Keep Them Safe Response has implications for a wide range of NGOs delivering social services
03-Feb-2010
MHCC is working to assist our members and NGO's delivering social services understand how the Keep Them Safe Response will affect them.
Agencies that deal with children will need to refer to the new guidelines for reporting and work out ways to deal with those situations which fall below the reporting threshold. These agencies also need to be prepared to deal with referrals from CWUs and Family Referral Services.
Agencies that deal mainly or exclusively with adults will need to ask the questions - "Does this person have children or are they responsible for any children?" and "Is there any risk to the safety, welfare and wellbeing of the child or children?". These agencies will need to work out ways of dealing with the situation if the answer is yes. As referrals to NGO agencies for children at risk increase, it is expected that managing the risk will involve the provision of services to the adult/s who is/are responsible for the child or children. This will mean a greater involvement by a wider range of agencies who are not usually providers of services to children.
For NGOs, the changes to the legislation now encourage the free exchange of information between government agencies and non-government organisations involved in the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children and young people. This information exchange will be critical in managing the complex needs of all involved to reduce any risk to the child or children.
Read more about the Keep Them Safe Response and how it might affect your organisation