xii. Recording alerts for a child and family
Purpose
This procedure outlines the process for recording alerts on person records on ICMS.
Authority
- Child Protection Act 1999, section 7, 14, 21A, 77, 162 and 164
- Policy No. 29-3: Health and wellbeing: suicide risk alert system
When to record an alert
An alert is recorded as soon as significant information relevant to an alert type has been identified about a family, including a carer family. This information may have been obtained at intake, during the investigation and assessment or during ongoing intervention.
Roles and responsibilities
When information is received that relates to a significant event for a child or their family and may require the recording of an alert, the CSO will:
- consult with the team leader to:
- assess the nature and significance of the information
- determine the most appropriate way to record the information
- where appropriate, and in accordance with intake procedures, undertake checks with other government or non-government agencies to clarify or verify the information. This may include contact with the QPS, Queensland Health and education authorities
- record and maintain the information on the alert tab of the relevant person record/s in ICMS. This may include recording or closing an alert if circumstances change in the family, for example, a family is located.
Types of alerts
Alerts that can be recorded in ICMS fall into the following categories:
- carer application refused
- carer certificate of authority cancelled/suspended
- CCYPCG blue card declined
- child death result of harm
- child protection warrant
- child seriously injured result of harm
- deceased other (for example, accidental death, disability or illness)
- history of parents absconding with children
- member of a family child death result of harm (for example, member of a family where a child has died as a result of abuse)
- member of a family child seriously injured result of harm
- member of a mobile family
- missing child
- risk to staff
- self harm risk (do not use this alert on ICMS until further notice)
- serious health condition
- suicide risk
- unborn children.
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Suicide risk alerts
Classifying a child as a high suicide risk
A child will be regarded as a high suicide risk when they display, or disclose a history of, one or more of the following criteria:
- a suicide attempt
- a medical diagnosis of depression
- engaging in significant self injurious behaviour
- expressed or assessed suicidal ideation.
The recording of a suicide alert is a significant case decision. It could result in a child being subjected to intrusive suicidal risk interventions for the duration of the departmental involvement. It is also important to ascertain whether any member of a child's peer group or family has a history of suicide and/or self harming behaviours as this can be an additional risk factor which warrants further assessment and monitoring, but will not necessarily lead to the completion of a 'SR1 Suicide Risk Alert' form on a child.
Completing a 'SR1 Suicide Risk Alert' form/suicide risk alert
When a child has been assessed as being a high suicide risk, the CSO will complete a 'SR1 Suicide Risk Alert' form on ICMS in the suicide risk event within 24 hours of the assessment, including details of the immediate suicide risk management plan. The form will require approval by a team leader or senior practitioner and a suicide alert is activated in ICMS when the form is approved.
Additional requirements for a child subject to ongoing intervention
When the suicide risk relates to a child subject to ongoing intervention, the CSO will:
- discuss the case with a team leader and/or senior practitioner
- complete a review of the case plan, where the current case plan no longer meets the child's protection and care needs
- complete a new child strengths and needs assessment where the case plan is to be reviewed.
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A new 'SR1 Suicide Risk Alert' form must be completed if a child demonstrates or engages in a new episode of suicide risk behaviour/s.
The recording of a 'SR1 Suicide Risk Alert' form should be discussed with the child, parents and carers, and where necessary, other significant persons. While information can be shared with relevant agencies, the 'SR1 Suicide Risk Alert' form is an internal departmental document and should not be copied for external use.
The suicide risk event on ICMS must not be closed until the alert is no longer required.
- Last updated
- 3 February 2009
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