Report of the Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW Volume 1 The Hon James Wood AO QC November 2008 © State of NSW through the Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW, 2008 ISBN 978-1-921301-86-5 Published November 2008 Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in New South Wales Table of contents Volume 1 Executive Summary .......................................................................................................i Recommendations .......................................................................................................xi Acronyms................................................................................................................xxxix Part 1 DoCS structure and workforce.........................................................................1 1. Introduction........................................................................................................3 2 DoCS structure and reform...............................................................................7 Introduction .....................................................................................................................8 Pre 2002............................................................................................................................8 2002 Reform Package .....................................................................................................9 Child Protection Major Project.....................................................................................13 DoCS organisational structure and budget................................................................14 Information systems .....................................................................................................18 Research function.........................................................................................................23 Complaints system .......................................................................................................25 Issues arising ................................................................................................................28 Recommendations ........................................................................................................40 3 DoCS workforce capacity................................................................................43 DoCS workforce ............................................................................................................44 Professional standards.................................................................................................57 Issues arising ................................................................................................................66 Recommendations ........................................................................................................79 Part 2 Early intervention and child protection .........................................................81 4 Key child protection research ........................................................................83 Introduction ...................................................................................................................84 Risk, protection and resilience in children and families...........................................86 Parenting capacity ........................................................................................................90 Domestic violence.........................................................................................................91 Neglect ...........................................................................................................................92 Physical abuse ..............................................................................................................95 Carer drug and alcohol misuse ...................................................................................98 Table of Contents Psychological abuse .................................................................................................. 104 Carer mental health .................................................................................................... 105 Sexual abuse............................................................................................................... 107 Child/young person risk taking behaviour............................................................... 112 Summary...................................................................................................................... 115 5 Key child protection data ............................................................................. 117 NSW demographic data ............................................................................................. 118 Reporting trends since 2001/02................................................................................. 119 Outcome of assessment at the Helpline .................................................................. 137 Reports referred to a CSC/JIRT for further assessment ........................................ 137 Assessment path ........................................................................................................ 149 Outcome of assessment of all child protection reports ......................................... 156 Care proceedings........................................................................................................ 164 Future Demand............................................................................................................ 166 6 Risk of harm reports to DoCS ...................................................................... 169 Reporting trends......................................................................................................... 170 Substantiations........................................................................................................... 174 Reports which receive no further assessment........................................................ 174 Mandatory reporting................................................................................................... 176 Recommendations...................................................................................................... 197 7 Early intervention .......................................................................................... 199 Introduction................................................................................................................. 201 Types of early intervention services......................................................................... 207 Inter-jurisdictional models......................................................................................... 213 NSW Framework ......................................................................................................... 215 Universal service system........................................................................................... 219 Targeted service system............................................................................................ 223 DoCS Brighter Futures early intervention program................................................ 231 Issues arising.............................................................................................................. 238 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 259 Recommendations...................................................................................................... 260 8 Assessment and response........................................................................... 261 NSW Assessment Framework................................................................................... 263 Introduction................................................................................................................. 263 Assessment by the Helpline ...................................................................................... 268 Case allocation............................................................................................................ 272 Case closure................................................................................................................ 277 NSW casework practice ............................................................................................. 279 Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in New South Wales Interagency work.........................................................................................................299 Recommendations ......................................................................................................321 9 Assessment and response: issues arising .................................................323 Assessment tools........................................................................................................324 Work at the Helpline....................................................................................................334 Work at the CSC ..........................................................................................................337 Supervision and professional development ............................................................360 Inquiry’s review of four CSCs ....................................................................................361 Involving other agencies