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These options are intended to address the specific issue(s) causing the childprotection concern. Various services could be provided without a court order beinggranted. Not all substantiations, therefore, will lead to a care and protection order.A care and protection order is a legal intervention for protective reasons. Courtorders may be used to enable the relevant agency to undertake activities necessaryto resolve the protection issue. The use of court orders could be associated with:• the speed of response required (that is, an emergency response)• the family not engaging with the relevant agency over a period of time• a change of circumstances that increases the risk to the child or young person(SCRCSSP 2003).Some children are on care and protection orders for reasons other than abuse orneglect; for instance, where there is an irretrievable breakdown in the relationshipsin the family or where the parents are unwilling or unable to care for the child.Notwithstanding this, given that legal intervention is usually a last resort after otheroptions have failed or are considered infeasible –– care and protection orders mayprovide some insight into the most serious or long-term instances of child abuse andneglect. These instances could, potentially, reflect the most serious harm anddamage to the child and the ability of the family to function.The types of orders that are classified as ‘care and protection’ include:• Guardianship or custody orders: which have the impact of transferring custodyor guardianship• Supervision orders: and other finalised orders which give the State or Territorysome responsibility for the child’s welfare• Interim and temporary orders: which include orders that are not finalised, andcare applications.Care should be taken in interpreting the care and protection data. It is a proxyindicator because no credible data exist on actual levels of child abuse or neglect.The data collected by community service departments may under-estimate the trueextent of abuse or neglect occurring within both the Indigenous and non-Indigenouscommunities.In some instances, increases in notifications (and subsequent substantiations) maybe a result of reduced tolerance in Indigenous families and the broader Indigenouscommunity of abuse or neglect of children. An increased rate in these instances willsignify increased awareness and identification of the problem — which is moredesirable than abuse and neglect occurring but not being reported.FUNCTIONAL ANDRESILIENT FAMILIESAND COMMUNITIES

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