Assessing wellbeing, safety and risk
Children and families need to be provided with timely and effective assessment to determine the factors affecting the safety and wellbeing of their children.
Overview
Children and families need to be provided with timely and effective assessment to determine the factors affecting the safety and wellbeing of their children. Children at risk of significant harm have a right to responsive assessment and casework to keep them safe. This includes sharing information with other agencies working with the family, and partnering with other services to reduce the risks to children.
A true picture of safety and risk is created by considering the overall wellbeing of children within the context of their families’ lives, including the physical environment, their history, culture and life experiences.
Assessment of child safety and risk relies on respectful, meaningful engagement with the family, and bringing together all that we know about the family and linking this to our professional experience, knowledge and theory. The key to successful change lies in the quality of the relationship between service providers and a family. This includes the ability of practitioners to communicate effectively with families about the specific identified risks to their children and what parents can do to address safety concerns.
This part includes the following sections:
- Relevant NSW legislation
- The NSW Structured Decision Making Framework
- Child Protection Helpline (the Helpline)
- Assessment of safety and risk
- Joint Child Protection Response Program (JCPRP)
- After Hours Response Team (AHRT)
- Collaborative decision-making and sharing risk.
Relevant NSW legislation
Section 30 of Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (the Care Act) identifies DCJ as the agency responsible for the assessment of reports relating to children suspected of being at risk of significant harm.
Under section 17(2) of the Care Act, the Secretary may request government departments or agencies, or non-government agencies in receipt of government funding, to provide prioritised access to services to children who are at risk of significant harm and their families.
Chapter 16A of the Care Act allows for the exchange of information relating to a child’s safety, welfare or wellbeing between prescribed bodies. Section 248 of the Care Act allows the Secretary to direct certain bodies to furnish DCJ with information concerning the safety, welfare and wellbeing of a child. Sharing information is critical to gaining an understanding of a child’s circumstances and being able to accurately assess the child’s wellbeing and safety.
More information on information exchange is provided in Part 4.
The NSW Structured Decision Making Framework
Structured Decision Making ® (SDM) tools were developed by Evident Change (formerly Children’s Research Centre), an American based non-profit social research organisation, which implements SDM systems in a variety of human service fields, both in USA and in Australia.
SDM tools are used by mandatory reporters, DCJ and CWU practitioners to guide critical decision-making points in the cycle of a child wellbeing and protection matter. They improve the structure and consistency of the decisions made.
This evidence and research-based system identifies the key points in the life of a person and uses structured assessments to improve the consistency and validity of each decision. The model consists of several assessments that help agencies to reduce subsequent harm to children and to expedite permanency.
Included in the suite of NSW SDM tools are:
- Mandatory Reporter Guide (MRG)
- Screening and Response Priority Tool (SCRPT)
- Safety Assessment, Risk Assessment and Risk Re-assessment tools (SARA)
- Restoration Assessment.
A text alternative to the NSW Structured Decision Making diagram is available.
Child Protection Helpline
The Child Protection Helpline (the Helpline) is a 24/7 telephone service that receives information from reporters and undertakes assessment of information on child protection concerns.
Before making a report to the Helpline mandatory reporters should complete the MRG by referring to the definitions, to determine whether a report to the Helpline or CWU (if available) is needed, or whether there are alternative ways to support vulnerable children and their families.
The MRG is not designed to determine whether the matter constitutes risk of significant harm. Rather it provides information about what initial action to take in response to concerns about abuse or neglect.
Refer to Part 6 of the Interagency Guidelines for more advice about reporting and responding to child wellbeing and safety concerns.
Mandatory reporters from Education, Health and Police are also recommended to contact their relevant CWU to assist in effectively applying the MRG to assess the level of risk to children and determine whether a report to the Helpline is required.
What is involved in an assessment at the Helpline?
Screening and Response Priority (SCRPT) Tool
The SCRPT is used by the Helpline’s practitioners to help them determine whether a report meets the risk of significant harm (ROSH) threshold. Helpline practitioners use the Response Priority Tool within the SCRPT, as well as professional expertise, to assess how quickly a response is needed.
Helpline practitioners also take into consideration whether a report meets the referral criteria for the Joint Child Protection Response Program. They consider whether the report is indicative of sexual abuse, serious physical abuse or serious neglect, and whether:
- a crime has been committed
- it requires referral to NSW Police.
When assessing reports, Helpline practitioners take into account a range of information and considerations including:
- the nature of the concerns (extent of harm)
- the immediacy of contact between the child and the person believed to be causing harm
- if there is forensic evidence that needs collecting or the child requires urgent medical intervention
- if the person believed to be causing harm has previously seriously harmed a child
- if the family is likely to move to avoid investigation
- an established pattern of behaviour by the person believed to be causing harm to the child
- the age of and/or the level of functioning of the child
- if a High Risk Birth Alert (HRBA) exists and a safety assessment is required at the time of delivery.
The application of SCRPT to a report can result in the report being ‘screened out’ when the information is not significant and when a new statutory investigation is not required. Many reports that are screened out still involve information being forwarded to a CSC when the child is already known to the child protection system.
If the report is ‘screened in’, the Response Priority Tool helps workers determine how swiftly an investigation must be initiated for those reports accepted for investigation.
What is a response priority?
A response priority is the time within which assessment or other action on the report should be initiated. Determining a response priority assists Community Services Centres and the Joint Child Protection Response Program to prioritise and allocate reports, having regard for the urgency of the situation.
Response priorities are:
- within 24 hours (< 24 hours)
- within 3 days (< 72 hours)
- within 10 days (< 10 days)
NOTE: The CSC and the Joint Referral Unit may reassess response priorities. See section below on triage assessment at the CSC.
When a report is screened in, it will be forwarded to a CSC, DCJ triage team (e.g. CCMARC), or the Joint Referral Unit (JRU). The JRU, comprising DCJ, NSW Police and NSW Health staff, will review and assess the referral. They determine whether a specialist response within the JCPRP is required, or alternatively whether a local Police, DCJ and/or Health response is warranted.
Assessment of safety and risk
Assessment is an ongoing holistic process that helps inform an understanding of the child’s immediate and ongoing safety, experiences and needs. The intent of an assessment is targeted, depending on what is happening for the child and family.
Children’s safety is always at the forefront when we are working with families. This means we seek to understand the child's daily lived experience to better understand how safe they are and how safe they feel. To ensure these assessments are thorough and well-informed, it is vital for all services supporting a family to share information and be involved in decision-making.
Triage assessment at the CSC
The triaging process helps to make sure that children at the highest risk are given priority to be allocated a field response. In a field response, a practitioner will make further assessment about the safety of the child and risk to the child. It is also an opportunity for those children who are unable to be allocated to a DCJ practitioner to be engaged with other services where possible.
The triage caseworker considers the reported concerns, supports already involved with the family, and other information known about the family to make a recommendation. Further information may be sought from other agencies or individuals to inform the triage recommendation. Through triage assessment, a decision is made to allocate, transfer, refer or close a report (within 28 days of being received at the Helpline).
If a report cannot be immediately allocated to a practitioner but needs a response, the matter can go to the CSC weekly allocation meeting or an Interagency Case Discussion could occur.
Triage assessment also occurs at the Joint Response Unit (JRU) as part of the Joint Child Protection Response Program, discussed below. When the Helpline sends a report to the JRU, the three agencies at the JRU (DCJ, Police and Health) undertake joint triage assessments to determine the most suitable referral pathway to address safety issues, health needs and policing response.
A text alternative to the Triage Assessment diagram is available.
Weekly Allocation Meeting
Weekly Allocation Meetings (WAM) at the CSC are chaired by the Manager Client Services (MCS) and attended by Managers Casework (MCW) and often the triage caseworker. WAM is a forum for the child protection leadership team to make a decision about the most appropriate outcome for each reported family.
The WAM decision about which family is the highest priority requires an understanding of the vulnerability and safety of children, features of neglect and abuse, and the possible outcomes to a child if the report is not allocated. This requires the consideration of:
- the history of the family
- factors impacting the child’s vulnerability
- support networks available for the family
- strengths and protective factors
- the types of reported abuse or neglect.
Information gathered and analysed by the triage caseworker is vital to informing the discussion and decisions at WAM.
Prior to WAM, the leadership team need to understand the capacity of the unit and local DCJ funded services to work with new families. This understanding can make sure the right families are provided the right service at the right time.
The MCS is responsible for approving all final decisions at WAM. These can include gathering further information, allocating for a response, referring to a service, closing the case file, an Interagency Case Discussion, or holding over for the next WAM. If a report cannot be allocated at WAM it can be held over for further review at the next WAM. A report can be closed after WAM without allocation if other reports are higher priority for allocation, or the report has remained unable to be allocated for more than 28 days.
Interagency Case Discussion
An Interagency Case Discussion (ICD) meeting can enable agencies supporting a family to share expertise and important, current information. Additionally, any actions or referrals to services that may be implemented with the family by the supporting agencies to reduce risk to the child or young person are able to be identified and discussed.
A DCJ practitioner invites representatives from relevant agencies and services to the ICD and chairs the meeting to facilitate information exchange and planning for the family.
Safety assessment, risk assessment and risk Re-assessment (SARA)
After the triage process, when it is agreed that a field response needs to occur to assess the safety and risk to a child, a family will be allocated a practitioner to complete a SARA. Safety assessment assesses the child’s present danger and the interventions currently needed to protect the child. Risk Assessment looks at the likelihood of future involvement with child protection authorities.
Assessment of child safety and risk relies on respectful engagement with the family. It brings together all that we know about the family and links this to our professional experience, knowledge and theory.
It is important that dangers and risks are explained to families, that we are specific about these concerns, and what families need to change, to ensure their child/children are safe.
Safety assessment
The safety assessment helps practitioners determine the immediate safety needs of the child and if they may safely remain in the home, with or without a safety plan in place. To do this, practitioners consider the vulnerabilities of the child, assess and determine if there are immediate or imminent dangers in the household, and assess the protective abilities of the parents.
If a danger is identified, the protective abilities are then used to develop a safety plan with the family to ensure the safety of the child. In most instances, it is not safe to rely only on the person causing the danger to mitigate the dangers found in a safety assessment. Therefore, the safety plan should use the support of other family or community members who are able to act to support the parents to protect the child.
In circumstances where a danger is identified and no parental protective abilities can be determined, the child will be considered ‘unsafe’ in the home and alternative care arrangements must be made.
Risk Assessment
Within 30 days of completing a safety assessment practitioners complete a risk assessment. This estimates the likelihood of future child protection system involvement. It assists practitioners to determine which cases should be continued for ongoing services and which may be closed at the end of the investigation.
The risk assessment requires consideration of:
- the child’s prior history of abuse and neglect and how they experienced this
- the parent’s pattern of behaviour placing children at danger or risk
- the parent’s own childhood experiences of abuse and neglect
- the parent’s resistance and prior strengths when managing mental health, drug abuse or domestic violence
- analysis of the effectiveness of previous casework the family has experienced, whether the interventions put in place increased safety for the children, and whether or not they were culturally appropriate
- the parent’s attitudes to the current abuse or neglect concerns.
To gather this information the practitioner will speak with the children, parents, extended family members, and other services involved with the family. The practitioner may also undertake consultation with an Aboriginal or multicultural practitioner or community member, a DCJ Psychologist and/or a Casework Specialist. The Aboriginal Consultation Guidecan be used to guide effective and ongoing consultation with Aboriginal families and communities.
It may be necessary for the practitioner to conduct specialised consultation with children and parents with disability. Generic approaches will not always be sufficient to ensure their safety and wellbeing.
The risk assessment can have an outcome of low, moderate, high or very high risk. Families with no identified dangers and low or moderate risk are determined not to require ongoing casework. Their cases are closed by DCJ, sometimes after being referred to other services for support. Other families require intervention from DCJ or a non-government organisation to reduce the level of risk or ongoing dangers to the child.
Family Action Planning
A quality case plan creates purposeful and meaningful opportunities for sustainable change in families which helps to keep children safe.
Family Action Plans are case plans for change that are developed in partnership with families and their support network to address concerns and worries for children. Supporting parents to take ownership of the changes needed, we will be able to increase child safety.
The focus of Family Action Plans is to influence change until the risk level comes down and it is safe for children to stay safely at home.
Family action planning involves:
- creating a future vision of family safety
- building a shared agreement of what needs to change
- stepping out the actions needed to achieve that change
- engaging and connecting with support services (based on how ready the family is) to assist in those steps
- measuring progress towards a goal.
Risk Re-Assessment
Within 90 days of first visiting a family, practitioners will complete a Risk Re-Assessment. This assessment helps the practitioner determine when risk has been reduced sufficiently so that the case may be recommended for closure. To inform this assessment, the practitioner will:
- Regularly speak with each child to understand their experiences and listen to their concerns
- Regularly observe each child in their home environment interacting with family and other household members
- Check in with how the family is progressing against the case plan goals and what barriers may be impacting on their progress
- Continue to seek information from a range of sources both formal and informal, such as important people in the family networks, and government and non-government agencies.
The outcome of the risk re-assessment can be low, moderate, high or very high. If the level of risk to the child has been reduced to low or moderate (and there are no unresolved dangers), the case will be closed. If the risk remains high or very high, or there are unresolved dangers, casework with the family will continue. For families with successive high or very high risk re-assessment outcomes, more intrusive intervention may be considered to reduce the level of risk to the child.
For legal options to address dangers and reduce risk Refer to Courts Involving Children and Young People (insert hyperlink ).
Review or closing Safety Assessment
Review of safety assessments are required when circumstances change or when new ROSH information is received about the family. A case cannot be closed unless the most recent Safety assessment outcome is ‘safe’.
Open child protection cases involving a parent(s)/carer(s) with a known and current diagnosis of a severe or persistent mental health issue are not to be closed prior to consultation about the closure with key mental health services involved with the family.
Restoration Assessment
Within 90 days of the Family Action Plan for Change being developed where the goal is restoration, practitioners will complete the restoration assessment. This is applied for families with a child in out-of-home care with a goal of ‘restoration’, or ‘determine permanent care’ every 90 days until it is safe for the child to be returned home. This assessment helps the worker assess when it might be safe for the child to be returned to the home, or when a change in permanency goal should be considered. This tool focuses on assessing risk, suitability of family time, and progress towards the case plan.
Joint Child Protection Response Program (JCPRP)
The Joint Child Protection Response Program (JCPRP) provides a specialised tri-agency response to child abuse by DCJ, the NSW Police Force and NSW Health. The program operates state-wide and provides a comprehensive and coordinated safety, criminal justice and health response to children and young people alleged to have been subjected to sexual abuse, serious physical abuse and extreme neglect that may constitute a criminal offence.
The underlying principle of the joint partnership is recognition that the safety, welfare, health and wellbeing of all children is paramount. The program’s objectives are:
- protecting children from further harm
- promoting safety, justice and recovery.
For more information see Joint Child Protection Response Program.
After Hours Response Team (AHRT)
The After Hours Response Team (AHRT) is a team at the Helpline that provides casework for urgent ROSH referrals that require DCJ’s intervention, and urgent requests for assistance. These reports are received as referrals from the Helpline.
The AHRT works overnight and on weekends, including public holidays when CSCs are closed.
AHRT provides assistance and support to local CSCs after hours by:
- facilitating local placement options for children in need of care and protection
- responding to urgent child protection reports where there is imminent risk of significant harm and the CSC had no capacity to respond in business hours.
Collaborative decision-making and sharing risk
Working with families, communities and other services to create a support team focused on a child’s safety is essential to create change and reduce risk. Recognising the diverse expertise of all the people in the child’s life and the important perspectives they bring is vital to family-led decision making, supported by a social and professional network.
Working as a supportive team with families, children and community partners will lead to better decisions, a shared understanding of risk, and more meaningful changes in the lives of children. When all relevant people are brought together to work as a team, ongoing assessment and casework will be more informed, holistic and effective in responding to the complex problems and barriers that children and families with vulnerabilities face.
Practitioners should consider regular opportunities to connect with interagency partners, through both formal and informal mechanisms. Respectful, regular communication is the essential element to a working alliance for children.