NCCIS Business Process Standardisation Project - Health Service ...

SECTION 2
THE REFERRAL PROCESS
Introduction
Reports of concern for the safety and wellbeing of a child are common entry points
for parties becoming of interest to the HSE Child Protection & Welfare Service.
Health Service staff are obliged to treat seriously all child welfare and child protection
concerns whatever their source and consider carefully and fairly the nature of the
information reported. A balance needs to be struck between protecting the child and
avoiding unnecessary and distressing intervention.
The response must consider the protection and welfare of the child as a priority and
avoid actions which cause the child or family undue distress 2 .
The Report and Response nature of referrals is reflected in the processes described
here. The screening stage deals with the information reported and preliminary
enquiries is concerned with determining an appropriate response taking into account
the need to avoid unnecessary interventions.
The referral process is activated when a party (or parties) make contact with the HSE
to request a service. The request may not always be for a Child Protection and
Welfare service. Requests for service may include:
1. A concern about the welfare or well being of a child.
2. An enquiry, e.g., about becoming a foster carer.
1. An application, e.g., to become adoptive parents.
2. Information about a current case.
3. Other (no concern)
(This initiative addresses the CP&W Referral & Assessment Processes only.
However, the procedures have been designed with the longer term objective of a
standardised Referral and Assessment process for all Child Care services provided
by the HSE and included within the scope of the National Child Care Information
System project.)
Parties make contact through a variety of sources and by a variety of methods.
Support structures such as duty systems for example are in place to assist parties
who make contact with HSE Child Protection and Welfare Service.
There are 2 steps to the Referral Process. The screening step is concerned with
screening out those enquiries, reports, requests for service etc. that do not belong to
the CP&W team and recording the details provided by the reporter for those that do.
The preliminary enquiries step is concerned with substantiating the details provided
by the reporter e.g. verify reporters phone number, child’s address, concern, check if
the child is already known to the service, other network checks etc.
2 Children First (65.8.2.)
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