Glossary - Child safety services

Glossaries, Table notes and Resources

Term	Details
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle	Enshrined in the Child Protection Act 1999 the principle includes the five elements that Child Safety must apply to the standard of active efforts when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families: Prevention – an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child has the right to be brought up within their own family and community Partnership – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have the right to participate in significant decisions under the Child Protection Act 1999 about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children Placement – if an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child is to be placed in care, they have a right to be placed with a member of their family group Participation – an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child and their parents and family have the right to participate and be enabled to participate in an administrative or judicial process for making a significant decision about the child Connection – an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child has a right to be supported to develop and maintain a connection with their family, community, culture, traditions and language, particularly when the child is in the care of a person who is not an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.
Abuse	Abuse is an action against a child that causes harm. The types of abuse that cause harm are physical, psychological or emotional abuse or neglect, or sexual abuse or exploitation. See also: Harm
Approved carer	A person who has been approved by the department to provide family-based care for children subject to departmental intervention. This includes an approved foster carer, an approved kinship carer or a provisionally approved carer.
Assessment order	A short-term order that is granted by either a magistrate or the court, under the Child Protection Act 1999 , to allow a range of actions to occur as part of an investigation and assessment and/or ensure the immediate safety of a child. See also: Temporary assessment order and Court assessment order.
Care agreement	A care agreement is an agreement between the department and the child's parents to place their child or young person in a care placement for a short period of time.
Case plan	A written plan for meeting a child's care and protection needs that: is developed in a participative process between the department, the child, their family and other people significant to the child and family records the goal and outcomes of ongoing intervention and identifies the agreed tasks that will occur to meet the goal and outcomes.
Chief Executive	Unless otherwise specified, refers to the Director-General, Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services.
Child concern reports	Reports that are recorded when information relating to a child protection concern does not reach the legislative threshold for a notification. A child safety officer may respond to a child concern report by providing information and advice, making a referral to an appropriate agency, or providing information to the police or another state authority.
Child health passport	Records a child’s or young person’s health information and provides carers with the information they need to meet the child’s day-to-day health needs.
Child protection order	An order made by the Childrens Court under the Child Protection Act 1999, when a child is considered in need of protection.
Court Assessment Order (CAO)	Authorises actions during the investigation and assessment process when consent of a parent cannot be obtained because parents have refused or are unable to consent to the process and more than 3 business days is necessary to complete the investigation and assessment. CAOs can provide the authority to take a child into the custody of the chief executive, however, guardianship remains with the child's parents. CAOs are granted for up to four weeks, however, the Child Protection Act 1999 allows for one extension of not more than four weeks.
Cultural support plan	A written document that is a key part of the case planning process for every child from another culture, and in particular, for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child. The cultural support plan aims to keep children connected to their culture, families and communities regardless of their placement by: helping to nurture and support the child to strengthen their cultural identity and connections assisting with the child’s understanding of their community networks and cultural heritage helping to increase the child’s knowledge and understanding of their place in their family, kinship and community structure helping ensure that important cultural and family information is maintained.
Custody	An order can grant custody to the chief executive or to a relative of the child. In accordance with the Child Protection Act 1999, a person who has or is granted custody of a child has the right and responsibility to attend to day-to-day matters only, including: a child's daily care making decisions about a child's daily care.
Directive order	An order made under the Child Protection Act 1999 directing a parent: to do or refrain from doing something directly related to the child's protection not to have contact (direct or indirect) with the child, or to only have contact when a stated person or a person of a stated category is present.
Distinct children	The number of individual children who are the subject of specified events during the period. Children are counted once only, regardless of the number of events they may experience within a period.
Emotional abuse	When the child's social, emotional, cognitive, or intellectual development is impaired or seriously threatened as a direct result of persistent parental behaviour/attitude toward the child. This includes significant emotional deprivation due to persistent coldness or rejection and hostility. Harm to the child may be cumulative and may be evidenced by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, self-harming behaviour, or aggressive behaviour towards others.
Finalised investigation and assessment	An investigation is classified as finalised where it is completed and an assessment outcome recorded and approved. Outcomes include: Substantiated Unsubstantiated Other - From 2015-16 this category has been renamed (previously named "no investigation and assessment outcome") to avoid misinterpretation. No subject child
Finalised order	A final order made by the court under the Child Protection Act 1999.
Foster carer	A person approved by the department to provide care in their own home for children and young people who have experienced harm or are at risk of harm. This can be for short or long periods of time.
Guardianship	A Child Protection Order can grant guardianship of the child to a relative of the child, another person, or the chief executive. In accordance with the Child Protection Act 1999, a person who has or is granted guardianship of a child has the powers, rights and responsibilities to attend to: a child's daily care making decisions that relate to day-to-day matters concerning the child's daily care making decisions about the long-term care, welfare and development of the child in the same way a person has parental responsibility under the Family Law Act 1975 .
Harm	Any detrimental effect of a significant nature on the child's physical, psychological or emotional wellbeing. Harm can be caused by physical, psychological or emotional abuse or neglect, or sexual abuse or exploitation. Harm can be caused by a single act, omission or circumstance; or a series or combination of acts, omissions or circumstances.
Harm report	A harm report will be recorded for any child where the information gathered indicates that: a child in care has experienced abuse or it is suspected that they have experienced abuse, and the abuse or suspected abuse may have involved the actions or inactions of a carer, adult household member or the staff member of a care service, including failure to protect a child.
Harm report substantiation	The outcome of a harm report investigation and assessment where it is assessed that the child or young person has experienced abuse and/or there is unacceptable risk of future abuse.
Independent Entity (Independent person)	A person chosen by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child, young person, parent or their family to help the child or young person and their family's meaningful participation in decision making. While all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families have a right to an Independent Entity, some families may choose not to have such a person facilitate their participation in the decision making process. The person chosen to be an Independent Entity will be an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person who is a representative of the child's community or language group, of significance to the child, young person and their family and/or is an authority to speak on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in relation to the child or young person's family.
Intake	Intake is the first phase of the child protection continuum and is initiated when information or an allegation is received from a notifier about harm or risk of harm to a child, or when a request for departmental assistance is made.
Interim order	On the adjournment of a proceeding for a court assessment or child protection order the Childrens Court has the power to make an interim order. An interim order made on adjournment of a court assessment order may grant temporary custody to the chief executive, or the child's parents will retain custody. An interim child protection order made on adjournment of a child protection order will grant custody to a family member or the chief executive.
Intervention with parental agreement (IPA)	Following an assessment that a child is in need of protection and the parents are able and willing to work actively with Child Safety Services, an IPA case may be opened by the department.
Investigation and assessment (I&A)	The process of investigating a notification of alleged harm or risk of harm. It involves an investigation of the alleged harm and an assessment of the child's protective and safety needs. The outcome of an I&A may be either: Substantiated Unsubstantiated Other - From 2015-16 this category has been renamed (previously named "no investigation and assessment outcome") to avoid misinterpretation. No Subject Child - Where it is determined the child does not exist or is not a member of the household being investigated, and the case is closed. NOTE: From September 2016 reporting, a new category 'No Subject Child' is being reported on. Prior to September 2016 reporting on this category was in 'Other'.
Investigation not yet finalised	A notification where the investigation was still in progress, the investigation was completed but the outcome was not yet recorded on the central system, or the investigation was completed and entered on the central system but yet to be approved.
Kinship carer	A person who meets the definition of kin set out in Schedule 3 of the Child Protection Act 1999, who is assessed and approved as a kinship carer for a child.
Living away from home	The provision of care outside the home to children who are in need of protection or who require a safe placement while their protection and safety needs are assessed. Living away from home refers to children in care (foster care, approved kinship care, provisionally approved care and residential care services) and other locations such as hospitals, Queensland youth detention centres, independent living as at midnight on the reference day.
Long-term guardianship	An order made under the Child Protection Act 1999 can grant long-term guardianship of the child to a suitable family member (other than a parent of the child), another suitable person nominated by the chief executive, or to the chief executive until the child’s 18^th birthday.
Mandatory notifiers	Under legislation there are groups of people and professionals who are required to report child protection concerns. These include: medical practitioners and registered nurses approved teachers authorised officers or employees of the department police officers with child protection responsibilities a person performing a child advocate function under the Public Guardian Act 2014 early childhood education and care professionals, from 1 July 2017 employees of licensed residential facilities with respect to harm involving children in residential care.
Neglect	When a child's basic needs of life are unmet by their parent to such an extent that a child's health and development are affected, causing harm, or likely to cause unacceptable risk of significant harm to a child.
Non-custodial order	A child protection order where custody and guardianship of children remain with the parents. Non-custodial orders may take the form of a directive order or a supervision order.
No subject child (investigation and assessment)	From September 2016 reporting period, this category includes investigations where it is determined the child does not exist or was found not to be a member of the household being investigated.
Notification	Recorded by the department when information received indicates significant harm or risk of significant harm to a child, and a reasonable suspicion the child is in need of protection.
Ongoing intervention	Ongoing intervention by the department is required when it has been determined that a child is in need of protection. When ongoing intervention is required, a case plan is developed in conjunction with the child and their family. Our department may intervene through the use of a child protection order, or may work with parental agreement (IPA). The child may also be removed from their home to ensure their safety.
Other (investigation and assessment outcome)	A full investigation for a child was not possible for a variety of valid reasons, and the case was closed. For example, this may occur in circumstances where: the family has relocated to another state or overseas, or insufficient information is provided and the family cannot be located, despite all reasonable steps having been undertaken to identify the family and their location NOTE: From 2015-16, this category has been renamed (previously named “no investigation and assessment outcome”) to avoid misinterpretation.
Out-of-home care	The provision of care outside the family home to children who are in need of protection or who require a safe placement while their protection and safety needs are assessed. In accordance with nationally agreed upon reporting definitions, data for out-of-home care refers to children placed with kin, other home-based carers or residential care services.
Permanent Care Order (PCO)	A long term child protection order where a permanent guardian is legally appointed to a child. Only the office of the Director Child Protection Litigation (DCPL) can apply to revoke or vary a Permanent Care Order. Once a Permanent Care Order is made, the department has no further involvement with the child subject to the order unless the guardian or the child request a review of the case plan, or a complaint is made.
Physical abuse	When a child has suffered, or is at unacceptable risk of suffering, serious physical trauma or injury of a non-accidental nature, due to the abusive actions of their parent(s).
Provisionally approved carer	A person who has been approved by the department to care for a particular child for a defined period of time. A provisionally approved carer must have made an application to be either an approved foster or kinship carer.
Protective order	Includes children subject to an order (whether it is a court assessment order or child protection order). This data is provided for national reporting to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) in accordance with nationally agreed reporting definitions.
Residential care services	Includes children living in non-family-based accommodation and support services funded by the department to provide care arrangements for children, generally aged 12 years and over. These services provide daily care and support for children by rostered residential care workers.
Resubstantiation	Resubstantiation is measured by counting the number of children subject to a substantiation within a financial year who were subsequently the subject of a further substantiation within the following three or 12 months of the initial substantiation.
Section 99 of the Child Protection Act 1999	In circumstances where a child is subject to an order granting custody or guardianship to the chief executive or custody to a member of the child’s family, section 99 of the Child Protection Act allows for the continuation of the order beyond its stated expiry date (provided the new application was made prior to the end of the existing order). The original order will continue until the application is decided (unless the Court orders an earlier end to the order).
Sexual abuse	Any sexual activity or behaviour that is imposed on a child and results in physical or emotional harm. This includes the inducement or coercion of a child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, sexually explicit conduct or behaviour for the sexual gratification or profit of the person responsible. It also includes circumstances where there is unacceptable risk that the child may be sexually abused.
Short-term custody	An order made under the Child Protection Act 1999 granting custody rights and responsibilities to a member of the child’s family or to the chief executive (for a period of up to two years). Guardianship rights and responsibilities in relation to the child remain with the child's parents for the duration of the custody order.
Short-term guardianship	An order made under the Child Protection Act 1999 granting guardianship rights and responsibilities to the chief executive in relation to the child (for a period of up to two years), including matters associated with the child's daily care. .
Standards of Care Review	A standards of care review is conducted in relation to a child placed in a care arrangement when: concerns indicate that the care provided to the child may not have met the standards of care the specific standards requiring review can be identified there is no information that the child has experienced harm or is suspected to have experienced harm. a review is required to determine if the standards are being met, and where not met, what actions are required to meet the standards and improve the level of care provided to the child.
Substantiated - child in need of protection	The outcome of an investigation and assessment where it is assessed that the child or young person has suffered significant harm and/or there is unacceptable risk of significant harm and there is no parent able and willing to protect the child.
Substantiated — child not in need of protection	The outcome of an investigation and assessment where it is assessed that the child or young person has suffered significant harm, but there is no unacceptable risk of significant harm as the child has a parent able and willing to protect them.
Supervision order	A child protection order that requires the chief executive to supervise the child's protection in relation to the matters stated in the order.
Temporary Assessment Order (TAO)	Authorises actions during the investigation and assessment process when parental consent cannot be obtained. TAOs can provide the authority to take a child into the custody of the chief executive, however, guardianship remains with the child's parents. TAOs can be granted for three business days or less, however, they can be extended until the end of the next business day.
Temporary Custody Order (TCO)	A Temporary Custody Order (TCO) can be used to ensure the immediate safety of a child while a decision is made about the most appropriate action to meet the child’s ongoing protection (for example, applying for a child protection order). TCOs may be applied for when a child is currently assessed as being in need of protection and is at unacceptable risk of immediate harm. TCOs can be granted by a Children’s Court for three business days or less, however they can be extended until the end of the next business day if the magistrate is satisfied that the department intends to apply for a child protection order.
Transition to adulthood planning	Transition to adulthood is the planning process that occurs as part of the ongoing case work and review process with a young person from the year they turn 15. This planning provides an opportunity for young people to identify their future goals and needs, and to work towards these goals with the support of Child Safety staff and significant people within the young person’s community. As of October 2018, the chief executive is responsible for supporting a young person who has been in care until the age of 25.
Transition Order	A transition order can be made under the Child Protection Act 1999 , section 65A, which continues the existing child protection order for a period of up to 28 days, to allow the child’s gradual transition from a care placement to their parents’ full-time care. A transition order cannot be extended. A transition order can be made when the court: revokes a child protection order decides an appeal against the making of the order in favour of a person other than the chief executive refuses to extend the order or grant a further order before the order ends.
Unsubstantiated	The outcome of an investigation and assessment where it is assessed that there is no evidence that the child has experienced significant harm and there is no unacceptable risk of significant harm.