Appendix 1 1: Comparative table of child protection system intake processes and our data collection approach Jurisdiction Child protection system intake and response processes Outline of data collection approach ACT In the ACT, initial or are meaning that nearly all We requested only data on notifications of child ‘reports’ ‘intakes’ ‘caller-defined’ intakes will be initially classified as This has the effect, relative to abuse and neglect. Because of the approach ‘notifications’. other jurisdictions which do not employ this approach, of inflating the number of taken in the ACT to defining we ‘notifications’, received this data, but it will reflect an inflated ‘notifications’. number of initial notifications. The agency then determines whether the has sufficient information to ‘notification’ require an investigation. TAS In Tasmania, or are meaning that nearly all intakes We requested only data on notifications of child ‘reports’ ‘intakes’ ‘caller-defined’ will be initially classified as This has the effect, relative to other abuse and neglect. Because of the approach ‘notifications’. jurisdictions which do not employ this approach, of inflating the number of taken in Tasmania to defining we ‘notifications’, received this data, but it will reflect an inflated ‘notifications’. number of initial notifications. The agency then determines whether the has sufficient information to ‘notification’ require an investigation. We did not request data on reports made under Tasmania’s differential response system (Gateways) as the study is focused on reports of child abuse and neglect of a higher level of seriousness. Data was provided for the years 2004-2012.
Appendix 1 1: Comparative table of child protection system intake processes and our data collection approach Jurisdiction Child protection system intake and response processes Outline of data collection approach ACT In the ACT, initial ‘reports’ or ‘intakes’ are ‘caller-defined’ meaning that nearly all intakes will be initially classified as ‘notifications’. This has the effect, relative to other jurisdictions which do not employ this approach, of inflating the number of ‘notifications’. The agency then determines whether the ‘notification’ has sufficient information to require an investigation. We requested only data on notifications of child abuse and neglect. Because of the approach taken in the ACT to defining ‘notifications’, we received this data, but it will reflect an inflated number of initial notifications. TAS In Tasmania, ‘reports’ or ‘intakes’ are ‘caller-defined’ meaning that nearly all intakes will be initially classified as ‘notifications’. This has the effect, relative to other jurisdictions which do not employ this approach, of inflating the number of ‘notifications’. The agency then determines whether the ‘notification’ has sufficient information to require an investigation. We requested only data on notifications of child abuse and neglect. Because of the approach taken in Tasmania to defining ‘notifications’, we received this data, but it will reflect an inflated number of initial notifications. We did not request data on reports made under Tasmania’s differential response system (Gateways) as the study is focused on reports of child abuse and neglect of a higher level of seriousness. Data was provided for the years 2004-2012.