Key information
- We work together with the child or young person, and their family, to find ways to solve any problems affecting the safety and wellbeing of a child.
- Some children and young people may not be safe at home.
- The Child Safety Service supports the child or young person until it’s safe to go home again, or safe to live somewhere else.
- Our job is to provide safety and stability for children and young people.
Who we are
The Child Safety Service is committed to keeping children and young people safe from harm and ensuring they are well cared for.
Some children and young people may not be safe at home. We support you until it’s safe to go home again, or safe to live somewhere else.
The Child Safety Service is part of the Tasmanian Government, in the Department for Education, Children and Young People.
Our job is to provide safety and stability.
Why we are here
Remember, it’s not a child or young person’s fault if the Child Safety Service is involved with their family.
All families need support from friends, relatives or the community. When things get difficult, it’s hard to solve problems on your own. Sometimes professional help is needed, and that’s where we come in.
The Child Safety Service want all children and young people to be safe in their parent’s care. We also want parents to be supported to be the best parents they can be.
Our work is guided by the values in the Child Safety Practice Framework.
What we do
We work together with the child or young person, and their family, to find ways to solve any problems affecting the safety and wellbeing of a child.
Our first point of contact is usually over the phone.
We may suggest a home visit, and will make a time to visit you to talk about your situation. This is where you can voice any worries, in the comfort of your own home.
A Child Safety Officer or Safety and Wellbeing Worker makes home visits. They will:
- introduce themselves and provide their Tasmanian Government identification
- explain what they do and why they’re visiting you
- talk about your situation, your strengths, and things that may be affecting your child’s safety and wellbeing
- talk about options for referrals and support
- help you do up a safety plan for your child’s safety and wellbeing
- spend time with your child or young person.
Family meetings
Family group conferences is a meeting with everyone important to the child or young person, and the family.
The key outcome of a family group conference is to create a safety plan for the child or young person.
Everyone who goes to this meeting gets a copy of the safety plan.
What happens next
There could be more follow-up home visits and phone calls.
Depending on the situation, a child or young people can keep living at home if it’s safe.
But sometimes, they may need to live somewhere else – either for a very short time or longer. This could be with a trusted friend or family member, or in foster care.
There are many care pathways, which you can read about here:
- Family engagement services to support families to keep their children safe and well at home
- Bringing Baby Home Program
- Guardianship transfer for children in Out of Home Care
- What is Out of Home Care?
- Returning to your family after being in care
- After Care Support Program
- Transition to independence for young people leaving care
Every child and young person will have their own care team. They’ll support you, and help you reach your goals. See our Care team page to learn more.
Sometimes the Child Safety Service goes to court to make a protection order, to keep a child or young person safe. The role of the court in keeping children and young people safe page has more information.
Cultural considerations
We acknowledge the disadvantage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and families have experienced in the past.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who come into care are supported to have lasting connections to family, community, culture and Country.
If an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child is unable to stay in the care of their parents safely, together we work to make sure they are placed with:
- the child’s family and kinship networks
- the child’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers.
If the above options aren’t possible, and the child is placed with non-Indigenous carers, our focus is to maintain the child’s connection with their family, community and culture.