility for another child

Advise the CSSC responsible for any other child in the care arrangement of the concerns and invite a practitioner from the CSSC to participate in the SOC consultation meeting and provide the following information:

  • the child protection history (including harm reports and concerns about standards of care) for the purpose of considering cumulative harm
  • the child’s level of support needs (Refer to Procedure 7 Determine the child’s level of support needs.)
  • information about the child’s specific needs and the resources being provided to meet these
  • the currency of the child’s placement agreement and whether the intended supports are being or have been provided
  • any emerging matters relevant to the care of the child or the care arrangement
  • the frequency, recency and nature of the CSO’s contact with the child and their care arrangement.

If the practitioner is unable to participate in the SOC consultation meeting, ask them to provide the information in writing before the meeting. This will enable it to be considered by other meeting participants.

Involve the prescribed delegate

If a subject child is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child subject to a delegated authority arrangement, offer the prescribed delegate the opportunity to participate in the SOC consultation meeting if the response to the concerns may be relevant to the exercise of the prescribed delegate’s functions and powers. For example, planning for safe contact time or a placement decision.  

Practice prompt

The purpose of involving the prescribed delegate is:
  • to give the prescribed delegate an opportunity to share relevant information to inform the CSSC’s decision about the response to the concerns
  • to ensure the prescribed delegate has relevant information about the child and the child’s circumstances, that may be relevant to a decision to exercise their delegations
  • consistent with the partnership principle, that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons have the right to participate in significant decisions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

The prescribed delegate may decide to participate or not participate in the SOC consultation meeting. If the prescribed delegate decides not to participate in the SOC consultation meeting, advise them of the response decision following the meeting

Note

Prescribed delegates are bound by the same confidentiality provisions as Child Safety staff and staff of family based care services or non-family based care services, as outlined in the Child Protection Act 1999, section 187.

Involve Reportable Conduct Investigations (family-based care) 

RCI are responsible for meeting Child Safety’s legal obligation to report and investigate alleged reportable conduct by a carer or adult household member. (Refer to Our Approach Reportable conduct scheme).

Tip

Reportable conduct is:

  • a child sexual offence
  • sexual misconduct in relation to or in the presence of a child
  • ill treatment of a child
  • significant neglect of a child
  • physical violence in relation to or in the presence of a child
  • behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child. 

Reportable conduct may involve a single act or omission or a series of acts or omissions.

The focus of the reportable conduct investigation is whether the carer or adult household member has committed reportable conduct. The investigation is overseen by the Queensland Family and Child Commission.

The purpose of RCIs participation in the SOC consultation meeting is:

  • to hear the information shared by each of the participants to consider if it is relevant to the decision about whether to report the concerns to the Queensland Family and Child Commission
  • to contribute relevant information to the discussion that may assist the senior team leader or CSSC manager decide the response to the concerns
  • to hear the CSSC manager’s decision about any action to ensure the child’s safety while the concerns are assessed, if relevant
  • to participate in planning the response to a harm report, if relevant.   

Tip

If the RCI manager forms a reasonable belief the carer or adult household member has committed reportable conduct, RCI will report the concerns to the Queensland Family and Child Commission.

The information gathered by the CSSC to inform a harm report assessment is used by RCI to inform the reportable conduct investigation. For this reason, RCI are involved at the earliest possible point to assist CSSCs to ensure responses are timely, child-centred, culturally safe and procedurally fair.  

Consider if action or inaction contributed to the harm

When information is received about harm or risk of harm to a child caused by a person other than the child’s carer, an adult household member or a staff member, including a person who does not live in the care arrangement, only record a harm report if it is reasonably suspected that the actions or inactions of the carer or staff member has:

  • contributed to the alleged harm or risk of harm
    or
  • failed to protect the child from the alleged harm.

To determine whether to record a harm report in these circumstances consider:

  • the contributing role of the carer or staff member (for example by allowing unsupervised contact contrary to the child’s case plan or placement agreement, resulting in harm or posing an unacceptable risk of significant harm to the child)
  • the protective capacity of the carer or staff member and their response to the child (for example, whether they are supporting the child and taking protective action or if they have rejected the child or refused to take action to ensure the child’s safety)
  • the ability and willingness of the carer or staff member to protect the child, including whether they
    • support the child, believe the child or blame the child for the harm
    • have an ongoing relationship or connection with the alleged person responsible that will affect their ability to protect the child
    • are able to protect the child but are unwilling to do so, due to identified factors (for example, the alleged person responsible may be a relative or friend of the carer, or an influential person, which may create a conflict of interest and prevent the carer from acting protectively).

If the information received does not indicate that the carer or staff member contributed to the harm the child experienced, respond to the matter in line with usual intake processes and take appropriate action to support the child. (Refer to Procedure 1 Decide the intake response.)

Consider the child’s needs, circumstances and experiences

Access Unify cases to identify other information relevant to the response decision, such as:

  • episodes of abuse or neglect and adverse circumstances in the child’s history that are indicative of cumulative harm and chronic abuse or neglect  
  • past concerns relating to the carer, adult household member or the staff member of the non-family based care service
  • factors that may exacerbate the vulnerability of the subject child
  • strengths and protective factors.

Further reading

Procedure 5 When a child is sexually abused while in care

Practice guide Supporting children and young people with diverse SOGIE-SC.

Make the decision

Tip

The decision to respond to the concerns with a harm report is made by the CSSC manager.

The decision to respond to the concerns with a standards of care review is made by the senior team leader. 

(Refer to the handout Decide the response to the concerns.)

If a response decision is made by the delegated officer at the SOC consultation meeting:

Note

Do not take action to assess the concerns before a decision is made about the appropriate response. 

This includes:

  • talking to the child, the carer or staff member about the concerns (other than in response to the child’s immediate safety)
  • gathering information from other services or sources, except the region’s Investment and Partnership team, the child’s community visitor or Evolve therapist, where necessary and relevant.

If the decision is not made at the SOC consultation meeting, the senior team leader or CSSC manager, will consider the following when deciding the response to the concerns:

  • what is reasonable, having regard to the length of time the child is in the care arrangement, and the child’s age and development (Child Protection Act 1999, section 122(4))
  • the child’s needs, circumstances and experiences
  • the information and views shared by the participants in the SOC consultation meeting.

The response will be either:

  • a harm report, if there is a reasonable suspicion that a child in care has experienced harm or is at risk of experiencing harm, caused by
    • a carer, an adult household member or staff member of a non-family based care arrangement or
    • another adult or child aged over 10 years with capacity to understand the consequences of their actions, and it is reasonably suspected that the action or inaction of the carer, adult household member or staff member contributed to the child experiencing harm (Refer to Consider if action or inaction contributed to the harm.)
  • a standards of care review, if
    • the care the child is receiving may not have met, or be meeting, one or more of the standards of care (Child Protection Act 1999, section 122)
      and
    • the concerns relate to a current carer, adult household member or staff member, regardless of the subject child’s circumstances.

When:

  • the concerns relate to a former carer, adult household member or staff member
    and
  • there is a reasonable suspicion that the care the child received did not meet one or more of the standards of care (Child Protection Act 1999, section 122)

document the SOC consultation meeting in a care arrangement intake case note in the intake enquiry and take no further action.

If a standards of care review or harm report is not appropriate for concerns relating to a current carer, adult household member or staff member, refer to Respond proactively to emerging issues.

Practice prompt

To meet the threshold for a harm report, the harm must meet the legislative definition of harm in the Child Protection Act 1999, section 9, which is a detrimental effect of a significant nature on a child’s physical, psychological or emotional wellbeing. Harm can be caused by:
  • physical abuse
  • psychological abuse
  • emotional abuse
  • neglect
  • sexual abuse or exploitation
  • exposure to domestic and family violence.

Note

The RCI manager will advise the CSSC manager leading the response to the concerns (in writing) whether the concerns are subject to the reportable conduct scheme.

After the decision is made by the senior team leader or CSSC manager, inform:  

Note

When a harm report or standards of care review is recorded in relation to a staff member, the nominee of a licensed care service (Child Protection Act 1999, section 141D(3)) is required to complete an LCS Form 6: Change in personal circumstances and provide this directly to Child Safety Licensing.

Respond to alleged harm by another child

If the alleged person responsible for the harm is another child in care, consider whether:

  • that child, in addition to the subject child, may have experienced harm while in care or
  • that child’s harmful actions indicate they may have previously experienced harm (while in the care of their parents or another person) that has not previously been assessed.

If relevant, record:

  • a separate harm report with the alleged person responsible (the child) as a subject child, where it is reasonably suspected the child experienced harm while in care (for example, emerging harmful sexual behaviours, where there is no known history of the child being sexually abused)
  • a notification, if the child’s actions indicate they may have experienced harm while in the care of their parents. For example, it is reasonably suspected the child was sexually abused while in the care of their parents and this has not previously been assessed.

Consider whether a review of the child’s case plan is required and provide the child  with appropriate support. 

Record the decision

To record a standards of care review or harm report, create a standards of care case in Unify and include each of the following relevant parties and their role:

  • all subject children as a subject child, which will be
    • for a standards of care review
      • each child for whom the standards of care may not have been met
      • each child in care residing in the care arrangement
    • for a harm report    
      • each child reasonably suspected of experiencing harm, including a child in care or a former child in care
      • each child residing in the care arrangement at the time the concerns are received
  • a former child in care (now an adult) who is alleged to have experienced harm, as an historical subject child
  • the carer entity (for a carer)
  • the care service entity (for a non-family based care service)
  • the staff member.

For a harm report, include the role of the alleged person responsible, noting that a person can be assigned more than one role. 

Complete the record of a standard of care consultation meeting form, documenting:

  • the details of all participants
  • the notifier’s contact details
  • the specific details of the concerns including
    • the original notified concerns
    • a summary of additional concerns raised during the consultation process
  • other relevant contextual information
  • the rationale for the response decision and the date of the decision.

Attach the written information provided by the family based care service or non-family based care service to the documents tab in the standard of care case.

If a SOC consultation meeting occurred and a decision was made not to record a standards of care review or harm report:

  • create a care arrangement intake case note in the intake enquiry
  • record details of the SOC consultation meeting, including
    • the details of all participants
    • a summary of the information shared by each of the participants
    • the views of the participants about the appropriate response
  • attach the written information provided by the family based care service or non-family based care service to the documents tab in the intake enquiry
  • record the CSSC manager or senior team leader’s decision that a standards of care review or harm report is not appropriate and the reasons for the decision
  • if the concerns relate to a current carer, adult household member or staff member, record the action that will be taken to ensure an issue does not escalate (Refer to Procedure 7 Respond proactively to emerging issues.)
  • if the concerns relate to a former carer, adult household member or staff member, include details of the email to RCI and take no further action. 

Take additional action

The CSSC responsible for leading the response decision will also complete the following actions as relevant in the circumstances.

Additional action required Refer to 
Allegations indicate harm to a child that may involve the commission of a criminal offence. Report the information immediately to the QPS using the Police referral.
A mandatory report of sexual or physical abuse is received (Child Protection Act, section 13F(2).) Advise the Office of the Public Guardian using the OPG—Regional visiting manager contact details.
A decision to  record a harm report. Advise the Office of the Public Guardian using the OPG—Regional visiting manager contact details.
A child in care has been involved in a critical incident. Complete a critical incident report through the Critical incident reporting system. (Refer to the policy Critical incident reporting, the procedure Critical incident reporting, and the Critical incident reporting management system - guidelines for users.)
A Queensland Health medical officer has concerns for the child’s immediate safety upon discharge from hospital. Refer to Procedure 2 Respond when the discharge escalation pathway is initiated.
Allegations are received through an Integrated Justice Information Strategy (IJIS) electronic transfer of court result automated email alert. Refer to Procedure 1 Information via an Integrated Justice Information Strategy email alert.

The concerns identify the use of prohibited or restrictive practices for a child in the guardianship of the chief executive.

Refer to Procedure 5 Respond to the use of prohibited or restrictive practices for a child in the guardianship of the chief executive.

Further reading

Memorandum of Understanding between Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (Child Safety) and the Office of the Public Guardian.

Policy Critical incident reporting

Procedure Critical incident reporting .

Related forms, templates and resources

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  • Date: 
    New page created - Reportable conduct scheme implementation.
  • Date: 
    New page created - Reportable conduct scheme implementation.
  • Date: 
    New page created - Reportable conduct scheme implementation.
  • Date: 
    New page created - Reportable conduct scheme implementation.
  • Date: 
    New page created - Reportable conduct scheme implementation.