The Territory Labor Government is creating safer communities by reforming the child protection Central Intake Service.
Central Intake Service is the central point in Territory Families that receives all notifications about children at risk. Following a number of internal and external reviews, this service required an overhaul to better meet the needs of at-risk children, their families, and the community.
The reformed Central Intake Service has streamlined the way child protection notifications are received and responded to by:
Boosting frontline staff numbers from 26 to 34. This includes the appointment of a Senior Practice Leader to oversee and ensure practice excellence, innovation and continuous improvement
Making it easier for professional notifiers to make a mandatory report by introducing the Online Professional Reporters Tool. The new tool will improve the quality of information received, streamline the process, and increase accessibility and service response times. The new Online Professional Reporters Tool does not replace the 24/7 Child Protection Hotline. Professional notifiers can use either option. This tool is currently only available to NTG agencies as this is the largest group of child protection notifiers. Wider rollout of this tool is currently being considered.
Supporting professional notifiers through education, training and resources that will explain mandatory reporting obligations, how to use the online reporting tool, and clarify what, when and how to make a report
Introducing an intake triage service to answer calls and manage online reports, collect the presenting concerns and prioritise service to expedite Territory Families response
Diverting calls to the Family and Children Enquiry Line when it is clear that the family needs support, not an investigation
Reforming the Central Intake Service is aligned with recommendations from the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, the Territory Families Internal Review, and the Office of the Childrens Commissioners Report into the Incident in Tennant Creek in February 2018.
In addition to the Central Intake Service reform, the Territory Labor Government is also investing $66.9 million over five years for a new client information system that will link with health and police databases to allow for coordinated action, and ultimately enable better protection of children from abuse and improve youth justice.
As stated by Minister for Territory Families, Dale Wakefield
Every child deserves a home that is safe and nurturing, and this is why the Territory Labor Government is overhauling the child protection and youth justice systems to create safer communities.
We have reformed the Central Intake Service to ensure that we respond more efficiently and more quickly to every single child protection safety concern. Initiatives such as the new Online Professional Reporters Tool will alleviate pressure on the Child Protection Hotline. This means shorter wait times and fewer callers hanging up.
By ensuring that the way we receive and respond to child protection notifications is more efficient and quicker, we can better assist vulnerable and at-risk children, young people, and their families.
