Initial Assessment: Time to Analyse
In your analysis, you have two main decisions to answer.
What is the scope and type of Child Safety Concern? and
Do you have enough information or do you need to conduct a more comprehensive assessment?
Scope
Does the ‘concern’ that has been raised come under the authority and responsibility of your organisation? Does the ‘concern’ involve a worker, child, ministry or facility under the care or authority of the organisation (past or present)?
Choices
No. It has been determined that the concern does not come under the authority of the organisation. Go directly to the last step, “Action Plan’ and create an action plan. This may include actions such as reporting to local police, children service, informing another organisation. Actions that any concerned person or organisation can do when they do not have the responsibility or authority for other actions.
Yes. The concern does come under the authority of the organisation and therefore requires assessment and response. Proceed to the next question “Aspect”.
Type of Child Safety Concern
An organisation has multiple responsibilities and must assess different aspects of a raised concern. These assessment areas have different purposes and rules; therefore, it is essential to identify the different areas / aspects of a ‘Child Safety Concern’.
Choices. A Child Safety Concern can have one, two, or all three of following aspects.
- Safety & well-being. Any reasonable concern of the cognitive, physical, psychological, or social well-being of a child. This may include but is not limited to:
- a child or family may have a high need and/or unmet need that may require support, such as for example, a medical, educational need.
- a concern that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering physical, emotional, sexual abuse, or neglect. This abuse or risk of abuse may be intentional or unintentional, caused by the child themselves, another child, a parent or from another adult.
- Concern for an unsafe practice of the organization
- Misconduct. Any reasonable concern that a worker or volunteer has breached the conduct expectations of the organisation, the Code of Conduct.
- Impact. Any reasonable concern that an individual or community has been impacted (past or present) by a Child Safety Concern.
Do you have enough information?
Do you have enough information to make inform decisions, or do you require more comprehensive assessments?
Choices
Yes. There is enough information gathered to make informed decisions. If this is the case, then move onto considering ‘Immediate Actions’ and then create an ‘Action Plan’. (It is a good idea to consult with multi-disciplined professions to make sure that you have enough information).
No. There is not enough information to make a decision on safety, misconduct and/or impact. Therefore, further assessment in one or more of these areas is required.
- Safety & well-being needs assessment. An assessment of the safety & well-being needs of a child, and/or family.
- Misconduct assessment. An assessment of an allegation or concern of misconduct, breach of the Code of Conduct of a worker or volunteer.
- Impact assessment. An assessment of the impact of a child safety concern on a person or community.