Introduction
The investigation plan addresses:
- the history of the case and content of the report
- the actions required and respective roles and responsibilities
- the sequence and timing of required actions.
Two and 14-day key performance indicators
For protective intervention reports classified for urgent investigation with a priority initial visit, face-to-face contact with both the child and parents must be attempted within two calendar days of receipt of the report.
For all other protective intervention reports, contact must be attempted within 14 calendar days of receipt of the report.
See Investigation planning - advice for addtional information.
Procedure
Case practitioner tasks
- Review the protective intervention report and child protection history including previous risk assessments, case plans and alerts.
- Review the intake risk assessment, and the essential information categories to:
- Identify consequence and probability of harm
- Identify family violence risk factors
- Determine investigation urgency
- Review and consider MARAM assessments, risk ratings and safety plans. Where possible speak to adult and child victim survivors prior to interviewing the perpetrator and note any safety strategies required.
- Identify relevant professionals and agencies as per the investigation plan checklist. See Investigation plan checklist.
- Liaise with police if the report involves a criminal matter and jointly determine how the investigation will proceed. Refer to the Police - protocol.
In planning with police consider:
- who will be interviewed and in what order
- who will lead the interviews
- when the alleged offending parent /non-offending parent should be interviewed
- whether parents or caregivers will be interviewed separately – for example where family violence is an issue, share any MARAM assessments with police
- whether the non-offending parent will be informed prior to the interview of the child or after the interview of the child
- who will take the record of interview
- agreement at termination of interview (to prevent either party jeopardising the other’s role)
- appropriateness of uniform or plain clothes for Victoria Police.
- Complete the investigation plan, outlining:
- goals, actions, roles, responsibilities and timelines.
- If required, seek approval from the team manager for variance from the urgent (two-day) or non-urgent (14-day) timeline.
- Obtain supervisor approval of the investigation plan.
- Record the investigation plan in the case planning section of CRIS, in the SAFER tab.
- Record all information gathered through investigation in the essential information categories in CRIS.
- Consider worker safety issues and complete the Worker safety checklist.
- Complete the Outreach kit checklist.
Supervisor tasks
- Provide ongoing supervision and consultation.
- Approve the investigation plan.
Team manager
- Endorse key decisions including:
- variance from KPI-defined timeline for initial visit.