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Children, Youth and Families
every child every chance
Library

publications & practice guides

Best interest series

  • best interests series
    The Best Interests principles in the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (CYFA) (s. 10) provide a unifying set of principles across the Family and Placement Services sector, Child Protection and the Children¿s Court that guides all decision making and service delivery. For professionals working under the CYFA, a set of papers will assist in applying the Best Interests principles.
  • Critical thinking and creative action [PDF, 236.1 kb]
    Effective Responses to chronic neglect: Critical thinking and creative action. A presentation by Annette Jackson, knowledge manager, Take Two
  • Best interest case practice model summary guide [PDF, 385.8 kb]
    Best interests case practice model summary guide. This guide provides a foundation for working with children, including the unborn child, young people and families. It aims to reflect the new case practice directions arising from the Children,Youth and Families Act 2005 (CYFA) and the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005. Designed to inform and support professional practice in family services, child protection and placement and support services, the model aims to achieve successful outcomes for children and their families.
  • Best interests framework for vulnerable children and youth [PDF, 410.3 kb]
    Best Interests framework for vulnerable children and youth: This paper describes the Best Interests principles and related provisions of the CYFA. It sets out a framework for professionals working in Family Services, Child Protection and Placement Services to apply the CYFA in making a difference to vulnerable children and young people.
  • Best interests principles: A conceptual overview [PDF, 450.0 kb]
    Best interests principles: a conceptual overview. This paper explores some of the theoretical underpinnings and broad practice ramifications of the Best Interests principles and the benefits envisioned for children, young people and their families.
  • Cumulative harm conceptual overview [PDF, 411.6 kb]
    Cumulative harm: a conceptual overview. This paper defines and discusses cumulative harm and provides a conceptual overview of the issue. The historical context is discussed and the theoretical underpinnings explored and a range of relevant paradigms and research is presented.
  • Cumulative harm specialist practice guide [PDF, 792.7 kb]
    This guide is designed to work in two parts: an overview on cumulative harm and a practice tool to guide you.
  • Guidance on promoting children's stability v5 [PDF, 80.3 kb]
    Stability: a conceptual overview. Guidance on promoting children's stability: This paper provides a framework for intervention as well as practice guidance on promoting children and young people¿s stability when they come into contact with Child Protection, Family Services or Placement Services sectors.
  • Best Interests Case Practice Model [PDF, 485.1 kb]
    the every child every chance reforms provide professionals working within the sector more effective processes to listen to what children and young people want and need, enable earlier intervention, reduce child abuse and neglect, provide better support to Aboriginal children, young people and their families, and to work together in cooperation with other providers of children, young people and family services

Child development and trauma guide

  • Child development and trauma guide introduction [PDF, 409.5 kb]
    The child development and trauma guide has been developed to assist practitioners to understand typical developmental pathways of children and recognising indicators of trauma at different ages and stages.
  • Child development and trauma guide: newborn - 12 months [PDF, 149.0 kb]
    Child development and trauma guide: Age 0-12 months The child development and trauma guide has been developed to assist practitioners to understand typical developmental pathways of children and recognising indicators of trauma at different ages and stages. Importantly, it offers practical, age appropriate advice as to the needs of children, parents and carers when trauma has occurred and ways in which the child and family can be assisted in healing and recovery.
  • Child development and trauma guide: 12 months - 3 years [PDF, 101.8 kb]
    Child development and trauma guide: Age 12 months - 3 years. The child development and trauma guide has been developed to assist practitioners to understand typical developmental pathways of children and recognising indicators of trauma at different ages and stages. Importantly, it offers practical, age appropriate advice as to the needs of children, parents and carers when trauma has occurred and ways in which the child and family can be assisted in healing and recovery.
  • Child development and trauma guide: 3 - 5 years [PDF, 230.2 kb]
    Child development and trauma guide: Age 3-5 years. The child development and trauma guide has been developed to assist practitioners to understand typical developmental pathways of children and recognising indicators of trauma at different ages and stages. Importantly, it offers practical, age appropriate advice as to the needs of children, parents and carers when trauma has occurred and ways in which the child and family can be assisted in healing and recovery.
  • Child development and trauma guide: 5 - 7 years [PDF, 158.3 kb]
    Child development and trauma guide: Age 5-7 years. The child development and trauma guide has been developed to assist practitioners to understand typical developmental pathways of children and recognising indicators of trauma at different ages and stages. Importantly, it offers practical, age appropriate advice as to the needs of children, parents and carers when trauma has occurred and ways in which the child and family can be assisted in healing and recovery.
  • Child development and trauma guide: 7 - 9 years [PDF, 155.9 kb]
    Child development and trauma guide: Age 7-9 years. The child development and trauma guide has been developed to assist practitioners to understand typical developmental pathways of children and recognising indicators of trauma at different ages and stages. Importantly, it offers practical, age appropriate advice as to the needs of children, parents and carers when trauma has occurred and ways in which the child and family can be assisted in healing and recovery.
  • Child development and trauma guide: 9 - 12 years [PDF, 185.4 kb]
    Child development and trauma guide: Age 9-12 years. The child development and trauma guide has been developed to assist practitioners to understand typical developmental pathways of children and recognising indicators of trauma at different ages and stages. Importantly, it offers practical, age appropriate advice as to the needs of children, parents and carers when trauma has occurred and ways in which the child and family can be assisted in healing and recovery.
  • Child development and trauma guide: 12 - 18yrs [PDF, 230.4 kb]
    Child development and trauma guide: Age 12-18 years. The child development and trauma guide has been developed to assist practitioners to understand typical developmental pathways of children and recognising indicators of trauma at different ages and stages. Importantly, it offers practical, age appropriate advice as to the needs of children, parents and carers when trauma has occurred and ways in which the child and family can be assisted in healing and recovery.

Information sharing guidelines

Good practice guide

  • Good practices guide: statewide snapshot 2008 [PDF, 950.4 kb]
    Good Practice: a statewide snapshot 2008. The case studies in this guide provide a statewide snapshot of good practice in action, some 16 months after the introduction of the Children, Youth & Families Act 2005. The experiences of the children and their familes documented in this publication are often 'Beyond Words' and their stories of adversity and growth are inspirational.
  • Good practices guide: statewide snapshot 2007 [PDF, 449.2 kb]
    Good Practice: a statewide snapshot 2007. The case studies in this guide provide a statewide snapshot of good practice in action, some 16 months after the introduction of the Children, Youth & Families Act 2005. The experiences of the children and their familes documented in this publication are often 'Beyond Words' and their stories of adversity and growth are inspirational.

Fact sheets

  • fact sheets
    the every child every chance reforms provide professionals working within the sector more effective processes to listen to what children and young people want and need, enable earlier intervention, reduce child abuse and neglect, provide better support to Aboriginal children, young people and their families, and to work together in cooperation with other providers of children, young people and family services
  • Aboriginal family preservation and restoration [PDF, 121.7 kb]
    Fact sheet: Aboriginal family preservation and restoration fact sheet Aboriginal family preservation and restoration - an introduction to the Aboriginal Family Preservation and Restoration programs curretnly being delivered by a range of local Aboriginal community service organisations throughout Victoria.
  • Children Youth and Families Act 2005 Child Wellbeing and Safety fact sheet april 2006 [PDF, 148.1 kb]
    Fact sheet: A framework to promote children's safety, wellbeing and developments - this initial fact sheet provides a global overview of the new legislation, and will be followed by others that will be topic-focused providing greater detail of both the specific provisions and operation issues to consider.
  • Thearpautic treatment orders fact sheet [PDF, 512.9 kb]
    Fact sheet: Children in need of therapeutic treatment: The new provisions within the Children,Youth and Families Act 2005 (CYFA) that relate to children in need of therapeutic treatment will provide an alternative pathway into treatment when the child does not voluntarily seek help, without the need to rely on a criminal prosecution.
  • Child FIRST poster [PDF, 432.5 kb]
    Fact sheet: Child FIRST Provides information on the function, role and referral process for Child FIRST, it also explains the relationship between child FIRST and Child Protection and their respective roles.
  • ChildFIRST fact sheet [PDF, 72.6 kb]
    Child FIRST (Child and Family Information, Referral and Support Teams) will be established in designated sub-regional catchments in a staged process across Victoria to provide a community-based referral point into family services (including Family Support Innovation Projects).
  • Court orders ongoing and new [PDF, 68.9 kb]
    Fact sheet: Court orders -ongoing and new: The commencement of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 introduces a range of new orders to encourage greater flexibility in dispositions and significant changes to current orders. This fact sheet describes these new orders, as well as changes to current orders.
  • Quality of care guidelines [PDF, 91.5 kb]
    Fact sheet: Guidelines for responding to quality of care concerns in out of home care ¿ providing information about how to deal with concerns about the quality of care being provided to a child or young person living in out of home care, in order to ensure their safety, stability and development while treating carers fairly and with respect.
  • Principles to guide practice and decision making [PDF, 142.6 kb]
    Fact sheet: principles to guide practice and decision making provides a description of the principles contained in the legislation, the key role they play in shaping the way the service system works and how they will affect practice and service delivery.
  • Role of consultation in intake [PDF, 69.0 kb]
    Fact sheet: role of consultation at intake - a central feature of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 is the establishment of clearer pathways into child and family intake services in Victoria where there are significant concerns about the wellbeing of children. This fact sheet outlines the role of consultation at intake.
  • Substantiation and risk assignment [PDF, 84.2 kb]
    Fact sheet: sSubstantiation and risk assignment determinations are related but discrete assessment and decision-making processes. This fact sheet provides information about issues and processes for Child Protection practitioners.
  • The Best Interests framework for vulnerable children and youth [PDF, 87.6 kb]
    Fact sheet: The Best Interests framework for vulnerable children and youth outlines the best interests principles of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, has been developed for community services organisations and Child Protection practitioners, to support a consistent understanding of the principles and their practice ramifications.
  • Unborn child referrals [PDF, 50.6 kb]
    Fact sheet: unborn child referrals for Family Services and Child FIRST practitioners.
  • Unborn child reports [PDF, 67.0 kb]
    Fact sheet: unborn child reports for Child Protection practitioners.

Protocols

  • Child Protection and Disability Services protocol
    The protocol between Child Protection and Disability Services provides guidance and facilitates collaboration between Child Protection practitioners and Disability Services staff working with children or young people who have suffered harm, or are at risk of suffering harm and where the child or parent has a disability.
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