All reasonable steps should be taken to locate parents, legal guardians, Taking reasonable or usual caregivers before referring children or young people on to Child, steps to locate Youth and Family, or Police. parents or guardians This includes collecting all relevant information to facilitate family reunification (child or young name and age; their person’s parent’s name, address, place of work; and/or or other grandparent’s relative’s address). This may also include checking relevant locations if possible (homes, or parents’ workplaces). It is important that any person that a child or young person is released to Unification of is: children and young people with their able to satisfactorily identify themselves as the parent, legal parents or legal guardian, or usual caregiver, and guardians. in a fit state to care for the child or young person. If unsure about whether to release a child or young person back to their parent, legal guardian, or usual caregiver because of concerns for their immediate health and safety, Police must be contacted in the first instance. The following databases/sources may hold emergency contact details Using relevant and other information relevant to the reunification of children and young databases people temporarily separated from their parent, legal guardian, or usual caregiver: education database CDEM EMIS Welfare Registration System (parents/guardians may have registered or inquired with local CDEM about their child/young person) Child, Youth and Family database, and Police Inquiry process. Working together to deliver accessible and responsive service requires: Ensuring integrated service delivery agencies to maintain situation awareness to ensure the needs of those affected are identified and met ongoing liaison with Local/CDEM Group/National Welfare Manager deploying people and resources to assist completing status update reports, and ongoing monitoring of activities and maintaining communication links with response teams.
Taking reasonable steps to locate parents or guardians All reasonable steps should be taken to locate parents, legal guardians, or usual caregivers before referring children or young people on to Child, Youth and Family, or Police. This includes collecting all relevant information to facilitate family reunification (child or young person’s name and age; their parent’s name, address, place of work; and/or grandparent’s or other relative’s address). This may also include checking relevant locations if possible (homes, or parents’ workplaces). Unification of children and young people with their parents or legal guardians. It is important that any person that a child or young person is released to is: able to satisfactorily identify themselves as the parent, legal guardian, or usual caregiver, and in a fit state to care for the child or young person. If unsure about whether to release a child or young person back to their parent, legal guardian, or usual caregiver because of concerns for their immediate health and safety, Police must be contacted in the first instance. Using relevant databases The following databases/sources may hold emergency contact details and other information relevant to the reunification of children and young people temporarily separated from their parent, legal guardian, or usual caregiver: education database CDEM EMIS Welfare Registration System (parents/guardians may have registered or inquired with local CDEM about their child/young person) Child, Youth and Family database, and Police Inquiry process. Ensuring integrated service delivery Working together to deliver accessible and responsive service requires: agencies to maintain situation awareness to ensure the needs of those affected are identified and met ongoing liaison with Local/CDEM Group/National Welfare Manager deploying people and resources to assist completing status update reports, and ongoing monitoring of activities and maintaining communication links with response teams.
Welfare-Services-in-an-Emergency-DGL-11-15-secure-word.docx