Letters Patent

ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God, Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.

TO

The Honourable James Roland Tomson Wood AO QC

GREETING:

WHEREAS BY Letters Patent issued in Our Name by Our Lieutenant Governor of Our State of New South Wales on 14 November 2007, We appointed you as sole Commissioner to conduct an inquiry to determine what changes within the child protection system are require to cope with future levels of demand once the current reforms to that system are completed,

AND WHEREAS it is desirable that those Letters Patent be revoked and new Letters Patent be issued on the same terms of reference,

NOW THEREFORE, by these Our Letters Patent, made and issued in under the authority of the Special Commissions of Inquiry Act 1983, We hereby, with the advice of the Executive Council, authorise and commission you to conduct an inquiry to determine what changes within the child protection system are required to cope with future levels of demand once the current reforms to that system are completed and specifically to examine, report on and make recommendations in relation to:

i. The system for reporting of child abuse and neglect, including mandatory reporting, reporting thresholds and feedback to reporters;

ii. Management of reports, including the adequacy and efficiency of systems and processes for intake, assessment, prioritisation, investigation and decision-making;

iii. Management of cases requiring ongoing work, including referrals for services and monitoring and supervision of families;

iv. Recording of essential information and capacity to collate and utilise data about the child protection system to target resources efficiently;

v. Professional capacity and professional supervision of the casework and allied staff;

vi. The adequacy of the current statutory framework for child protection including roles and responsibilities of mandatory reporters, DoCS, the courts and oversight agencies;

vii. The adequacy of arrangements for inter-agency cooperation in child protection cases;

viii. The adequacy of arrangements for children in out of home care;

ix. The adequacy of resources in the child protection system,

and establish a Special Commission of Inquiry for that purpose.