Child Protection Q&A

The Department aims to provide Family Support when you and your child are in need and can assist you with learning parenting skills to care for your child. In some situations, the Department may conduct a ‘Child Safety Investigation’ to determine if your child is being harmed or are at risk of being harmed. It is in the best interests of your child to maintain communication with the Department if the need arises.

The Department’s ‘Child Safety Investigation’ will determine if your child is being harmed or are at risk of being harmed. The Department may, at any time, take a child into provisional protection and care if the Department suspects on reasonable grounds that there is an immediate and substantial risk to the child’s wellbeing.

The Department will arrange a meeting with you and your family support members to discuss the outcome of the ‘Child Safety Investigation’ and will provide you with ‘Danger Statements’ and Safety Goals’ and discuss you having contact with your child. The Department will provide you with Children’s Court of WA next court date, the Department’s application and supporting report which details the grounds (harm/risk of) for their application and a timeline of events leading to your child being taken into provisional, protection and care.

Our service can discuss the relevant child protection law, these court documents and talk about providing you with legal representation.

You are strongly encouraged to seek legal advice about your child’s protection matter. Our service can discuss the relevant child protection law and discuss the court documents, so you can gain a better understanding of the child protection process and why it is important to attend the next court date.

The Department can support Grandparents to care for your child instead of taking your child into provision protection and care. Generally, a family arrangement is developed between the Department, the Grandparents and you. Often the parenting of the child can be determined by the Family Court of WA, and as a parent you would be involved in this court process.

If our service is engaged to provide you with legal representation for you child protection matter/s, we can attend with you the Department’s meetings and Children’s Court of WA. The Department will arrange monthly Stability and Connection Planning meetings to assist you and your safety network to develop your ‘reunification plan’ for your child.