Provide information to external agencies

Child Safety is responsible for providing feedback about the intake response to professional notifiers from government and non-government agencies, including SCAN team core member agencies. In certain circumstances, information about the intake response is provided to the Family Responsibilities Commission.

Child Safety provides the information in recognition that services provided by the agencies to children and families may be disrupted or affected by Child Safety intervention. The feedback may assist the agency to identify and implement plans for the support or safety of the child. 

Provide feedback to government and non-government agencies

If requested, give feedback about the intake response to notifiers from government and non-government agencies. Ask the notifier if they require feedback at the time they report concerns. Feedback is provided by the RIS that decided the intake response.

Provide the notifier with feedback about:

• the intake decision and rationale
• likely timeframes for Child Safety to contact the child and family, if relevant.

Feedback is to be provided:

• during the initial contact, if the response is immediately evident
• when the intake response is decided
• as soon as possible if 
  • it is assessed that the information is critical to the notifying agency
  • a safety issue is identified, for example, a parent threatens a suspected notifier
• verbally or in writing.

If an intake response decided by a RIS is reassessed and changed by a CSSC, the CSSC senior team leader will:

• re-contact the notifier
• advise them of the revised response and rationale.

Provide feedback to SCAN team core member agencies

If concerns are received from a SCAN team core member agency representative, or their delegate, provide feedback within 5 business days of the information being received.

To provide feedback, tell the notifier:

• the intake response and rationale
• the name and phone number of the senior team leader responsible for the investigation and assessment, if applicable.

Feedback is provided by the RIS that recorded the intake response, unless the intake was recorded on behalf of another RIS or CSSC. In this situation, the local RIS or CSSC will provide the feedback.

If an intake response decided by a RIS or CSAHSC is later reassessed and changed by a CSSC, the CSSC senior team leader will:

• re-contact the SCAN team core member agency representative
• advise them of the revised response and rationale.

SCAN team child concern report consult

A SCAN team core member agency representative may refer a matter that has been assessed as a child concern report to a SCAN team for a child concern report consult when:

• the relevant core member agency representative has first had a discussion with the senior team leader who approved the child concern report, regarding the decision and rationale to record a child concern report and any follow up actions
  and
• the matter remains a child concern report and the core member representative seeks a multi-agency discussion.

A child concern report consult is not a forum for discussing new child protection concerns. It is a forum to consider the needs of the child by reviewing all agencies’ knowledge of the family and facilitate earlier coordination of multi-agency actions to decrease the likelihood of the child entering, or re-entering, the tertiary system.

When a referral is made for a child concern report consult then the SCAN team may invite the approving senior team leader to attend the meeting. The senior team leader will provide the Child Safety core member representative and SCAN team coordinator any information that is relevant to the SCAN team discussion about the child, their families and other significant persons as soon as possible prior to the meeting using the SCAN team information form. For an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child, this will include relevant information about Aboriginal tradition and Island custom.

If the RIS referred the child or family to a support service, the RIS senior team leader will consult the Child Safety core member representative about whether it would be appropriate for a representative from the service provider to be invited as a stakeholder to the SCAN team meeting.

The child concern report consult can result in one of three outcomes:

• The matter remains a child concern report with no actions for an agency. The case is closed to the SCAN team.
• The matter to remain a child concern report with core member agencies, other than Child Safety, committing to actions under the authority of their agency. The case is closed to the SCAN team.
• Further information is discussed and the RIS senior team leader refers the matter back to the RIS to be re-assessed. The case is then reviewed by the SCAN team.

Provide feedback after downgrading a notification

If a CSSC manager decides to downgrade a notification and the notifier was a professional notifier, the CSSC manager will ensure the notifier is informed of the decision and the rationale for the decision.

A notification is not to be downgraded:

• because the CSSC has been unable to commence or complete the investigation and assessment within the timeframes specified when the notification was recorded
• when mitigating information is received about child protection concerns that have already been recorded and approved
• if the notification was originally a child concern report, then reassessed as a notification following a SCAN team child concern report consult.

Send notice to the Family Responsibilities Commission

The Cape York Welfare Reform operates in communities in the North Queensland region.  These include Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale, Mossman Gorge and Doomadgee. The Family Responsibilities Commission is a statutory body that aims to:

• reduce welfare dependency
• provide pathways to participation in the economy
• enhance educational opportunities for members of their communities.

All Child Safety staff are responsible under the Family Responsibilities Commission Act 2008 to give notice to the Family Responsibilities Commission when they become aware of alleged harm or alleged risk of harm to a child whose family resides in a welfare reform community.

If a child concern report is recorded on behalf of North Queensland RIS, refer to Advise another RIS or CSSC of the response.

If a child concern report is recorded, and information indicates the family has lived in one of the Welfare Reform Communities for at least 3 months since 2008:

• confirm whether a Notice about Child Safety and welfare matters for the family has been received by the Family Responsibilities Commission
• if not, complete a Notice about Child Safety and welfare matters and email it to the Family Responsibilities Commission
• attach the email and the Notice about Child Safety and welfare matters to the intake event in ICMS.

For further information refer to the Family Responsibilities Commission.