Identify and respond to children and young people at risk - NSW ...

Participants who work with parents and carers need to balance the recognition
of parents/carers’ needs and interests with a focus on the needs and rights of
children/young people. Children and young people’s needs must be given
priority because of their developmental vulnerability, and because they do not
have the resources to protect or advance their own interests.
An employee’s role in relation to child protection is a function of the
responsibilities associated with their position. The Wood Inquiry (2008)
highlighted that employees from a range of agencies have the capacity to
identify needs and make referrals of children, young people and their families to
address needs and reduce risk, without the necessity for statutory child
protection involvement.
Pursuing involvement with children at risk beyond an employee’s designated
roles and responsibilities may have adverse consequences. For example, a carer
or teacher encouraging a child to discuss details of their abuse experience may
inadvertently undermine legal proceedings, or they may not know how to
encourage the development of healthy coping strategies. However workers can
still provide support to the child and/or family without discussing details of the
abuse.
No one organisation can meet all the needs of an individual child, young person
or family. It is important to recognise the role of universal services such as
education and medical services as well as specialist services such as counselling
or out-of-home care, and to recognise the scope of one’s individual role. An
employee with case management responsibilities may need to discuss a child’s
or young person’s views and preferences, but will not need to discuss specific
details of abuse that would be appropriately addressed in a therapeutic
relationship.
If the group consists of participants from one employment group only
identify some of other employment groups whose roles and
responsibilities complement the ones they have identified for their own
employment group.
Facilitator’s Note:
Inter-agency collaboration is enhanced by a clear understanding and
appreciation of the roles and responsibilities of others, and training is an
excellent opportunity for participants to strengthen their relationships
with staff from other organisations.
2.2 Risk and protective factors
1. Note the type of concerns identified in the previous discussion.
Ask:
‘What might make it more likely that one of the children or young
people on the slide would experience adverse outcomes in life?’
Keep Them Safe CHCCHILD401A – Facilitator’s Manual
© The NSW Technical and Further Education Commission
(TAFE NSW – Industry Skills Unit, Meadowbank, 2010)
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