Child Protection Programs in Australia
The aim of this study is to discover the responsibilities of a social worker in the context of safeguarding a 15-year-old boy and his mother from domestic abuse. Among the topics covered in the study will be a critical examination of current laws and practises in the context of safeguarding children and teens from domestic abuse. It will be the responsibility of this position to give evaluation in the context of the variety of services that a social worker may provide for the protection of victims of violence.
When a court is deciding what parenting arrangements are in the best interests of the children, one of the most important things it will take into account is how to keep the children safe from potential danger. Abuse is defined as any action or inaction that is not a physical attack. Aside from that, it has the potential to inflict considerable psychological harm to a youngster who has either watched or been subjected to familial violence during their childhood (Sheehan & Borowski, 2014). It is possible to abuse a child emotionally by doing things such as calling them names and putting them down in front of others. Neglect can entail everything from failing to meet the requirements of a kid to failing to give a youngster with a safe environment in which to grow and develop properly (PCH Child Protection Unit, 2022). Towards addressing this issue, a new pilot programme will be created that will be focused on supporting society’s most susceptible children and their families, with a particular emphasis on newborn and babies, with the goal of protecting society’s most vulnerable children and their families. In the event that a child is in requirement of safety and care, the Perth Children’s Court is responsible for determining whether or not that child need protection and care, and for making judgments based on what is in the best interests of that child.
The social work occupation is dedicated to enhancing the comfort of persons and society as a whole, emphasising the needs of children and their families. As stated by the organisation, individuals and society benefit from socially inclusive communities that embrace the ideals of social justice, respect for human self-respect and human rights, which includes the right to be free from pressure and fear in the workplace and across society. In addition to physical attacks, it is vital to remember that violent behaviour covers several power and control strategies utilised in conjunction with one another along a continuum (Australian institute of family studies, 2018). Straight or indirect fears, sexual assault, emotive and psychological anguish, economic control, property destruction, social separation, and behaviour that primes someone to live in dread are used by terrorists. Only a few of the behaviours and actions classified as family violence are presently considered criminal offences; nonetheless, any behaviour that is seen to be representative of family violence is regarded as disgusting by society.
Children who have suffered or are projected to suffer significant harm due to abuse and neglect are the primary focus of child protection programmes in Australia. Children’s protection services are under the accountability of state and territory governments in Australia. Legislative and policy frameworks and practice frameworks differ from one state or territory to another (Australian Law Reform Commission, 2022). A legal framework governs most social workers’ activities. However, legislative rules and practices for child protection social workers employed by the government or who work at the tertiary level are particularly complex. Furthermore, the phenomenon of child abuse and neglect is complicated, comprising aspects such as social, psychological, and environmental components. In addition, as a bonus, working in this sector is incredibly strenuous, and in some cases, it may even be hazardous to social workers who are just starting in their careers.
Legislative and Policy Frameworks for Child Protection Social Workers
The court may issue a subpoena when information from a third party is requested in connection with the subject of a judicial process. The subpoena will compel the third party to provide the information to the court. An order for production, an order for evidence, or both are all feasible. An order for production and an order for evidence and for production are two examples of subpoenas that can be obtained. Subpoenas are legal papers that are filed with the court registry and then served on the person who is obligated to deliver the information that has been sought (Department of Communities, 2022). The subpoena must then be served on all of the parties participating in the proceedings as soon as possible after it is issued. According to the rules of procedure, subpoenas can be issued in connection with information on any individual who is relevant to the proceedings. The sorts of information that are commonly gathered by subpoena in family law matters include criminal histories, child welfare records, medical data, and educational records, to name a few examples of what can be obtained. In other circumstances, however, it is not always possible to gather evidence through subpoenas merely because the evidence belongs to a person who is a party to the matter being investigated. When a party issues broad subpoenas in the aim of finding material that would be beneficial to their case, the courts are less than enthusiastic about the practise (Government of Western Australia, 2022). It is necessary to be explicit in a subpoena when it comes to the sort of information that is requested. Except for seeking medical information in connection with domestic violence occurrences, it is not necessary to collect the victim’s comprehensive medical history from him or her. As an alternative, specify the time period and type of papers you are looking for. It is a good idea to create a list of all of the different types of papers that you intend to include in order to ensure that nothing important is overlooked throughout the writing process. Case notes and treatment records; presentations; medications provided; reports; and referrals, to name a few items from the aforementioned illustration.
Social workers have an ethical commitment to their clients who are victims of domestic violence because of the ethical issues it presents and the danger of participating in unethical behaviour (DV). As a counsellor, it would be beneficial for me to have a thorough understanding of and competence in state laws, ethical standards, and professional standards that are present in my relevant organisation and association in order to provide an ethically sound session and treatment that takes into consideration the client’s best interests as well as the autonomy of her children, which would be the case for me. For me, the moral quandary in this case is one of protecting the client and their children, which includes making a decision that may necessitate disclosing information that would otherwise be secret. Another ethical fear is that I, as the therapist, may not have sufficient skill to deal with the difficulty of this case, despite the fact that I have personally witnessed the devastation that domestic abuse can cause. I am not the only one who is concerned about this. Because social worker require constant supervision, I would seek supervision as soon as possible in order to have my performance evaluated in order to guarantee that I am held accountable for my practise in the future. As a first-time victim of domestic abuse, I would have trouble maintaining a non-judgemental perspective since her knowledge may prompt me of my own, which might potentially clash with the non-judgemental approach I should take (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2022). As a result of her challenges, the treatment method for this consumer is to provide thorough therapy that pursues to comprehensively address the underlying barriers she faces as a result of her living with violence, for which she has sought assistance in the first place. This must be achieved through the establishment of a safe and supportive therapeutic relationship in order for her to be able to reclaim her safety, re-join with herself, regain her control, and create self-efficacy in the process. Metallizing her feelings and enabling herself to engage with fresh choices for interpreting those sensations, concepts, and potentially behaviours with which she is having difficulties may be included in this process. All of her DV experiences would be documented and discussed in detail, with the goal of supporting her in reaching a limit to her identity and experiences, as well as to her recognised capacities of comprehending who she is and what she can do to address the situation. It is our aim to raise public awareness and, as a consequence, promote the potential of change in the face of crisis.
Conclusion
The information on legislation relevant to this case study was beneficial in solving DV from a legal viewpoint, as were the government involvements and laws, statutes, regulatory policy, and governmental commands, according to the findings of the current study. According to current research, they effectively establish standards of behaviour for individuals and organisations, even though social workers are unable to mandate domestic violence (DV) firsthand for battered victims. As a civil-legal remedy for victims and their spouses, “orders of protection” are particularly effective in Victoria since the terms and conditions are tailored to the victim’s surroundings and contain a presumption favouring the victim’s request to have the offender removed from the residence. To break free from abusive relationships, abused women and children require the assistance of social workers, psychologists and social workers, and nurses, doctors and solicitors who can help them manage resources and explicate the complications they will face as they attempt to break away from abusive relations.
References
Australian Institute of Family Studies. (2022, March 31). National comparison of child protection systems. Child Family Community Australia. https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/national-comparison-child-protection-systems
Australian Institute of family studies. (2018). Australian child protection legislation. Child Family Community Australia. https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/australian-child-protection-legislation
Australian Law Reform Commission. (2022). Legal intervention in child protection. ALRC. https://www.alrc.gov.au/publication/family-violence-a-national-legal-response-alrc-report-114/19-the-intersection-of-child-protection-and-family-laws-3/legal-intervention-in-child-protection/
Department of Communities. (2022). Child Protection Worker | Perth and Western Australia. Childprotectioncareers.wa.gov.au. https://childprotectioncareers.wa.gov.au/our-roles/child-protection-worker
Government of Western Australia. (2022). Family and Domestic Violence Services and Resources. Www.wa.gov.au. https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/family-and-domestic-violence-services-and-resources
PCH Child Protection Unit. (2022). Child Protection Unit. Pch.health.wa.gov.au. https://pch.health.wa.gov.au/Our-services/Child-Protection-Unit
Sheehan, R., & Borowski, A. (2014). Australia’s Children’s Courts: An assessment of the status of and challenges facing the child welfare jurisdiction in Victoria. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 36(2), 95–110. https://doi.org/10.1080/09649069.2014.916079
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
