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Your record keeping requirements when using the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme and the Child Information Sharing Scheme. As Information Sharing Entities (ISEs), you have specific record keeping obligations under the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) and the Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS).

Many ISEs will already be recording much of this information as part of your existing record keeping and case noting practices.

ISEs can choose how they will meet their record keeping obligations, which might include written or online cases notes, specific record keeping forms or IT solutions, depending on the needs and requirements of your organisation or service.

Example record keeping forms for both Schemes

You must record

The ISE that requested the information
The date of the request
If refusing a request, the request and the reason why it was refused - when you share information either voluntarily or on request. You should advise the requestor in writing about why you have refused their request for information

You should

Know what scheme you are sharing under – FVISS, CISS or both. This will help determine what information you need to record
Know and record who information is being shared about. This will help determine what information you need to record
Record how the threshold for sharing was met. Refer to the Family Violence Sharing Guidelines: Guidance for Information Sharing Entities and Child Information Sharing Scheme Ministerial Guidelines: Guidance for information sharing entities

You must record

The information that was disclosed
The date on which the information was disclosed
Relevant risk assessments or safety plans that have been prepared for a person at risk of family violence

Consider whether you are sharing about:

a child
a relevant family member of that child
any other person, in order to promote the child’s wellbeing or safety

Consider whether you are sharing about this person as:

a perpetrator
an alleged perpetrator
an adolescent that uses violence
an adult victim survivor
a child victim survivor
a third party
any person where the victim survivor is a child

You do not need to record any other information when sharing about perpetrators and alleged perpetrators.

If sharing about:

adult victim survivors of family violence or third parties under FVISS (where a child is at risk)
a child’s parent under CISS
child victim survivors of family violence
any child in order to promote their wellbeing or safety

You must also:

Record whether you sought their views about their information - including the child and/or their parent depending on the child’s capacity when sharing about the child. You may also want to keep records of their views as this might information steps you take to address their concerns
If their views were not sought, record the reason why
Record if they were informed that their information was disclosed. If the person was not informed you may also want to record the reason why that person was not informed as it could be relevant to future practice

If sharing about:

adult victim survivors of family violence (where no child is at risk), or
third parties (where no child is at risk)

You must also:

Record whether information was shared with consent and whether the consent was written, verbal or implied. You may also want to keep records of the consent
If the information was shared without consent, record the reason why. Where no child is at risk, information can be shared about an adult victim survivor or third party under the FVISS when it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to life, health, safety or welfare of an individual
If the information was shared without consent, record if the person was informed that their information was shared without consent. If the person was not informed you may also want to record the reason why that person was not informed as it could be relevant to future practice and inform ongoing assessment and management of family violence risk

Communities

Updated 21 April 2020

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Guides, templates and tools for information sharing and MARAM

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You must record

You should

You must record

What’s next

About the VIC Government

Grants and programs

Jobs and careers

Arts, culture and heritage

Business and the workplace

Communities

Education and training

Environment, water and energy

Finance and economy

Housing and property

Law and justice

Safety and emergencies

Science and technology

Sport and recreation

Traffic and transport

Working in the Victorian Government

Tips for information sharing record keeping

When you receive a request to share information

You must record

You should

You must record

Sharing information under CISS

Sharing information under FVISS

What’s next