CHCCHILD401A: Identify and respond
to children and young people at risk
Report indications of possible risk of harm
Contents
Accurately record relevant circumstances surrounding risk of
harm in accordance with organisation procedures, ethics and
legal requirements
3
Risk of harm
3
Gathering, monitoring and recording information
5
Promptly report risk of harm indicators accordance with
statutory and organisation procedures
7
Identify indicators of risk of harm
7
Indicators in children’s behaviour
11
When is there reason to be suspicious?
12
Guidelines on what to tell a child
13
Making 'risk of harm' judgments
14
Legislation and the reporting of risk of harm
15
Work collaboratively with relevant agencies to ensure maximum
effectiveness of report
2
17
Making a mandatory report
17
Reports made by mandatory reporters
18
Report feedback
18
Support agencies
19
The role of government agencies
19
The role of non-government agencies
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Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCDHILD401A: Reader LO 9339
© NSW DET 2010
Accurately record relevant
circumstances surrounding risk of
harm in accordance with organisation
procedures, ethics and legal
requirements
Being a worker means that you may have, or could have in the future, children in
your care who may be at risk of abuse, or are being abused or who have been
abused at some time in their life. A key element of our role as workers in the
community services sector is recognising indicators of possible abuse and risk of
harm and making appropriate decisions that support the rights and safety of
children and young people.
Risk of harm
‘Risk of harm’ refers to the likelihood that a child or young person may suffer
physical, psychological or emotional harm as a result of what is done (physical,
sexual or psychological abuse) or not done (neglect) by another person, often an
adult responsible for their care.
Factors which (singly or in combination) can increase the possibility of risk of harm
to children and young people occurring include:
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social or geographic isolation of the child, young person or family,
including lack of access to extended family
inadequate community support, eg affordable child care, housing,
transport, employment, health and welfare services
previous abuse or neglect of a brother or sister
limited parenting skills and poor parenting models possibly leading to
unrealistic expectations of children in the family
family history of violence including domestic violence
physical or mental health issues for the parent or caregiver affecting their
ability to care for the child or young person
the parent or caregivers’ abuse of alcohol or other drugs affecting their
ability to care for the child or young person.
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© NSW DET 2010
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It needs to be remembered that the presence of a risk factor in a child or young
person’s life does not necessarily mean the child/young person is at risk of harm.
Exposure to multiple risk factors, or multiple occurrences of the same risk factor
creates the greatest vulnerability in children and young people.
It is also important to note that, as we treat each child as an individual, so too we
should understand that all families are different. Raising children can place
pressure and stress on any family and learning to be an effective parent takes
time. Families need advice, assistance and support and this is more urgent when
families suffer economic hardship.
Activity 1
Activity 2
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© NSW DET 2010
Gathering, monitoring and recording
information
As a caregiver you have been trained to constantly observe children and record
your observations accurately and objectively. One of the ways you can protect
children from abuse is to be observant.
If you notice injuries or behaviours that alert you to the possibility of abuse, you
need to record these accurately, following the procedures in your workplace. It is
important to record what has actually happened without including
interpretations. The observations that you collect should involve a variety of
methods as this can give a holistic picture and give you clues as to whether the
child is at risk of harm.
Children sometimes behave in uncharacteristic ways. If you know the child and
have been completing regular observations, you are in a position to identify
uncharacteristic behaviours. If the child is at risk of harm or being abused, the
child will react in some way. This can be a dramatic change or it could be slowly
over a period of time.
Reflect on the situation below.
Bella, aged six, becomes aggressive towards other children, especially
those who are younger or smaller. She is exhibiting some bullying
characteristics and from previous observations, appears to be behaving in
an uncharacteristic manner.
It is also important to accurately record the visible signs, behaviour or behavioural
changes. It is equally important to make notes of explanations by the child or
parent. Children will often try to protect the perpetrators because they are either
scared or frightened or because they love them. Children may try to hide any
injuries or they may try to make up stories about what has happened. Similarly
adults may try and do the same thing.
By recording any explanations that you are given you are monitoring information
that may in fact be true or that may form part of a cluster of indicators.
If you have accurate records of these explanations, you can use them to provide
evidence should you subsequently need to make a report of suspected abuse to
the relevant authority or child protection agency.
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© NSW DET 2010
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Activity 3
Activity 4
Recording information
Remember, as a worker in NSW, you are legally obliged to report if you have
reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is at risk of harm, and if you have
current concerns about the safety, welfare and well-being of a child or young
person. Your service will also have in place policies and procedures which guide
you in making a report. This may include discussing your concerns with a
supervisor or co-ordinator before making a report, and only using service or
agency agreed forms for making the report. In some services, it may be policy that
only the co-ordinator actually makes the report to the DoCS Helpline.
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Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCDHILD401A: Reader LO 9339
© NSW DET 2010
Promptly report risk of harm indicators
accordance with statutory and
organisation procedures
A child’s and young person’s right to safety is one that every member of the
community should support. One way workers in community services can support
this right is to develop awareness of the indicators that a child is at risk within
their home or family. Under the NSW Children and Young Persons (Care and
Protection) Act 1998, it is a legislative as well as an ethical responsibility for
workers to be aware of indicators of risk.
Identify indicators of risk of harm
When is a child at risk of harm?
There are a number of circumstances that might lead you to believe that a child or
young person is ‘at risk of harm’.
According to the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998:
A child or young person is at risk of harm if current concerns exist for the
safety, welfare or wellbeing of the child or young person because of the
presence of any one or more of the following circumstances:
(a) the child or young person’s basic physical or psychological needs are
not being met
(b) the parents or other caregivers have not arranged and are unable or
unwilling to arrange for the child or young person to receive necessary
medical care
(c) the child or young person has been, or is at risk of being, physically or
sexually abused or ill-treated
(d) the child or young person is living in a household where there have
been incidents of domestic violence and, as a consequence, the child or
young person is at risk of serious physical or psychological harm
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© NSW DET 2010
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(e) a parent or other caregiver has behaved in such a way towards the
child or young person that the child or young person has suffered or is at
risk of suffering serious psychological harm.
(f) the child was the subject of a pre-natal report as being at risk of harm
at birth, but the birth mother of the child did not engage successfully with
support services to eliminate, or minimise to the lowest level reasonably
practical, the risk factors that gave rise to the report. .
As a worker, you have a responsibility to:
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be aware of children who are at risk of harm
recognise and identify situations in which it is occurring
report suspicions in order to help protect children.
Situations in which you may find yourself could include:
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a parent might tell you that she has lost her temper and hit her child on
the side of the head
you may observe a cigarette burn on the buttocks of a toddler when you
are changing their nappy
a child might tell you that a family member is touching them in a private
place on their body.
These situations are clearly reportable cases of children at risk of harm. For you to
consider reporting, you need to be sure there are reasonable grounds and that
there are current concerns that the children are at risk of harm.
You are being trained to develop skills which can help you to recognise indicators
so you can make appropriate decisions that support the rights and safety of
children within your care. The following activities in this topic will help you
develop these skills further.
Indicators
An indicator is a sign which points to the fact that abuse might be occurring. It is
something that you observe (such as injuries or changes in a child’s behaviour) or
hear or are told that indicates the child might be at risk of harm. In order to
monitor vulnerable children you need to be able to recognise signs of risk of
harm.
There are basically three categories of indicators:
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physical indicators of the child
behavioural indicators of the child
behavioural indicators of the caregiver.
Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCDHILD401A: Reader LO 9339
© NSW DET 2010
Possible signs of neglect
Signs in children
low weight for age and/or failure to thrive
and develop
untreated physical problems e.g. sores,
serious nappy rash and urine scalds
extreme anxiety about being abandoned,
which is not age-appropriate
child not adequately supervised for their
age
scavenging or stealing food and focus on
basic survival
poor standards of hygiene i.e. child
consistently unwashed
extended stays at school, public places,
other homes
extreme longing for adult affection
rocking, sucking, head-banging
poor or pale complexion and poor hair
texture
Signs in parents or caregivers
unable or unwilling to provide adequate
food, shelter, clothing, medical attention,
safe home conditions
leaving the child without appropriate
supervision
abandonment of child
withholding physical contact or
stimulation for prolonged periods
unable or unwilling to provide
psychological nurturing
Possible signs of sexual abuse
Signs in children
child or child’s friend telling you about it,
directly or indirectly
describing sexual acts
going to bed fully clothed
sexual knowledge or behaviour
inappropriate for the child’s age
regressive behaviour e.g. sudden return to
bed-wetting or soiling
bruising or bleeding in the genital area
sexually transmitted diseases
bruising to breasts, buttocks, lower
abdomen or thighs
self-destructive behaviour e.g. drug
dependency, suicide attempts, selfmutilation
child being in contact with a known or
suspected perpetrator of a sexual
assault
anorexia or over-eating
adolescent pregnancy
unexplained accumulation of money and
gifts
persistent running away from home
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Signs in parents or caregivers
exposing a child to prostitution or
pornography or using a child for
pornographic purposes
intentional exposure of a child to sexual
behaviour of others
previous conviction or suspicion of child
sexual abuse
coercing a child to engage in sexual
behaviour with other children
verbal threats of sexual abuse
denial of adolescent’s pregnancy by
family
Possible signs of physical abuse
Signs in children
bruising to face, head or neck, other
bruising and marks which may show the
shape of the object that caused it e.g. belt
buckle, hand print
lacerations and welts
explanation of injury offered by the child is
not consistent with the injury
adult bite marks and scratches
abdominal pain caused by ruptured
internal organs, without a history of major
trauma
fractures of bones, especially in
children under three years old
burns and scalds (including cigarette
burns)
drowsiness, vomiting, fits or retinal
haemorrhages, which may suggest
head injury
multiple injuries or bruises
swallowing of poisonous substances,
alcohol or other harmful drugs
dislocations, sprains, twisting
general indicators of female genital
mutilation which could include: having
a special operation, difficulties in
toileting and reluctance to be involved
in sport or other physical activities
where the child was previously
interested.
Signs in parents and caregivers
explanation of injury offered by the parent
is not consistent with the injury
a parent or caregiver says that they fear
injuring their child
family history of violence
history of their own maltreatment as a
child
frequent visits with their child to health or
other services with unexplained or
suspicious injuries, swallowing of non-food
substances or with inner complaints
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Possible signs of emotional abuse
All types of abuse and neglect harm children psychologically, but the term
‘emotional abuse’ applies to behaviour which destroys a child’s confidence.
Signs in children
constant feelings of worthlessness
about life and themselves
inability to value others
lack of trust in people
lack of people skills necessary for daily
functioning
extreme attention-seeking behaviour
other behavioural disorders e.g.
bullying, disruptiveness, aggressiveness
exposure to domestic violence
suicide threats or attempts
persistent running away from home
Signs in parents or caregivers
constant criticism, belittling, teasing of
a child, or ignoring or withholding
praise and attention
excessive or unreasonable demands
persistent hostility and severe verbal
abuse, rejection and scapegoating
belief that a particular child is bad or
‘evil’
using inappropriate physical or social
isolation as punishment
domestic violence
Remember, the above are only possible signs of abuse and neglect. The presence
of these signs does not necessarily mean abuse and neglect has been or is,
occurring.
These indicators are adapted from the NSW Department of Community Services
website publication Possible signs of abuse: following publication: how do I know
if a child or young person is being abused? at
http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/preventing_child_abuse_and_neglect/what_i
s_child_abuse/signs_of_abuse.html
Indicators in children’s behaviour
Other indicators will be evident in the behaviour of the child. These are called
'behavioural indicators'.
Observations could include a dramatic change in behaviour or unusual behaviour
that is not consistent with someone in that age group and/ or stage of
Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCHILD401A: Reader LO 9339
© NSW DET 2010
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development. Think about what behavioural indicators you may observe that
would lead you to suspect that a child is at risk of harm.
Activity 5
Activity 6a
Activity 6b
Activity 7
Other behavioural indicators of a caregiver
There may be some other behavioural indicators of a caregiver that could indicate
that a child may be at risk of harm.
These might include:
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observed yelling and shouting at the child
showing an unattached and disinterested relationship with the child
constant criticism and humiliation of the child
negative reactions towards the child
unrealistic expectations of the child's behaviour.
Activity 8
When is there reason to be suspicious?
It is important to remember that these are indicators. When a particular incident
or piece of evidence occurs in isolation, this may not be an indication that the
child is at risk of harm or of being abused.
Evidence from a cluster of indicators
Usually you would observe a cluster of indicators—ie, observe more than one
indicator. The indicators in a cluster might come from one of the categories—for
example, there might be a cluster of physical injuries on the child and these might
occur over a period of time. Alternatively, the indicators may come from more
than one category—for example, you might observe some unusual behaviours
and another caregiver might inform you about an incident that has occurred.
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© NSW DET 2010
Evidence from one indicator
As mentioned previously, you might make an observation when confronted with
evidence that is gained from one indicator—cigarette burns is an obvious
example.
Suspicions based on reasonable grounds
You may also have suspicions based on reasonable grounds. This is when:
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a child tells you that she or he is being abused (a child will tell you only
when they reach a certain stage in language development)
another person might advise you of observations they have made. This
person might be a parent, neighbour, relative, friend or teacher who tells
you they know or believe the child is at risk of harm. Another person may
be looking for your professional advice as to what to do in this situation.
a child might tell you that someone they know is being or has been
abused. Sometimes you might find that the child will be able to disclose
information in this way even if it is about their own personal
circumstances.
Activity 9: Jayden case study
Guidelines on what to tell a child
When a child discloses abuse, it is important that you:
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listen to the child without interrupting
use a calm, reassuring voice and talk at the child’s developmental level
give support to the child by demonstrating that you believe their story
provide comfort to the child both verbally and through agreed
appropriate physical contact
ensure you do not express negative suggestions such as judgment, doubt
or shock
be honest with the child to help the child develop trust; encourage
honesty
avoid negativity in all ways, including emotional reactions; be as
professional as possible
let the child or young person talk at their own pace; avoid interruptions
and be patient with silences
make notes of all relevant conversations where appropriate (either during
or after the disclosure).
What you need to let the child know:
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it is not their fault
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© NSW DET 2010
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they did the right thing by telling you
it is not OK for adults to harm children in any way
at their level of understanding, advise them what will happen next
that it is part of your job to inform people who can assist when a child or
young person has been harmed, or is at risk of harm.
Do not make any promises—particularly do not say that you will not tell anyone.
You have to—it is your responsibility.
It is OK for them to be concerned about what will happen next—however, don’t
tell the child that everything will be fine or the situation will be fixed, as you have
no control over the outcome.
Making 'risk of harm' judgments
Jayden’s case study
Paula is a member of a team in a childcare centre. She explains what
happened with Jayden, a child at the centre.
Jayden is a four-year-old boy who attended my centre. Up until six months
ago he seemed to be a settled, happy child with a good relationship with
his mother, sister and younger brother.
Then I started to notice changes in Jayden’s behaviour. He had become
more aggressive with his peers and defiant with staff. He became more
frustrated more quickly, cried more often and occasionally soiled himself.
I was concerned enough to discuss my observations with Jayden’s mother,
Marion. She acknowledged that she has noticed a change and this could
be due to a change in their family’s situation.
Marion commented: ‘We’ve been spending more time with my mother
who has recently moved to the area. She has remarried and her husband
Stan can’t see enough of the kids.’
Marion said that Jayden sometimes isn’t so keen to go, ‘but you can’t let a
four year old be the boss’.
I made a note of the conversation as it seemed reasonable that Jayden
was experiencing some changes in his home life and as well perhaps he
was feeling bored at the centre as he was commencing school the next
year.
A few weeks later I was sitting with Jayden and saw that he was
concentrating on a drawing. It was a drawing of a child lying down and
what looked like a big monster next to the child.
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© NSW DET 2010
I was concerned by the drawing and I asked Jayden to tell me about his
drawing. At first he said little then he told me a story about how Stan
comes into his room at night and touches him. He points to his private
parts.
At first I tried not to react in a shocked or disgusted manner, which was
really hard. As I always do with children, I tried to think of things to say
that were positive and supportive. I said: ‘Thanks for telling me’ and ‘I am
glad you told me.’ After that, Jayden ran off outside to play.
I was very shocked at what had happened and knew that I had to tell the
director. I knew I hadn't done everything I could have.
What happened next? Jayden’s situation was discussed at a staff meeting. It was
important to approach Jayden's situation as a team working together to help and
support Jayden.
From the meeting, all staff were aware of the situation and could gather
information and place it on file if needed. It also meant that by working on an
agreed set of principles for responding to a disclosure we were acting
professionally and in a consistent manner. All staff were aware of their
responsibilities and were expected to adhere to their duty of care.
Now what should happen with Jayden? Should a report be made to a reporting
agency?
The key questions are:
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Do you have reasonable grounds?
Do you have current concerns?
Is there harm or risk of harm?
Other issues which might influence your judgement can include:
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the level of vulnerability of the child which includes the child's age and
development
the observed behaviour of the child
the behaviour from another person that is having, a demonstrated
negative impact on the child
contextual risk factors, for example what is happening in the home?
Legislation and the reporting of risk of
harm
State child protection legislation also sets out how Human / Community Services
Departments are to respond to reports of abuse or risk of harm.
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© NSW DET 2010
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There are procedures for assessment and investigation, and the management of
cases once the report is substantiated. Management could include proceedings in
the Children’s Court, with removal of a child from his/her parent’s home as the
outcome. However, under the NSW Children and Young Persons (Care and
Protection) Act 1998, a caseworker must demonstrate to the Children’s Court that
less disruptive avenues of protecting a child have been explored and found to be
inadequate before the Court will consent to the removal of the child from their
usual caregiver.
This approach reflects:
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a belief that children and young people should remain within their
families wherever possible
research which indicates that children in out-of-home care have a greater
risk of abuse or harm from institutions which are supposed to care for and
protect them.
Systems abuse, as this type of harm is called can range from harm or abuse by
workers in an institution (such as in the large children’s homes common up until
the 1970’s), to a failure of government policies and services to meet the needs of
children and young people.
Who reports?
Section 27(1)(a) of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998
states that you are a mandatory reporter if in the course of your professional
work you deliver any of the following to children:
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health care
education
welfare
children’s services
residential services
law enforcement (including prisons).
Section 27(1)(b) of this Act states that if you hold a managerial position with direct
responsibility for the supervision of staff or provision of services in any of these
areas, then you are a mandatory reporter.
Under the Ombudsman Amendment (Child Protection and Community Services)
Act 1998, the head of the agency or service is responsible for reporting an
allegation of abuse against an employee to the Ombudsman.
Activity 10
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© NSW DET 2010
Work collaboratively with relevant
agencies to ensure maximum
effectiveness of report
Making a mandatory report
In NSW, reports of risk of harm to children and young people are made to the
DoCS Helpline.
Your service will have in place policies and procedures which guide you in making
a report. This may include discussing your concerns with a supervisor or coordinator before making a report, and only using service or agency agreed forms
for making the report. In some services, it may be policy that only the coordinator actually makes the report to the DoCS Helpline.
Approved agency forms will vary from one agency or service to another, but
should have at least the following headings:
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Name of the service
Name/phone number of reporter
Child to be reported
Child’s contact details
Other children in the family
Language spoken at home
Reasons for concerns about risk of harm
Further information about the child’s and family’s current circumstances.
Helpful information for DoCS includes:
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full name, date of birth (or approximate age), address and phone number
of the child/ren you are concerned about
full name (including any known aliases), approximate age, address and
phone number of the parents or carers
a description of the child and their current whereabouts
why it is suspected that the child is at risk of harm (what has been seen,
heard or told)
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whether a language or sign interpreter may be required, whether support
is required for a person with a disability or an Aboriginal agency is
involved
the name and contact details of the reporter.
Sometimes the reporter may not have all of this information. As a minimum, DoCS
needs to be able to identify and locate the child. Information that assists this, such
as the child’s school or child care centre, is also helpful.
Reports made by mandatory reporters
The report to DoCS will remain confidential. This means that the reporter’s name
and contact details will not be disclosed to anyone without their consent. No
agency may disclose to a parent, alleged perpetrator, employer or other person
the identity of a person who makes a report to DoCS.
When DoCS receives the report, they are required by law to make an assessment
and determination as to whether the child is actually at risk of harm. The
information provided within a report will inform what further action is needed.
Other considerations include the child or family history held by DoCS.
DoCS assesses all reports to determine the most appropriate action to ensure the
safety, welfare and wellbeing of the child. This might involve talking to the child,
their family or other important people in the child’s life (such as relatives,
teachers or child carers), or talking to people who work with the child or their
family (such as counsellors, health professionals or family support workers).
Not all reports will lead to further assessment or investigation. This may be
because there is insufficient information or reason to believe that the child or
young person is at risk of harm.
Report feedback
In most cases, feedback is provided to reporters about actions taken as a
consequence of their report. When a report is made, DoCS Helpline will inform
the reporter about the initial action that will be taken. Mandatory reporters will
also be advised in writing about this initial action plan, and if relevant, provided
with details of the identified DoCS Community Services Centre looking after the
case. Staff from DoCS may wish to contact the reporter again, to help in the
assessment of the safety, welfare and wellbeing of the child or young person. The
level of detail and information provided to reporters
Activity 11
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In some states, caregivers who work with children of any age in any type of
service are mandated by state law to report any suspicions of abuse directly to the
relevant government department.
In some states where it is not mandatory to make a report, your duty of care to
children and your legal responsibility means you should act professionally and
appropriately in a way which would protect children from abuse.
Once you have a suspicion on reasonable grounds that the child is at risk of harm,
you need to contact the government department responsible for child protection
and provide the requested information about the child and family.
Support agencies
The NSW Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 establishes a
legislative framework for a ‘whole of government’ approach to child protection
intervention and co-operative and co-ordinated work between government and
non-government agencies that deliver services to children and young people in
NSW. This approach aims to ensure that services are not working in opposition to
each other with the child and the family in the middle, and that support services
that the family needs to care for and protect their children can be readily
accessed.
Under the NSW Interagency Guidelines for Child Protection Intervention, all
agencies that provide any form of care for children and their families have the
responsibility to:
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exchange relevant information regarding a child and their family as
permitted by law
work with each other within agreed, coordinated procedures to provide
services for the care and protection of children
as far as possible, respond to requests from DoCS to provide a service to a
specific child or family.
This means we work in partnership with other organisations and agencies
involved with a child at risk of harm and their families to achieve the same
outcome—the safety, welfare and wellbeing of the child.
The role of government agencies
The NSW government has established specific roles and responsibilities for
government agencies which have the most direct involvement in the protection of
children. The Department of Community Services has the ‘lead responsibility’
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© NSW DET 2010
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because of its statutory powers to intervene in child protection matters and
because it has the power to request other services to provide the appropriate
care and support needed by children at risk of harm and their families. However,
other government agencies have important roles as service providers, employers,
funding and regulatory bodies and as interagency partners.
The role of non-government agencies
Generally, the role of non-government agencies is to recognise and report
suspected risk of harm, exchange information about a child at risk of harm with
DoCS and to use their ‘best endeavours’ (best efforts) to provide services and
support to a child and their family at the request of DoCS.
Activity 12
You can contact these agencies for more information.
Department of Community Services, NSW is the NSW government department
responsible for the protection of children. Reporting of child abuse is made to this
department. http://www.community.nsw.gov.au
NSW Commission for Children and Young People—this site provides useful
resources for working with children: http://kids.nsw.gov.au
NAPCAN—National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect is a
non-profit organisation and approved charity that works to create a safe
Australian society for all children and is a support service for families in crisis:
http://www.napcan.org.au
Kids Helpline: telephone 1800 55 1800. Their website offers access to a 24-hour
counselling service for children and families. Useful resources are available:
http://kidshelp.com.au
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Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCDHILD401A: Reader LO 9339
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