How to use the Child Safety Practice Manual
The Child Safety Practice Manual is one of a set of 'authority documents' that collectively make up the policy and procedural documentation of Child Safety Services. The purpose of the practice manual is to facilitate standardised practice across the state. In addition, the practice manual:
- guides and informs 'frontline' child protection practice across the child protection continuum
- outlines the roles and responsibilities of Child Safety Services' staff in the delivery of statutory child protection services
- advises staff of their statutory obligations to promote the safety and well-being of Queensland children and young people, specifically those at risk of harm.
The other components of the 'authority documents' are:
- legislation
- policy statements
- other Child Safety Services manuals and resources
- inter-agency agreements, memorandums of understanding and protocols.
Structure of the manual
The Child Safety Practice Manual is structured into the following six sections:
1. Introduction
The introduction outlines a range of information that relates to the work and obligations of the Department of Communities (Child Safety Services), under the following headings:
- Department of Communities (Child Safety Services)
- Relevant legislation
- Other key documents
- Accountability for children in Queensland
- Framework for the participation of children and young people in decision-making
- Respecting diversity
- Recognised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entities
- Delegations
- Child safety service centres: staff roles and responsibilities
2. Practice framework and maps
This section contains the Child Safety Services practice framework and information about integrating and understanding the framework, along with a set of practice maps that represent the phases and tasks of child protection intervention. The following legend contains a list of the elements represented in each map.
3. Chapters
There are 10 chapters containing topic specific procedures that span the chid protection continuum. Each chapter is organised under the following structure:
- Overview: accessed when you click on the chapter, which includes:
- Purpose - of the chapter and the specific area of child protection intervention.
- Key steps - the overarching key steps for undertaking that phase or content area of child protection intervention.
- Standards - the key actions that must occur as part of the phase.
- Practice skills - critical areas for reflection by staff when undertaking the steps.
- Authority - the legislative authority for action by Child Safety Services.
- Key steps - which contains the procedural information and content for each step in the chapter.
- What ifs - these are located at the end of the chapter and are procedures for matters related to a child protection phase, but that may not relate to all cases, and are used when relevant. They are numbered from most common to least common.
- Resources - which are broken down into:
- Forms and templates - used by staff in their day-to-day work, including forms and templates and standard letters.
- Child Safety Services' resources - provide further information to inform practice and procedures and assist staff to understand their role, for example, practice papers, practice resources, information brochures, fact sheets and guides.
- External resource - information provided to staff from our partners and other external sources and websites.
4. Practice papers
Practice papers provide additional and more in-depth information about critical areas of child protection practice.
5. Resources
All resources that are linked in each chapter and throughout the Child Safety Practice Manual are located here under chapter headings.
6. Quick links
The quick links include:
- Acronyms: definitions of acronyms and abbreviations used throughout the manual
- Glossary of terms: definitions of child protection terms used throughout the manual
- How to use the practice manual: this document
- Previous versions: available for download as PDF documents
- Printable version: versions of each release of the CSPM are available as PDF documents
- Updates: outlines the updates made to the manual in each release.
- Last updated
- 22 July 2009
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