Child protection education resources for health workers
Health workers are often involved in providing services to children, young people and adults who have parental/carer responsibilities in relation to children and young people. We have a legislative responsibility to protect children.
Reporting
All health professionals are expected to be aware of their responsibilities in relation to child protection and the legal framework (the Child Protection Act 1999) for sharing information about child protection concerns.
Child protection: staff orientation resources
All newly employed health professionals should be provided with introductory information on child protection and the reporting of suspected child abuse and neglect.
Include a broad overview of child protection as a mandatory component in clinical induction programs.
Familiarise staff with the relevant legislation:
Amendments to the Child Protection Act 1999 came into effect in January 2015.
- Introduction to the Child Protection Act 1999 (Video)
- Mandatory Reporting on Child Protection (Video)
The Child Protection Guide—an online tool to support professionals, such as teachers, doctors and nurses, child care workers and others working with children and families, in deciding where to refer or report concerns about a child’s safety or wellbeing. This guide includes:
- Procedures manual
- Child protection guide online training module
Education module: understanding child abuse and neglect
Education is available to health professionals to increase knowledge of an individual’s roles and responsibilities in recognising, reporting and responding to child abuse and neglect
Download the Child Abuse and Neglect Education Module (PDF 1.39MB)
Reporting child abuse
Find forms and processes for reporting child abuse.
Referral (Family and Child Connect)
If your concerns don’t reach the threshold for a report to Child Safety Services and the family has multiple or complex needs and would benefit from support services or you believe further identification of the family’s needs is required; then obtain the families consent and refer to Family and Child Connect (FaCC).
Family and Child Connect is a local, community-based service that helps families to care for and protect their children at home, by connecting them to the right services at the right time.
Find a local Family and Child Connect office
Evolve Therapeutic Services Resources
Evolve Therapeutic Services (ETS) was established in 2005 as a tertiary level mental health intervention service to address severe and complex mental health therapeutic needs of children/young people with a care experience (out-of-home) within Queensland. More specifically, ETS provides specialist intensive trauma-informed mental health interventions for children/young people:
- subject to an interim or finalised child protection order granting custody or guardianship to the Chief Executive of the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs (DCYJMA)
- on an Intervention with Parental Agreement and subject to a child protection care agreement, or
- Support Service Case.
Referrals to ETS can only be made by DCYJMA. If a referral is unable to be accepted, recommendations are provided to DCYJMA regarding appropriate alternative service options.
ETS Statewide Factsheet (PDF 130kB)
Consumer resources:
- Caveman Series
- ETS Statewide Caveman Series Guide (PDF 897kB)
- Caveman Gets a Brain (PDF 6.26MB)
- Caveman Learns to Think (PDF 5.65MB)
- Thinker Takes Charge (PDF 6.05MB)
- Welcome to the Stress Express (PDF 4.92MB)
- Caveman Series Factsheets/Posters
- Caveman – Our stress response (PDF 363kB)
- Caveman – Our stress alarm system (PDF 602kB)
- Caveman – Calming the alarm system (PDF 432kB)
- Caveman – Calming the caveman brain (PDF 439kB)
- Your Brilliant Brain (PDF 11.3MB)
- Harmful Sexual Behaviour:
- Joint ETS and DSCSDS ‘Developmental and Harmful Sexual Behaviour Continuum at a Glance’ resource (PDF 635kB)
- Murky Waters Overview Posters - updated (PDF 386kB)
- What to do if when you observe harmful sexual behaviours (PDF 208 kB)
- Sexual abuse - harmful sexual behaviours Disclosures do’s and don’ts (PDF 76 kB)
- Harmful Sexual Behaviours – Support and Supervision Plan ideas (PDF 169 kB)
- Become a needs detective A3 poster (PDF 191kB)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources:
- ETS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing: Domains, Contributing / Risk and Protective Factors (PDF 185kB)
- ETS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing Cards Guide (PDF 1.19MB)
- ETS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing Cards (PDF 8.35MB)
- Feeling Better Initiative:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (PDF 134kB)
- Depression (PDF 132kB)
- Anxiety (PDF 135kB)
- Factsheets:
- Some Difficulties Following Trauma (PDF 241kB)
- Infant Mental Health (IMH):
- ETS IMH Practice Framework Contextualising Document (PDF 1.14MB)
- ETS IMH Core Skills (PDF 19.19MB)
- Professional Development:
- ETS Foundations to Attachment (iLearn) (PDF 201kB)
- Access to recorded ETS training workshops
- Workplace/Individual Wellbeing
Further information
- Protecting Children (Queensland Department of Communities)
- Queensland Family and Child Commission