Reporting Laws and Requirements - VIC
After you report the following can take place:
- Notification recorded and assessed.
- DFFH Child Protection will seek further information.
- May consider previous concerns when deciding what further action is required.
- The case may then be referred to a community-based child and family service or a service agency.
- You may be able to assist in this process.
- If there’s a risk of significant harm AND the child's parent is unwilling or unable to protect from harm a protective intervention report is made.
- Child Protection workers conduct an investigation – often conjointly with police.
- Further protective action could include Children’s Court action, protection orders, removal of the child to a safe environment, and prosecution of offenders.
When you report your information is used to assess the risk of harm to the child - and if necessary further information is obtained from other sources such as doctors, teachers, and other professionals involved with the family. DFFH Child Protection will then decide whether further action is required and they may consider any previous concerns that have been reported.
Then the matter may be referred for community based child and family service to work with the family providing advice, services and support to the child or the family; in an effort to reduce the risk of harm to the child.
DFFH Child Protection may provide advice to you about your report and ways you can support the family and may provide advice and assistance to the child or the family of the child. Many cases are managed by working supportively with the family so that long term solutions to the child’s wellbeing can be found.
On receiving a referral from a professional or community member the The Orange Door team will conduct further assessment of the family and may consult an experienced community-based child protection worker who is based in each The Orange Door team. If the risk of harm indicates a protective intervention report is required, this will be made and an investigation commenced.
Likewise, if there is a concern in a report to DFFH Child Protection that a child or young person is at significant harm and the child's parent or caregiver is unwilling or unable to protect the child from harm, then a protection intervention report is made and investigated by DFFH Child Protection workers and often Police.
Further action can include Children’s Court action, protection orders and removal of the child from the unsafe environment into foster care. Prosecution of offenders is also a possible outcome – although relatively rare.
DFFH Child Protection workers are responsible for ongoing case management when children are placed in out of home care.