Guiding Principles for Dealing with Child Abuse

Guiding Principles for Dealing with Abuse and Suspected Abuse

Always give priortity to the safety and well-being of the child or young person.

If you consider a child or young person is at imminent risk of harm, take action immediately by notifying the Police and Child Youth and Family.

If you have any concerns for  the safety and well-being of the child or young person, take action immediately. This includes the discussion with the service manager and notification to Child Youth and Family and may include liaision with Police and other agencies.

Case note the circumstances, the actions you have taken and the rationale for your actions. Do not interview the child or young person. This role is undertaken by the Police.

The reporting of any child or young person who has been or is likely to be harmed (whether physically, emotionally or sexually), ill-treated, abused, negleted or deprived, takes precedence over privacy concerns.

Principal 11 of the Privacy Act 1993 sets out the grounds on which disclosure of personal information can take place. Where 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, or
• 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 Court proceedings (either commenced or reasonably in contemplation), or
• Authorised by the individual concerned.