CPS Agreement with CYF

Introduction

A Service Level Agreement between the Department of Corrections and Department of Child, Youth and Family was signed in 2000. This agreement aims to further improve cooperation between these agencies in order to:

• work in the best interests of children and young people, and
• reduce re-offending.

Relevance

The protocol between the Department of Corrections and Child, Youth and Family for reporting Child Abuse is contained in S.5 of this agreement, which states that:

"Any person who believes that any child or young person has been, or is likely to be, harmed (whether physically, emotionally, or sexually), ill treated, abused, neglected, or deprived may report the matter to a Social Worker or a member of the Police".

Reasonable grounds for disclosure

The reasonable grounds for the Department of Corrections and CYF disclosing information about an identifiable individual to one another are if the disclosure is:

• necessary to prevent or lessen a serious or imminent threat to public safety; or the life or health of the individual concerned or another individual
• authorised by the individual concerned (eg. signed consent Form)
• necessary to avoid prejudice to the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, detection, investigation, prosecution and punishment of offences, or
• necessary for the conduct of any Court proceedings (either commences or reasonably in contemplation).