Client Care and Protection Policy

Next Challenge employees are required to respond promptly and sensitively to concerns and allegations of child abuse, neglect and/or exploitation.  It is the responsibility of all employees to have an understanding of the Next Challenge care and protection policy and of the steps for implementation. Next Challenge employees undertake training to ensure they understand their care and protection responsibilities for all clients of the company and follow the company's prescribed client welfare procedural flowchart.

Next Challenge will respond within 7 (working) days to any allegations of abuse and/or neglect of a child or person with a disability.

First contact – direct exposure to a care/ protection issue by an employee

Employee Response:

• All concerns/allegations must be immediately reported to your manager or the Managing Director if your manager is not available; 
• Ensure safeguards are immediately put in place as determined in consultation with the above; 
• Develop and implement an action plan in conjunction with your manager using the Child at Risk form; and 
• Ensure ongoing monitoring of the situation and that all information is documented clearly, promptly and kept on record.

Manager Response:

• Support the employee and ensure all care and protection processes are followed; 
• Provide information and direction to all employees involved in the situation; 
• Ensure all Directors of the company are aware of the situation; 
• Ensure appropriate documentation, recording and communication with all parties;
• Ensure employees follow safeguards and monitor appropriately; 
• Arrange for employee training to mitigate risks as required; 
• Ensure that concerns/allegations are discussed with relevant key stakeholders; 
• Involve external agencies as appropriate; and 
• If the family is  registered with DSC, a ‘Serious Incident Report’ (SIR) form is to be completed and submitted to the Commission. A hard copy of the DSC SIR guidelines can be found in the NC office or accessed on the Commission website here.

A serious incident requiring a DSC SIR form is defined as one or more of the following: 

• Death of a person with a disability who is a current service user; 
• Serious physical injury of a person with disability who is a current service user;
• Serious avoidable illness (for example food poisoning or instances where medication has been wrongly administered) of a person with disability who is a current service user;
• Abuse or neglect of a person with disability who is a current service user;
• Exploitation or unauthorised restrictive practices used with a person with disability who is a current service user; 
• The person is judged as posing a serious risk to the health, safety or welfare of themselves or others; and/ or
• An assault on staff or a visitor to the service by a person with disability who is a current service user. 

 

If none of the above has occurred, a SIR form should still be completed if: 

• The service provider receives serious verbal or written complaints in relation to a service user with a disability; 
• The service provider is required to inform their insurer about a matter; 
• A matter or complaint about the service is referred to any statutory or investigative body; and/or 
• The service provider has concerns over the welfare of a person with a disability.

Non-direct/ indirect exposure of situation
There may be situations when a concern or allegation has been identified by an agency or person other than a Next Challenge employee, who in turn brings the concern/allegation to the attention of a Next Challenge employee.  In this situation the other agency/person should be encouraged to follow their own care and protection guidelines or relevant protocols.  A Next Challenge employee receiving this information from a third party should encourage that party to fulfil their duty of care to the child and discuss the concern/allegation with the Department of Community Development (DCD) and/or Disability Services Commission (DSC) for Commission funded clients.

Responding to requests for support/involvement
Next Challenge employees may become involved in legal situations in the form of subpoenas, police questioning or through contact from a lawyer of individuals associated with the client.  All requests for involvement in a legal matter must be agreed to by the Directors of Next Challenge.  No information or involvement should be given unless requests received are directed to the Directors of Next Challenge and approved at that level.  If Next Challenge therapists are asked to support clients in legal proceedings this must also be discussed fully with their direct manager and approved by the Directors of the company.


Date of Policy: September 2005
Review Date:         Jan 2019
Due for Review:      Jan 2020