Re: CSA: Non convicted but admitted...

["Kathy Wood" <kathyw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

** High Priority **

with respect to my collegue, i must clarify some comments about the child protection services register here in western australia, which has been in operation in pilot format since july 1996.

the main aim of the register is to monitor and improve interagency co-ordination and cooperation in substantiated child maltreatment, thereby preventing children falling through "agency gaps", and ensuring that where more than one agency is involved in a substantiated maltreatment case, that each agency knows of the others involvement.  

this is done by each agency registering the child who is subject to the substantiated maltreatment.  for example, the police, family & children's services and the children's hospital may all be involved in the same incident at differing times in the process and not aware of each others involvment. we make sure they due.  In the majority of cases each agency is aware, but sometimes there are gaps, mainly caused by timing or differences in professional judgements across disciplines.

the register also records the range of services provided to the child/family by each agency, so we can map the range/source/type of services provided in substantiated maltreatment.

at present the register ONLY records the names of children who have been subject to substantiated child maltreatment, not the person believed responsible for the maltreatment.  (PBR information is maintained by fmaily and children's services for their purposes) 

there is currently before the western australian parliament ammendments to the child welfare act to enable the names of persons CONVICTED of offences against children to also be recorded on the register.

the register is a govt initiative and is supported by two sets interdepartmental requirements which enable govt agencies to participate.
the first document is the "reciprocol child protection procedures" which outline who what when and how govt agencies will recieve and respond to allegations of maltreatment. for example requirments for family & children's services to notify police in cases of sexual abuse and/or serious physical maltreatment.  These procedures are based on the principle of co-ordination and co-operation and obviate the need for mandatory reporting.

the second set of requirements is the Child Protection Services Register Protocols which describe who what when and how govt agencies will register a child who has been subject to substantiated maltreatment and the services provided to the child and his/her family.

i hope the above has clarified and explained the role of the register, albiet in the very shorthand way that we are restricted to in emails.
the register is a unique concept, certainly in australia and possibly overseas, as it is operates a little bit differently to other similar models
if anyone would like further information please contact me via email
regards

>>> "Simon Meyer" <simonm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 12/08/99 18:18:52 >>>
In Western Australia we have the Child Protection Services Register (for all forms of abuse). While you don't need to be convicted in court to be placed on the list, a service like the Police or our dept (state welfare) needs to consider the maltreatment to have been substantiated. It is used to track victims of abuse as well as alleged perpetrators. If you are interested I could chase up the contact details for the register's custodian. 

>>> "Wm. C. Sands, Jr." <elexan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 07/24 12:49  >>>
Bill Sands here...

Do you know any country or state/province which maintains a registry of
child sexual abusers who have NOT been convicted in a court, but have in
divorce proceedings admitted to CSA? Is there some way to get such a
registry started?