·~% Australian Government

Department of Immigration and Border Protection

For Official Use Only

Responding to Disclosures of Child Abuse SUPPORTING MATERIAL

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Background Children and young people may not always disclose when they are being abused . If a child chooses to disclose, they will likely disclose abuse to adults they trust, so professionals working with them have a special responsibility to respond appropriately to children who disclose abuse.

This guide is designed to assist those who receive disclosures of abuse from children . It should be read in conjunction with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection's (the Department's) Reporting Child­related Incidents Policy and Recognising Signs of Child Abuse support material.

Who can use this guide? This guide is intended to support all departmental staff and contracted service providers involved in the support, care and welfare of children and their families in Australia's immigration programmes.

Responding to Disclosures of Child Abuse The following tips may be used when responding to disclosures of child abuse. They include the following steps:

• Listen

• Reassure

• Respect

• Record and report

• Ensure the child is safe from further abuse

Listen

Give the child your full attention

• Always listen to the child.

• Move to a suitable environment, free of distractions.

• If you are in a busy place, you may wish to ask the child if you can move to a place where you can hear them properly, noting you should always have another adult present when you interact with children .

• Do not dismiss or ignore the child .

Be calm and patient

• Try to maintain a calm appearance.

• Allow time for the child to trust that they will be listened to and helped.

• Remain calm and reassure the child that they have done the right thing by reporting the concern.

• If the child becomes aware of your distress, reassure the child that they are not the cause of the distress.

• You may wish to explain that you are upset because adults are meant to care for children and you are sad because some adults hurt children .

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Be a listener not an investigator

• Listening supportively is more important than what you say.

o Encourage children to talk in their own words.

o Ask just enough questions to act protectively, for example, 'do you have any injuries?' or 'do you feel safe? .'

• Be aware that quizzing the child or young person about details of the abuse could jeopardise an investigation by a state or territory child welfare authority or the police.

• Do not interrogate the child , push for information or ask intrusive questions, as this may make the child feel uncomfortable or frightened and may cause further trauma.

Reassure

Reassure the child that they have done the right thing

• Ensure the child knows that they have done the right thing by reporting the concern.

• Reassure the child or young person that it is okay that they have told you what has been happening.

• Acknowledge the strength and courage of the child in letting you know of the abuse.

Respect

Let the child take their time

• Respect the child's individual capacity to disclose their abuse.

• Respect that the child or young person may only reveal some details.

• Ensure the child does not feel rushed or panicked .

o In some instances, the process of disclosure may take several days or weeks .

o You can gently let the child know you will listen to anything they have to say when they are ready.

Avoid making promises you can't keep

• Manage the child's expectations by not making promises you can't keep.

• Some children may ask an adult to promise secrecy before disclosing.

o Ensure you do not make this promise.

o You may let the child know that you cannot make that promise, but you can do your best to keep them safe.

• You may wish to reassure the child and gently encourage the child to speak out about the abuse.

Explain what will happen next

• Ensure that you use language the child will understand.

• Explain to the child that in order for them to be safe, you will need to talk to another person about their experience.

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o Let them know you will support them through the experience.

• Let the child know they can ask about what will happen next as often as they need.

• Ensure the child is fully aware of each step in the process, as this can make the process less intimidating and can help return a sense of power and safety.

Do not confront the perpetrator

• Do NOT confront the person believed to be the perpetrator.

• Do NOT discuss the child's disclosure with the person of interest believed to be the perpetrator.

• Ensure that the privacy of the child and their family is respected at all times.

o Keep information confidential, as only those who absolutely need to know should be told at this point.

• Remember your role is to support the child .

Record and report

• You are not expected to make a judgment on whether the concern raised by the child or another person can be proven.

• You are not required to collect evidence or investigate the matter.

o You are, however, required to preserve any evidence at the scene of the incident, ensuring you do not impede on the legislative responsibility of the state and territory child welfare or police authorities, to investigate the incident.

• Report the incident internally to your supervisor, and on the relevant departmental system utilised by your business area, in accordance with the Reporting Child-related Incidents Policy.

• In accordance with the Reporting Child-related Incidents Policy, if you believe on reasonable grounds that a child has been harmed or is at risk of significant harm, you must report the incident to the relevant state or territory child welfare authority.

• Ensure accurate record keeping by recording the disclosure in line with the Department's Records Management Policy.

Ensure the child is safe from further abuse

Make alternative arrangements

• If you are a first responder to an incident, or the incident has been escalated to you, take all possible steps to satisfy yourself that the child is safe from further abuse.

• Ask the child whether they have an appropriate support person available to them, and if they want someone else to be informed .

• If the Person of Interest (POl) remains an immediate danger to the child, separate the child from the POl.

o Your supervisor and/or the relevant state or territory child welfare authority will make further decisions on the long term accommodation arrangements for the child , if required .

o Detention Superintendents have a leadership role in the safeguarding of children in held detention and community detention and are required to ensure that the child is placed at a safe environment to avoid any immediate risk.

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Seek advice and support

• Where possible, advice from the local child welfare authorities and the Department's Child Wellbeing Branch should be sought before contacting the child 's parent, guardian or carer, to ensure this contact will not jeopardise the child 's safety or wellbeing.

o The child 's permission should also be sought prior to informing their parenUguardian, taking into consideration the age, wellbeing and understanding of the child.

o If the child is opposed to informing them, then further advice should be sought from the local child welfare authorities and the Department's Child Wellbeing Branch.

• Children who disclose should be offered counselling and support.

o Relevant stakeholders, service providers and experts should be engaged, including medical specialists (GPs and psychologists), departmental case managers and child welfare authorities.

• Detention Superintendents ensure that appropriate support services are provided to the child , with the advice and support of subject matter experts, including Child Wellbeing Branch and Community Support Branch.

• If you are experiencing distress in relation to a child 's disclosure of abuse, you can refer to the Self-care in Child-related Roles support material or go to the Work Health and Safety Bordernet page.

Further information For any questions or further information, please contact REDACTED .You may also wish to contact the relevant state or territory child welfare authorities:

• ACT Office for Children, Youth and Family Support

o Phone: 13 22 81

o Mandated Reporters Phone: 1300 556 728

o Email: childprotection@act.gov.au

o General Public Phone: 1300 556 729

• NSW Department of Family and Community Services

o Phone: 02 9716 2222

o Mandated Reporters Phone: 13 21 11

o Email: facsinfo@facs .nsw.gov.au

o General Public Phone: 02 9377 6000

• NT Department of Children and Families

o Child Protection Hotline Phone: 1800 700 250

• Queensland Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services

o Phone: 07 3235 9999

o Child Safety Services Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

o Child Safety After Hours Services Phone: 1800 177 135

o Email: info@childsafety.qld.gov.au

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o Queensland Regional Intake Services

• Brisbane: 1300 682 254

• Central Queensland : 1300 703 762

• Far North Queensland: 1300 684 062

• North Coast:

• North Queensland :

• South East:

1300 703 921

1300 706 147

1300 679 849

• South West: 1300 683 390

• SA Department of Education and Child Development

o Phone: 08 8226 1000

o Reporting Line Phone: 13 14 78

o E-Reporting may be made here.

o After Hours Phone: 13 16 11

• Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services

o Phone: 1300 135 513

o Reporting Line Phone: 1300 737 639

o E-Reporting may be made here.

• Victorian Department of Health & Human Services

o Phone: 03 9096 0000

o Reporting Line Phone: 13 12 78

• WA Department for Child Protection and Family Support

o Phone: 08 9222 2555

o Reporting Line Phone: 1800 622 258

o After Hours Phone: 08 9223 1111 or 1800 199 008

o Mandatory Reporter Phone: 1800 708 704

o Email: mrs@dcp.wa.gov.au

References Information for this guide came from the following source:

Australian Institute of Family Studies, Responding to children and vounq people 's disclosures of abuse.

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