Keep Them Safe Response - Police Child Wellbeing Unit to seek help from community agencies for referrals
18-Jan-2010
Child Wellbeing Units (CWU) will be established in four major Government agencies who currently make over 60% of all reports to the Community Services Helpline: NSW Health, NSW Police, and the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Human Services (covering Juvenile Justice, Housing and Ageing, Disability and Home Care).
As of the 24th January mandatory reporters will only make a report to the Community Services Helpline where there is suspected ‘risk of significant harm’ as opposed to ’risk of harm’. For reports that do not meet the new threshold, mandatory reporters where appropriate, identify potential responses within their own agency or organisation or make a referral to other services to provide support to the family.
The New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF) CWU will operate differently to the other CWU due to the sporadic, not continuing relationship Police Officers have with families. Families that fall below the Significant Harm threshold that are reported to our unit will be referred by CWU Assessment Officers to services. These referrals will be based on information from the Police report after an incident. Due to this reporting process it would be impractical and insensitive for Police Officers to ask families for consent for referrals at the time of an incident.
Because of this, we would be asking your services to “cold call” families with offers of assistance. For example “Hi my name is ‘X’, I’m calling from ‘X’, and we have received a referral from the Police for your family. The services we offer are ‘X’, and ‘X’. Would you be interested in using these services?” The family has no legal obligation to accept your offer of service, however if they decline the service offer we ask that you inform us for our information.
NSW Police CWU will be relying on a number of databases including the Mental Health Information and Services Directory to refer children and families. Over the next few months you may receive a call from the Police CWU regarding further information about your service OR to receive a referral. For more information please contact the Police CWU on 43520500. Note this number is not for the general public.