Legal and Ethical Issues in Childcare
PART A: TERM PAPER QUESTIONS & ANSWERS - LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN CHILDCARE
1) Record the relevant government agency that deals with child protection in your state – South Australia.
The South Australia Department for Families and Communities (DFC) is responsible for child protection among other things. (COAG) Families SA runs the Child Abuse Report Line on 131 478. The Report Line is the focal point where all child protection concerns are to be reported. There are three teams in operation during these times.
1) The standard Child Abuse Report Line team is made up of social workers. For the sake of integrity all mandatory notifications are reviewed on the day by senior social workers.
2) Aboriginal Family Practitioners man the Yaitya Tirramangkotti Line.
3) A special team was created called DART (The Diversionary Assessment Response Team) to provide help to notifiers to assess whether their concern needs to be reported. It also refers people to other resources they can use to assist the child and their family.
2) A] What are the legal requirements for ‘Mandatory Reporting’ in South Australia for staff working in a children’s service? B] Who is legally obligated to make a notification when they have grounds to believe that a child is at risk of harm?
A] The legal requirements for “Mandatory Reporting’ in South Australia are that if a person reasonably suspects that a child has previously been, or is still being abused or neglected from observations during the course of their work (whether paid or voluntary) or in the process of carrying out their official duties, then the person must notify the Department of that suspicion as soon as possible after they suspect abuse is occurring.
B] As outlined under the Children’s Protection Act 1993 – S.A., the people legally obligated to make a notification when they have grounds to believe that a child is at risk of harm are:
(a) a medical practitioner;
(b) a pharmacist;
(c) a registered or enrolled nurse;
1) Record the relevant government agency that deals with child protection in your state – South Australia.
The South Australia Department for Families and Communities (DFC) is responsible for child protection among other things. (COAG) Families SA runs the Child Abuse Report Line on 131 478. The Report Line is the focal point where all child protection concerns are to be reported. There are three teams in operation during these times.
1) The standard Child Abuse Report Line team is made up of social workers. For the sake of integrity all mandatory notifications are reviewed on the day by senior social workers.
2) Aboriginal Family Practitioners man the Yaitya Tirramangkotti Line.
3) A special team was created called DART (The Diversionary Assessment Response Team) to provide help to notifiers to assess whether their concern needs to be reported. It also refers people to other resources they can use to assist the child and their family.
2) A] What are the legal requirements for ‘Mandatory Reporting’ in South Australia for staff working in a children’s service? B] Who is legally obligated to make a notification when they have grounds to believe that a child is at risk of harm?
A] The legal requirements for “Mandatory Reporting’ in South Australia are that if a person reasonably suspects that a child has previously been, or is still being abused or neglected from observations during the course of their work (whether paid or voluntary) or in the process of carrying out their official duties, then the person must notify the Department of that suspicion as soon as possible after they suspect abuse is occurring.
B] As outlined under the Children’s Protection Act 1993 – S.A., the people legally obligated to make a notification when they have grounds to believe that a child is at risk of harm are:
(a) a medical practitioner;
(b) a pharmacist;
(c) a registered or enrolled nurse;
References: Early Childhood Development Steering Committee, National Quality Standard for Early Childhood Education and Care and School Age Care, Council of Australian Governments, (COAG) (December 2009). GoodStart Training College Module 2 Legal and Ethical Guidelines Training Booklet (October, 2012). http://www.families.sa.gov.au/pages/protectingchildren/LegislationNotifying/ http://www.families.sa.gov.au/pages/protectingchildren/ReportingChildAbuse