Child protection and support services (CPSS) - notifications, investigations, and substantiations NMDS (July 2007)

DSS specific information:

In the Child Protection NMDS, the following applies to this item's guide for use in its value domain:

CODE 1 Substantiated

A finalised investigation is classified as ‘substantiated’ where there is reasonable cause to believe that the child has been, is being, or is likely to be abused, neglected or otherwise harmed. Substantiation does not necessarily require sufficient evidence for a successful prosecution and does not imply that treatment or case management was, or is to be, provided.

CODE 2 Not substantiated

A finalised investigation is classified in this category where a investigation has concluded that there is no reasonable cause to suspect prior, current or future abuse or neglect or harm to the child.

CODE 3 Investigation not finalised

Where the investigation was ongoing at the end of the reporting period.

CODE 4 Investigation not able to be commenced or completed

Where every effort has been made to investigate the concern, but was not possible. Includes children who have moved interstate or absconded.

DSS specific information:

In the Child Protection NMDS, this data element can be collected twice:

• the primary type of abuse or neglect; and
• the secondary type of abuse or neglect.

Where more than one type of abuse or neglect has occurred, the primary type of abuse should be the most serious type of harm, as determined by the investigating officer.

The secondary type of abuse or neglect should also be used where there is more than one abuse type recorded. The second most serious abuse type, as determined by the investigatory officer, should be provided.

Conditional obligation:

In the Child Protection NMDS, this data element is collected a minimum of three times:

• the postcode where the child was living at the time of the contact;
• the numeric descriptor for a postal delivery area aligned with locality, suburb or place and defined by Australia Post for the residential address of the child immediately prior to entering out-of-home care for the first time; and
• the numeric descriptor for a postal delivery area, aligned with locality, suburb or place and defined by Australia Post for the specific address of the out-of-home care placement.

DSS specific information:

In the Child Protection NMDS, this data element is collected a minimum of three times:

• the suburb/town/locality name where the child was living at the time of the contact;
• the full name of the general locality containing the specific residential address of the child immediately prior to their entry into their first ever out-of-home care placement; and
• the full name of the general locality containing the specific address of the out-of-home care placement.

DSS specific information:

This data element is implemented three times in the Child Protection NMDS. It is collected for the following three items:

• a code that uniquely identifies a client within a state or territory’s child protection system (unique client identification number);
• the unique identification number of a child who is the sibling of (or who has a significant attachment with) the subject child and who was living in the same home as the child. This includes biological, adopted, foster, step or half-brother or sisters (client sibling/significant other identification number); and
• a code that uniquely identifies a caseworker within a state or territory’s child protection system (unique caseworker identification number).

The unique client identifier should be assigned by the state or territory community services department when the child first comes in contact with the department. The child should retain the same unique identifier across time. This data element should be recorded for each child for each contact, care and protection order and out-of-home care episode.

Any sibling of the child subject to the contact should be identified. This code should be used in conjunction with ‘Unique client identification number’ to ensure consistency of identification numbers.

Each caseworker is to be assigned a unique ID by the Community Services department that will be retained by the caseworker and will remain unique to the caseworker through time. Within each state and territory, each caseworker should be identified by a code using consistent format. The identifier should be assigned by the state or territory community services department when the caseworker is first employed in this role. The caseworker should retain the same unique identifier across time.