Getting started
Carers provide a secure and nurturing environment for children and young people who are not able to live safely at home with their families and can be a strong and positive influence on the kids in their care. It’s important to remember that some kids may take time to adjust to living with a new family in a new environment.
Disclosures of abuse or neglect
Children and young people often don’t disclose abuse or neglect the first time it happens. They may experience a sense of helplessness or hopelessness and take weeks, months or sometimes years before making their abuse known.
Disclosure can be deliberate or accidental. For example, a child or young person might:
- ‘blurt out’ a harmful experience, or their fear of something
- confide privately that they have been abused or fear that they will be abused
- tell another child
- provide hints in drawings, during play or in stories
- disguise a disclosure by posing ‘what if’ or ‘a friend of mine’ scenarios.
What to do if a child discloses past abuse or neglect
If a child or young person discloses information to you about abuse or neglect, listen calmly without judgement. Reassure them they did the right thing by telling you, that you believe them and that you’re there to support them. Don’t make promises you may not be able to keep, for example, that you’ll make sure nobody ever hurts them again. Don’t ask probing questions and be careful not to let them see reactions of shock, disbelief or fear.
Your role is not to interview the child or gather evidence. This is the responsibility of specially trained caseworkers and, if appropriate, police officers. However, you do have an obligation to report the disclosure. As soon as possible, you should:
- write down what the child or young person said or did, using their exact words where possible, and dating the conversation or incident
- record and date your observations about their mood or demeanour
- share the information with your caseworker to assist in the assessment and investigation process.
Where appropriate, let your child know that you have to tell their caseworker. Explain you want to help keep them safe and that it’s the caseworker’s job to do whatever needs to be done to keep them safe. Your child may not be happy about you reporting the disclosure, and they may even oppose it. Keep in mind that it is important for the authorities to take the necessary action to prevent any further harm to the child, their siblings or any other children who come into contact with the person alleged to be responsible.
Mandatory reporting
Though not legally considered mandatory reporters, authorised carers are bound by the signed Code of Conduct to report to their agency any allegations or incidents of abuse, neglect or ill-treatment of children that they are aware of. As such, for authorised carers to not report concerns to their agency (who are mandatory reporters under the legislation) would be a breach of the Code of Conduct and may have implications to their status as authorised carers.
This Code of Conduct issued by DCJ is to be applied consistently across the OOHC sector. In addition to the Code of Conduct, agencies may have other policies, procedures and guidelines with more detailed information about a carer’s rights and responsibilities when caring for children and young people.