Introduction and overview
A resource for all government and non-government agencies working in the child and family services sector that focuses on improving our work together.
Overview of the guidelines
Child wellbeing and protection laws in NSW provides an overview of legislation governing child wellbeing and protection in NSW, and other laws relating to children.
Prevention and early intervention includes relevant policy frameworks, initiatives and services that aim to support children and families experiencing vulnerabilities and prevent children from coming into statutory out-of-home care.
Working with children and families contains approaches and practice advice for working effectively with children and families. This includes specific information and resources for working with Aboriginal families and communities, culturally and linguistically diverse people, people with disability, and people with diverse gender and sexual identity.
Information sharing for service coordination explains how agencies can share information and collaborate in working towards common safety and wellbeing goals for the children and families we work with. It includes an overview of legislative and policy frameworks related to information sharing.
Understanding roles and responsibilities in the sector outlines the roles of key agencies involved in the child and family service sector, information about the Permanency Support Program, and the use of ChildStory for sharing information between agencies.
Reporting and responding to child wellbeing and safety concerns explains mandatory reporting obligations and how agencies can respond to concerns about a child’s safety or wellbeing. Resources and practice advice is also included.
Assessing wellbeing, safety and risk provides an overview of how risk of significant harm is assessed by the Department of Communities and Justice. It outlines how decisions are made when responding to reports regarding a child’s safety and wellbeing.
Courts involving children and young people provides an overview of processes related to the Children’s Court. It includes care and protection proceedings and the types of orders the Children’s Court may make. Part 8 also contains information about other courts children and families may come into contact with.