| Mini vic.gov.au

https://player.vimeo.com/video/681152017

How Child Information Sharing Works

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When challenges present

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in the lives of children,

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understanding the issues

and providing support early

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is important.

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Professionals who provide services

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to children, parents or families

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are in a good position to pick

up on the challenges, risks

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and issues that can hold a child back.

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But sometimes, it’s not easy

to understand what’s going on

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until we see the bigger picture.

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Victoria’s Child Information

Sharing Scheme, or CISS

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helps bring the pieces of

the picture together earlier,

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to identify an obstacle for a child

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and to see what might help.

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To get a clearer picture,

certain professionals who work

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in organisations prescribed under CISS

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can share information with

other prescribed professionals

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working with that child or family.

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And they can work together across services

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to coordinate their support.

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Sometimes, when I was worried,

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I got stomach aches before school.

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Jack’s counsellor noticed his anxiety

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was affecting his schoolwork

and his friendships.

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She had a chat with Jack and his mum

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about getting Jack’s school involved.

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She asked me what I thought.

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At first, I didn’t want everyone to know.

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But now, my teacher helps me on those days

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when I don’t feel good,

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and we’ve come up with ways to

help me manage things better.

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CISS prescribed organisations

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are known as information

sharing entities or ISEs.

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They include schools, health services,

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education and care services,

police and many others.

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Key people in those

organisations have been trained

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to share and request

information under CISS.

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If you become aware of important

information about a child,

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talk to those people in your organisation

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who have been trained to share under CISS.

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CISS prioritises the safety

and wellbeing of children

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over individual privacy

and confidentiality,

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but only information that

is relevant to the wellbeing

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or safety of that child can be shared.

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Trained CISS professionals

know that whenever it’s safe,

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reasonable and appropriate to do so,

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they must support the

agency and voice of a child

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and respect their social, individual,

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and cultural identity,

strengths and abilities

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by involving them in the

decisions about their own lives.

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CISS professionals also

work collaboratively

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with protective parents or guardians.

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CISS professionals will always

try to talk with the child

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and their family or carer first,

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unless there’s a good reason not to.

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For example, if it’s an emergency,

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or parents or carers can’t be contacted.

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However, if a parent or child

doesn’t want others involved,

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CISS allows professionals

to use their judgement

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to share or request information anyway

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if they consider it may help

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to promote the child’s wellbeing.

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CISS doesn’t change Victoria’s

mandatory reporting rules.

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If it’s a matter of safety,

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mandatory reporters must share information

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as required under those rules,

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whether or not they are prescribed

or authorised under CISS.

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CISS helps professionals give and receive

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the information they need to help children

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and their families get

the support they need

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to be safe and to thrive.

Updated 14 April 2022

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