This is the phase where Child Protection staff find out whether the child is in need of 'protection.' They do this by gathering information, meeting with the child and family, professionals and workers. Child Protection are required to do this work with advice and participation from the Aboriginal Child Specialist Advice and Support Service.
The key aims of the 'investigation' phase are to find out:
- how serious the reported concerns are and what evidence is available to support this
- whether the child has suffered or is likely to suffer further harm
- whether the parents have protected or are likely to protect the child from harm
- whether Child Protection needs to issue a protection order to meet the best interests of the child
- whether other supports are needed to help support the family.
If there is enough evidence found to support the claims made in the initial report, then the report is said to be 'substantiated.' At this point, 'protective intervention' begins (see next section).