Information sharing in Child Protection practice

Protecting children and young people from harm and promoting their development and wellbeing is only possible where assessments, case plans, and interventions are based on adequate information. 

To support children, young people and families effectively, child protection practitioners need  to exchange relevant information with professionals, family members and community in a timely and appropriate way. Personal information must be handled respectfully and in accordance with privacy and information sharing law. 

The Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (CYFA) and other relevant legislation permit the sharing of confidential information in particular circumstances. The following advice explains in what circumstances information may be shared, and where specific restrictions apply.

Information held by Child Protection about children, young people and their families  is personal and sensitive, including health information under Victorian privacy law, and therefore constitutes confidential information under child and family violence information sharing laws.

Child protection practitioners are expected to share information appropriately to support effective collaborative practice and service provision to children, young people and families in relation to protecting children, promoting their wellbeing, and assessing and managing family violence.

If you are uncertain about the management or disclosure of information, consider this and related advice in the manual, and seek advice from your supervisor. Further advice can be obtained from divisional privacy or legal officers or Legal Services.
 

The main pieces of legislation relevant to information sharing in child protection cases are:

• Children, Youth and Families Act 2005
• Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005
• Family Violence Protection Act 2008
• Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014
• Health Records Act 2001
• Youth Justice Act 2024.

The CYFA provides the primary legislative framework for information sharing where Child Protection has an open case with a child or young person. 

Under section 192 of the CYFA, Child Protection may request, receive and disclose information where a child protection practitioner believes on reasonable grounds the information is required to perform duties, functions or powers under the Act.

The Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) enables prescribed Information Sharing Entities (ISEs) to share information to promote the wellbeing and safety of children. Child Protection is an ISE under the CISS.

The Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) permits prescribed ISEs to share information for family violence risk assessment and risk management purposes.
The CISS or FVISS may apply where:

• There is current Child Protection involvement and relevant information is held on Child Protection files
• There is no current Child Protection involvement and relevant information is held on closed Child Protection files
• Information relates to another child or person connected to the matter.   

The Youth Justice Act 2024 (YJ Act) part 15.1 enables sharing of information in relation to children and young people involved with the Youth Justice system where the information is reasonably necessary for the performance of an official duty or other function authorised under the Act. See below for detailed guidance about information sharing requests under the YJ Act.

Neither the YJ Act, CISS nor FVISS replace the CYFA information sharing provisions. Child Protection should continue to rely upon the CYFA where appropriate. If Child Protection receive a request under the YJ Act, CISS or FVISS, then the request should be assessed, responded to under the relevant authority, and recorded on CRIS. 
Where information sharing is not authorised under the CYFA, CISS, FVISS or YJ Act, any collection, use or disclosure must comply with:

• the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014
• the Health Records Act 2001

Voluntary information sharing

The CYFA provides for information sharing in the context of Child Protection practice where there is open involvement with a child or young person and a child protection practitioner believes on reasonable grounds that sharing the information is required to carry out delegated responsibilities under the CYFA (s. 192 ‘Disclosure and use of information under this Act’, as amended on 27 September 2018).

Specifically, if the Secretary or a protective intervener believes on reasonable grounds that it is required to perform their duties or functions or exercise their powers under the CYFA, they may request information from, disclose information to, and receive information from:

• the Secretary
• a protective intervener
• an information holder
• a service agency
• a registered community service, or
• any other individual.

The CYFA also provides that those from whom Child Protection requests information may disclose that information to Child Protection, and that such a disclosure made in good faith does not constitute unprofessional conduct or a breach of professional ethics or expose the person to any liability.

Child Protection responsibilities under the CYFA include: receiving and assessing reports; providing advice, assistance and referral for services and support; investigating reports; and following substantiation, providing for the care and protection of children, and applying for and administering court orders.

These arrangements for the voluntary exchange of information in the course of Child Protection practice apply to all phases of practice under the CYFA: from intake, through investigation, protective intervention, and when administering protection orders, to closure, however specific policies apply to sharing information during the intake phase – see Intake Policy, this general provision does not over-ride the restrictions and prohibitions on sharing specific information in the CYFA set out below.

If a request for information is refused

If a request for information under the CYFA is refused, consult with your supervisor or team manager about strategies for seeking the required information. This may include providing additional information to the person who has refused, making a request using the Voluntary disclosure letter, or escalating the request within an organisation.

If an organisation refuses to provide information in response to a request under the CYFA and they are a prescribed ISE, make a formal request under the CISS or FVISS (see below) as this enlivens the obligation upon them under those schemes to respond, and may be an appropriate step. If you need help to make a request under CISS or FVISS contact the Information Sharing Team. 

If an information holder persists in refusing, and all options for obtaining the required information have been exhausted, compelling disclosure may be considered as a last resort (see Compulsory disclosure below).

Responsibility to provide information

To parents

Under s. 178 of the CYFA, if a child is in care under a protection or therapeutic treatment (placement) order, Child Protection has a responsibility to provide information, including personal information, about the child, unless:

• the child is over 12 years and does not consent to the information being provided, and Child Protection considers their refusal of consent is reasonable
• Child Protection considers it is not in the best interests of the child to provide the information
• dispensation of service has been granted by the Court under s. 531 of the CYFA.

To carers

If Child Protection intends to place a child with someone other than the child’s parent, all the information known to Child Protection that is reasonably necessary to help the person to make an informed decision about whether or not to accept care of the child, must be provided to the prospective carer (s. 179(1) of the CYFA).

If Child Protection has placed a child in the care of someone other than the child’s parent, any information known to Child Protection about the medical status of that child must be provided to the child’s carer, to enable them to provide appropriate care for the child (s. 179(2) of the CYFA).

Restrictions on sharing specific information

Protecting the identity of reporters

The following sections of the CYFA are relevant:

Protection for reporters or referrers:

• s. 41    Identity of reporter or referrer confidential.
• s. 190  Evidence and legal proceedings
• s. 191  Confidentiality.

Types of reports or referrals:

• s. 28    Report to Secretary about child (a 'wellbeing report')
• s. 29    Report to Secretary about unborn child.
• s. 31    Referral to community-based child and family service about child
• s. 32    Referral to community-based child and family service about unborn child
• s. 183  Report to protective intervener
• s. 184  Mandatory reporting
• s. 185  Report on child in need of therapeutic treatment

Under the CYFA, the identity of any person who makes any of these types of reports to Child Protection or referrals to The Orange Door is confidential.

It is an offence for a person, other than the reporter, to disclose the identity of a reporter, or any information that is likely to lead to the reporter being identified (without the reporter's written consent) to anyone, except:

• to another protective intervener; or 
• to a community-based child and family service. 

In court or tribunal proceedings, evidence identifying a person who has made a report under ss. 183-185 may be admitted if the court or tribunal grants leave or the reporter gives written consent. The court or tribunal may grant leave if it is necessary to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the child or in the interests of justice.

The above exceptions enable Child Protection to provide reporter details to Victoria Police (as police officers are protective interveners), and to The Orange Door.

The exception in s. 41 also allows reporter or referrer details to be exchanged within The Orange Door and between one such service and another.
 

New reports on existing cases

When a report is received where a case is currently open, the report is classified as a protective intervention report and dealt with as a new allegation in an existing case. As for all other reports, the reporter's identity is protected.

Protecting the identity of people providing information in confidence during an investigation

Child Protection must not disclose the identity of persons who provide information in confidence during the investigation of a report to anyone except:

• another protective intervener (which includes police) or,
• a person in connection with a court hearing or Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) review, or, 

• in the case of a therapeutic treatment report, the Therapeutic Treatment Board, unless,

  Unless

• the person gives their written consent, or
• during the investigation of a protective intervention report, the Secretary authorises disclosure after forming a belief on reasonable grounds that it is necessary to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the child, or
• during the investigation of a therapeutic treatment report, the Secretary believes on reasonable grounds that disclosure is necessary to ensure the provision of assistance or therapeutic treatment for the child. 

It is an offence to breach s. 209 and penalties apply.

Access to reports to the Children's Court

Restrictions apply about who can have access to court reports, or parts of court reports. It is an offence to breach these restrictions, and penalties apply (ss. 552, 556, 559, 561, 562, 566, 570 of the CYFA). See Access to court reports – advice.

Publication of identifying details

Restrictions apply to publishing a report of a proceeding in the Children’s Court that is likely to identify:

• a child or other party to the proceeding, or a witness in the proceeding
• the particular venue of the proceeding; or
• a child as being the subject of a Children’s Court order.

It is an offence for a person to breach these restrictions, and penalties apply (s. 534 of the CYFA). See Publication of identifying details - advice.

Child’s contact with registrable sex offender

Particular provisions apply to Child Protection disclosing information about a person who has been convicted of a registrable offence (s. 42D of the CYFA).

Child Protection may only disclose information in relation to a registerable offender if they believe on reasonable grounds the disclosure is in the interests of the safety and wellbeing of the child referred to in the information.

Before disclosing the information, Child Protection must take reasonable steps to notify the registrable offender of the intention to disclose the information, unless Child Protection believes on reasonable grounds that telling the registrable offender would endanger the life or safety of any person.

Penalties apply to unauthorised disclosure of the information set out in s. 42D of the CYFA.

Interstate liaison

The CYFA provides that, despite anything to the contrary in the Act, any information may be disclosed to an officer of a child protection authority of a state or territory of Australia or of New Zealand if the information is required to assist them in carrying out duties or exercising powers under a child welfare law in their jurisdiction (Schedule 1 of the CYFA, clause. 26: Disclosure of information).

So, for example, information which would otherwise not be able to be disclosed, such as reporter details and the content of conciliation conferences, may be disclosed to the officer from the interstate/New Zealand child protection authority if necessary. All Australian states and territories and New Zealand are subject to legislation enabling information provision across state/national boundaries.

Each divisional Child Protection program has an interstate liaison officer (ILO) who should be consulted before contact with interstate departments is undertaken.

Compulsory disclosure of information

Compelling the disclosure of information to Child Protection is to be used as a last resort, where other means of gathering required information have been exhausted.

The CYFA (ss.194 - 202) provides a limited power for the Secretary to personally authorise a senior officer to give a direction to an information holder (other than a police officer) to disclose information if the Secretary believes on reasonable grounds they have information relevant to the protection or development of a child.

The compulsion power is limited in several key ways.

• It is not available during the intake phase. This power is available from the beginning of the investigation phase through to closure, that is: in relation to a child who is subject to a protective intervention or therapeutic treatment report; an application to the Children’s Court; or a protection or therapeutic treatment order (s. 195).
• The authorisation power cannot be delegated by the Secretary, and must be exercised in each instance by the Secretary personally (s.17(1)(d)).
• Police officers are exempt (s. 195).
• Children's Court Clinic practitioners cannot be required to disclose any information or document relating to carrying out the Clinic’s functions (s. 196(4)).
• Information given or documents produced to an authorised officer in relation to a child in response to a compulsory disclosure direction must not be given in evidence in a legal proceeding other than a proceeding in relation to the child under Chapter 4 of the CYFA (s. 202).

Aside from the limitation in s.202, on the information being given in evidence in a proceeding other than a proceeding under Chapter 4, once received, the Secretary may use and disclose the information or documents for a purpose relating to the protection or development of the child.

If making an authorisation under the compulsory disclosure provisions, the Secretary will authorise a senior officer (CPP6 or above) to issue the direction.

The authorised officer may then in writing direct any information holder (other than a police officer) to:

• give information, orally or in writing on any matter concerning the protection or development of the child
• produce documents that relate to any matter concerning the protection or development of the child
• give reasonable assistance in relation to the child.

The authorised officer is required to advise the information holder that the information provided may be disclosed to the Secretary and used for the protection and development of the child.

The information holder is required to provide the information or assistance to the authorised officer. This means the senior officer who has been authorised to issue the direction needs to be personally involved in receiving the response.

It is an offence for an information holder:

• to refuse to comply with a compulsory disclosure direction without reasonable excuse (s. 197)
• to give false or misleading information in response to a compulsory disclosure direction (s. 201).

The CYFA provides that medical professional privilege is not a reasonable excuse (s. 200), whereas self-incrimination (s. 198) and legal professional privilege (s. 199) are reasonable excuses for not complying with a compulsory disclosure direction.

Follow the Compulsory disclosure of information – procedure.

Classes of people and agencies relevant to information sharing

The following classes of people and agencies relevant to information sharing are established under the CYFA.

Information holders

Certain professionals who may have contact with vulnerable children or their parents are defined as 'information holders' under the CYFA (s. 3 of the CYFA and r. 6 of the Children, Youth and Families Regulations 2017).

To carry out its responsibilities, Child Protection can request and receive information from and disclose information to information holders. Information holders (other than police) may also be subject to a compulsory disclosure direction.

The following are information holders for the purposes of the CYFA:

• police
• government department employees
• Information Sharing Entities (ISEs) under the Child Information Sharing Scheme and Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme
• school teachers and principals, and kindergarten teachers
• registered medical practitioners – doctors and psychiatrists
• nurses
• midwives
• registered psychologists
• a person in charge of:
  • a health service
  • a mental health service
  • a children's service
  • a disability service (under the Disability Act or NDIS)
  • a drug or alcohol treatment service
  • an education and care service
  • a family violence service
  • a sexual assault support service
  • a parenting assessment and skills development service
  • a local government child and family service
  • a placement support service for children in care

Service agencies

Service agencies are government departments and service providers who may provide services to vulnerable families. To carry out its responsibilities, Child Protection can request and receive information from and disclose information to service agencies.

Following is the list of service agencies within the meaning of the CYFA and its Regulations:

• Victorian Government departments
• health service
• psychiatric service
• disability service (under the Disability Act or NDIS)
• drug or alcohol treatment service
• family violence service
• sexual assault support service
• parenting assessment and skills development service
• local government child and family service
• placement support service for children in care
• Family Safety Victoria.

The precise meaning of these terms is more clearly defined in s. 3 of the CYFA and r. 7 of the CYF Regulations.

Registered social services

Social services are an integral part of the system of which Child Protection is also a part. They are organisations registered and funded to provide services to vulnerable children and families; out-of-home care services; and secure services. Such services include: ‘The Orange Door’; family services; and out-of-home care services. These services are registered by the Social Services Regulator and are required to comply with Social Service Standards (see the Social Services Regulation Act 2021).

Information sharing requests from Youth Justice 

Part 15.1 of the Youth Justice Act 2024 (YJ Act) authorises the sharing of confidential information between Youth Justice, Child Protection and other prescribed information holders to support youth justice related functions for a child or young person.

When performing any functions under the YJ Act, including information sharing, the youth justice guiding principles must be taken into account. For information about the YJ Act and Youth Justice guiding principles, see Children and Young People involved with Child Protection and Youth Justice

Youth Justice may request information from Child Protection and authorised ACCOs where the information is reasonably necessary to support the performance of an official duty under the YJ Act.

Examples of Youth Justice functions that may require information include:

• diversion assessment and management
• pre-sentence reporting
• bail assessments or parole planning
• suitability assessments
• case planning and case management
• court reports for the Children’s Court of Victoria – Criminal Division
• other authorised purposes under the Act.

Requests must identify:

• the legislative authority being relied upon
• the purpose of the request
• the information required
• sufficient context to enable assessment of relevance and appropriateness.

Child Protection and authorised ACCOs may share information where the information is reasonably necessary for performance of official functions by Youth Justice (s 704(2) YJ Act). Under section 708 of the YJ Act, Child Protection and authorised ACCOs may also disclose confidential information to another information holder if it is necessary for case management, case planning and service delivery. This includes information sharing with other professionals such as teachers and medical professionals.  Where Child Protection is uncertain whether information can be shared, practitioners should seek advice from their supervisor, CPLO or the Information Sharing Team.

Operational guidance and resources including request pathways,  response templates and case studies are available on the Information Sharing Team SharePoint site.

General information sharing

Where a child or young person is involved with Child Protection and Youth Justice, Child Protection practitioners should engage with the relevant Youth Justice area and share relevant information appropriately to support effective collaborative practice and coordinated service delivery. This includes for the purpose of protecting children and young people, promoting their wellbeing and development, and assessing and managing family violence risk. Information shared must:

• be relevant and proportionate to the identified purpose
• comply with any restrictions on sharing information, including protections relating to reporter identity, confidential sources, court material, and other protected information under relevant information sharing schemes and legislation
• be recorded in CRIS according to policy and operational requirements.

When sharing case plans, practitioners should only disclose information that is relevant and permitted to be shared in accordance with information sharing laws. Personal information about other parties should be redacted. An updated copy of the plan should be shared following any review or significant change. 

It is good practice to discuss information sharing with the child or young person where this is appropriate and practicable and will not compromise a person’s safety or welfare, even where consent is not legally required. Where possible, practitioners should explain how the information will be used or shared.

Child Protection responses to Youth Justice requests for information for pre-sentence reports

If a court finds a child or young person guilty of an offence, Youth Justice may prepare a pre-sentence report (PSR) to assist the Criminal Division of the Children’s or Appellate Court before sentencing.

Youth Justice may request information from Child Protection to support preparation of the PSR. 

Information provided should support Youth Justice to understand relevant aspects of the child or young person’s circumstances, as requested, and may include:

• child protection history 
• current case plan and living arrangements
• safety, wellbeing and developmental plans, and
• other relevant history and planned future involvement (if known). 

(see ss 359 and 417, YJ Act)

Child Protection should provide information that is relevant and reasonably necessary to assist Youth Justice to complete the report. This does not require Child Protection to provide all information held about the child or young person. Information shared should:

• prioritise the request according to the timeframe specified by Youth Justice
• provide information that is relevant, accurate and reasonably necessary 
• clearly distinguish between recorded facts, substantiated findings, reported information and professional assessment where relevant 
• complete the required response and record the request in CRIS. 

A copy of the PSR will be accessible by the child or young person through their legal representatives.

Youth Justice will specify the required response timeframe in the request, which will typically be between two and seven days. Timeframes may vary depending on the child or young person's circumstances and the requirements of the court. Practitioners should consider any identified court or sentencing date when prioritising the request.

Where the request is unclear or appears to seek information beyond what is required to complete the relevant parts of the PSR, practitioners should seek clarification from Youth Justice or consult their Manager or CPLO as appropriate.

Information Sharing with Youth Justice - CRIS user guide

Open Child Protection matters

Where Child Protection involvement remains open, responses should be coordinated through the allocated Child Protection team or authorised ACCO. 

For a child protection case open at Intake, the Information Sharing Team will manage information sharing requests in relation to a pre-sentence report and consult with Intake as required.

Closed Child Protection matters

Requests relating to closed Child Protection matters are managed by the Information Sharing Team. Responses completed by the Information Sharing Team will be visible on a child or young person’s CRIS profile.  
Operational guidance and resources including request pathways, response templates and case studies are available on the Information Sharing Team SharePoint site.

Information sharing under Section 401

Section 401 orders will be sent to the Information Sharing Team (IST) from the Children’s Court via email and recorded on CRIS. The allocated worker and Team Manager will be notified by email when the order has been added. The email will contain information on how to respond to the order, including how to engage with CPLO. CPLO should be engaged for all s.401 requests. For further guidance, see Practice Guidance - s.401 attendance orders - Childrens Court Criminal Division

Youth Justice Victim Register 

The Youth Justice Victims Register is the mechanism to record people who are entitled to be given information and to give information to the Youth Parole Board to inform parole conditions. Eligibility for Youth Justice Victims Register is outlined on the Youth Justice Website.

A child or young person may nominate another person to receive information from the Youth Justice victim register (register) on their behalf under s. 658 of the YJ Act. Where Child Protection is nominated, any information received must be recorded on CRIS and managed in accordance with legislative confidentiality requirements. Practitioners should not request information that may be contained on the register directly from the child or young person. Where information is required to support the child or young person, it should be obtained through appropriate legislative information sharing arrangements

Systems and practice support

Requests from Youth Justice will be made via CRIS and will be actionable within the Information Sharing tab. Additional practice resources, procedures and guidance is available on the Information Sharing Team SharePoint site. 

The Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) permits the requesting and disclosure of confidential information between prescribed information sharing entities (ISEs) for the purpose of promoting the wellbeing and safety of a child or group of children. ISEs are obliged to provide information in response to a request from another ISE (unless the information is excluded or restricted under other legislation).

There will be situations beyond the circumstances covered under the CYFA where Child Protection holds information relevant to promoting the safety or wellbeing of a child or group of children.

For example, the Child Information Sharing Scheme may apply where

• the relevant information is held in closed case records
• information held by Child Protection in connection with a client may be relevant to promoting the safety or wellbeing of another child or group of children.

For information about how Child Protection operates in relation to the scheme, see Child Information Sharing Scheme and Child Protection.

Details of the CISS can be found on the WoVG Information Sharing scheme website 

Further information and resources are available on the Information Sharing Team SharePoint site.
 

The Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) authorises prescribed family violence information sharing entities (ISEs) to share information with one another for family violence risk assessment or risk management purposes. ISEs are obliged to provide information in response to a request from another ISE (unless the information is excluded or restricted under other legislation).

There will be circumstances beyond those covered under the CYFA where Child Protection holds information relevant to family violence risk assessment or management.

For example, the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme may apply when

• the relevant information is held in closed case records
• information is held by Child Protection in connection with a client about an alleged perpetrator or perpetrator of family violence, and while sharing that information is not required in relation to that client, it is relevant to assessing or managing a risk of family violence to another child or to an adult.

For information about how Child Protection operates in relation to the scheme, See Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme and Child Protection.

Details of the FVISS can be found on the WoVG Information Sharing scheme website

Further information and resources are available on the Information Sharing Team SharePoint site.

Where there are no specific provisions in the CYFA governing the information sharing under consideration, and neither the Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS), the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) or the Youth Justice Act 2024 apply, information sharing must be consistent with the Privacy and Data Protection Act or the Health Records Act.

The Health Records Act deals with health information and the Privacy and Data Protection Act deals with all other personal information. 'Personal information' is information or an opinion that is recorded about a person and which identifies or may identify that person.

Refer to Privacy legislation and Child Protection.

Sharing information appropriately is important

Sharing information appropriately in accordance with responsibilities and obligations in the course of Child Protection practice is vital to protecting children and promoting their wellbeing. It enables collaborative practice around a child and their family, to mobilise support and increase safety.

Inquiries into adverse events such as inquests and child death inquiries frequently identify insufficient sharing of information amongst professionals around a child and family as a problem.

Practitioners are expected to share information where this is required to carry out their responsibilities , and to familiarise themselves with the circumstances where they are obliged to share information.

When gathering or sharing information

When contacting a person to gather or disclose information the child protection practitioner should explain:

• the purpose of the contact
• how the child protection practitioner is authorised to request, receive and disclose information, (usually the voluntary disclosure provisions of the CYFA)
• how the person is authorised to receive from and disclose to Child Protection information related to the case (usually the voluntary disclosure provisions of the CYFA)
• whether their identity is protected, and why it may be helpful for them to consent to their identity being disclosed as the source of the information
• how the information they provide may be used, for example, it may be used for the purposes of a court report, or to promote a child’s safety or wellbeing.

Protecting client privacy

The manner in which information is communicated needs to be respectful, and to protect the privacy of clients and others to the extent that this is consistent with fulfilling information sharing responsibilities.

All information needs to be handled with care. See Information security for further advice. Only child protection practitioners and community service contracted case management staff allocated to the case are authorised to have direct access to the client file. Certain other people (including the client) are allowed to see printed material from the client file in certain circumstances (for example, court reports). See Freedom of information.

Where information is shared with other people, it is important this is done with care. People should not be provided with more information than is relevant to the purpose for which the information is being shared, remembering the paramount consideration for Child Protection is promoting a child's best interests.

It is sometimes necessary to provide written information to other people about a client, for instance, where making a referral. Every effort should be made to ensure only the relevant person or organisation is given access to it. Some simple measures to ensure the confidentiality of information are:

• delivering reports and referral forms personally and directly to the intended recipient
• using registered mail where appropriate when posting letters and documents
• when using email, confining personal information to an attachment that is password protected, and providing the password to the recipient by phone
• when making first visits to a family home, confirming the address is correct and verifying the identity of the occupant before divulging you are from child protection or the family name or other client details
• when faxing material, confirming the fax number is correct, always using a fax cover sheet marked 'confidential', confirming the recipient is available to receive the fax, and asking them to acknowledge receipt by phone.

Sharing court orders with schools

The Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) permits Child Protection to provide a child or young person’s school with a copy of the child’s Children’s Court order for the purpose of:

• promoting the wellbeing or safety of the child; and
• assisting the school to make decisions, provide services and manage risks to the child.

While the CISS permits this information sharing, it would be appropriate for Child Protection to also consider in each case whether:

• it is necessary to share the order, and
• it is sufficient to only share the information in the order.  

If you are uncertain about the disclosure of information, consider this and related advice in the manual, and seek advice from your supervisor. 

• Information sharing policy
• Child Information Sharing Scheme and Child Protection
• Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme and Child Protection
• Privacy legislation and Child Protection
• Publication of identifying details
• Information security
• Freedom of information
• Information Sharing Team SharePoint site
• WOVG Information Sharing schemes website
• Intake policy
• Compulsory disclosure
• Access to court reports - advice
• Child Information Sharing Scheme Ministerial Guidelines
• Children and Young People involved with Child Protection and Youth Justice – Advice
• Children and Young People involved with Child Protection and Youth Justice – Procedure
• Practice Guidance - s401 attendance orders - Childrens Court Criminal Division
• Youth Justice Website.