Definition
This refers to the total number of unique/individual Aboriginal children and young people seen by a DCJ caseworker, having been screened as at Risk of Significant Harm (ROSH), during the reporting period.
[This count only applies when a concern report, screened as meeting the ROSH threshold, occurs during the same reporting period the child or young person was seen by a caseworker.]
ROSH threshold screening occurs at the DCJ Child Protection Helpline. A child or young person is at ROSH if the circumstances that are causing concern for their safety, welfare or wellbeing are present to a significant extent. This means it is sufficiently serious to warrant a response by a statutory authority irrespective of a family's consent (see References below).
Indicator Summary
A count of unique Child Identifiers where ROSH Flag is equal to 'Y' and there is a Valid Report Flag. The Alternative Assessment or Safety Assessment are not null, and the Contact Start Date is in the reporting period. In addition, Aboriginal Status Grouped is 'Aboriginal.'
If the child is seen multiple times within the same reporting period, the earliest Alternative Assessment or Safety Assessment is selected. If no unique Child Identifier is identified, then the record with the …
| Distribution/Table | Path/Column |
| Child Protection Reporting - Base Data Asset | DITRICT_COMMON |
Reporting Information
Published by NSW Department of Communities and Justice.
Framework Dimensions
- Annual Statistical Report (2021-2022) > Active and Inclusive Communities > Supporting Aboriginal Children, Families and Communities
- Annual Statistical Report (2022-2023) > Active and Inclusive Communities > Supporting Aboriginal Children, Families and Communities
Calculation rules
- Computation
A count of unique Child Identifiers where ROSH Flag is equal to 'Y' and there is a Valid Report Flag. The Alternative Assessment or Safety Assessment are not null, and the Contact Start Date is in the reporting period. In addition, Aboriginal Status Grouped is 'Aboriginal.'
If the child is seen multiple times within the same reporting period, the earliest Alternative Assessment or Safety Assessment is selected. If no unique Child Identifier is identified, then the record with the earliest Field Assessment Start Date is used.
-
- Data Element
- Service Event: Start Date, DateTime YYYY-MM-DD
- Data Set
- Child Protection Data Set
-
- Data Element
- Person: Indigenous Status, FaCS Grouped Label X(14) 2
- Data Set
- Child Protection Data Set
-
- Data Element
- FAP_PROCESS: Date, YYYY-MM-DD
- Data Set
- Child Protection Data Set
-
- Data Element
- Person: ChildStory Identifier, A-N(8)
- Data Set
- Child Protection Data Set
-
- Data Element
- Assessment: Submitted Date, YYYY-MM-DD
- Guide for use
Where ROSH_FLAG = 'Y'.
- Data Set
- Child Protection Data Set
| Distribution/Table | Path/Column |
| Child Protection Reporting - Base Data Asset | DITRICT_COMMON |
-
- Data Element
- Service Event: Field Assessment Outcome, Code NX(N)
- Data Set
- Child Protection Data Set
-
- Data Element
- Person: Indigenous Status, Grouped Label X(14)
- Guide for use
Where the values for Aboriginal Status Grouped of 'not stated' and blank have been recoded as 'Non-Aboriginal.'
- Data Set
- Child Protection Data Set
Comments
Data ageing:
- Data ageing is two months, unless otherwise indicated. Therefore, the data for this indicator will be available two months after the end of the month in which the data first becomes available.
Data/counting rules changes:
- ‘Other’ in the ‘Other/NA’ reporting category for response priorities include reports marked as ‘no response required’ and those with the required information left blank. ‘NA’ (Not Applicable) relates to ROSH reports where additional children were recorded at the time of the field assessment. The data reported for “Other/NA’ in 2019-20 is not directly comparable to that reported in the previous years, because: the large number of ROSH reports with blank final response priority reported for 2019-20 were attributed to the Streamlined Response Pilot in Northern NSW District, where the Response Priority Tool was no longer being used to determine the response priority. ‘Not Applicable (N/A)’ mainly relates to ROSH reports where additional children were recorded at the time of the field assessment. The data reported for ‘Other/NA’ in 2019-20 is not directly comparable to that reported in the previous years as a large number of ROSH reports with blank final response priority reported for 2019-20 are attributable to the Streamlined Response Pilot project underway in the Northern NSW District where the Response Priority Tool is no longer being used to determine the response priority.
- ‘Prenatal reports’ are reported under ‘Carer: other issues’ prior to 2012-13. 'Other issues' includes ROSH reports where additional children were recorded at the time of field assessment; hence, Helpline assessed issue is not applicable.
- The District reported reflects where the earliest Secondary Assessment or Alternative Assessment was submitted for a child or young person in the period.
- The Hunter New England District was split into Hunter District and New England District from 2018-19. This means that no data will be displayed for Hunter District or for New England District before 2018-19 and no data will be displayed for Hunter New England District after 2017-18.
- The ‘Other’ reported in the DCJ District breakdown includes data which cannot be categorised into the new districts and where District could not be identified.
- There has been a change in the definition of ‘children at ROSH seen by a DCJ caseworker’, with more stringent requirements introduced in 2017-18. More steps are taken by caseworkers to record the work they do to meet the definition of 'seen'; in particular a manager must now give formal approval. Previously, an investigation could be undertaken over two stages (stage 1 - information gathering; stage 2 - assessment). Data for ‘Children Seen’ are not comparable to data on investigations and assessments (face-to-face assessments) published previously.
NP (Not Publishable) refers to small numbers that are not published to preserve privacy of individuals.
Data limitations:
- It is important to note that data for 'children seen' and 'face-to-face assessments' is not directly comparable.
Data source:
- Key Information and Directory System (KiDS)/Client Information Warehouse (CIW) for annual data up to 2016-17
- ChildStory /Client Information Warehouse (CIW) for annual data from 2017-18.
Origin
References
In 2009 the threshold for legislative statutory authority intervention was amended from ‘risk of harm’ to ‘risk of significant harm’.
The NSW Interagency Guidelines outlines what is meant by ‘significant’ in ‘risk of significant harm’.
- “This means the concern is sufficiently serious to warrant a response by a statutory authority (such as NSW Police Force or Community Services) irrespective of a family’s consent.
What is significant is not minor or trivial and may reasonably be expected to produce a substantial and demonstrably adverse impact on the child or young person’s safety, welfare or wellbeing, or in the case of an unborn child, after the child’s birth.
The significance can result from a single act or omission or an accumulation of these.”
https://reporter.childstory.nsw.gov.au/s/article/Significant-harm-policy-definition
Related content
| Relation | Count |
|---|---|
| Indicator Sets that include this Indicator | 0 |
| Data Sets that are used in this Indicator | 1 |