This procedure applies to SOS contact with young people, including contact with child protection clients and young people who are not child protection clients (voluntary contacts).
SOS may also have a role in supporting young people between the ages of 17 to 21 years who fall within the leaving care provisions of the CYFA.
SOS practitioners are protective interveners.
SOS practitioner tasks
- Consult your team or practice manager and register a child wellbeing report or a protective intervention report in CRIS when you have significant concerns for a young person under the age of 17 years who is not a current child protection client.
- Transfer the report to divisional intake for assessment and classification unless more urgent action is required.
- If a response to a report is required before the next business day, undertake necessary action, in consultation with your team or practice manager.
- Undertake intervention with active child protection clients, in consultation with your team or practice manager and the AHCPES where required, with reference to any available divisional advice or risk management plan available in CRIS.
- Complete CRIS documentation.
- Liaise with divisional staff as required on the next business day.
- Seek permission from a voluntary client before taking action regarding the client unless it is assessed there are significant risk issues which require an immediate response.
SOS aims to prevent escalation of risk. The provision of ongoing support to voluntary clients is not an appropriate role for SOS practitioners. Practitioners may provide supportive, voluntary intervention with the young person as appropriate to the circumstances, with the aim of engaging relevant services.
- Enter a case note on the closed CRIS file where you have provided a support service to a previous child protection client who has left out-of-home care and to whom CYFA s16(1)(g) applies. Liaise with programs or support services that the young person is involved with.
- Document your contact with young people on the SOS running sheet.
The information-sharing provisions of the CYFA do not apply to voluntary clients. The Child Information Sharing Scheme (see Child Information Sharing Scheme and Child Protection) and Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (see Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme and Child Protection) apply to sharing information with other information sharing entities (ISEs) under those schemes. For information sharing beyond this in relation to SOS voluntary clients, the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 and the Health Records Act 2001 apply. See Privacy legislation and Child Protection.
Supervisor tasks
- Provide ongoing supervision and consultation.
Team or practice manager tasks
- Endorse key decisions including:
- classification of reports
- significant decision points
- transfer of cases to other teams.