Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers 97 Provincial Child Abuse Protocol 2006 Introduction The Provincial Child Abuse Protocol provides guidelines for the reporting and investigation of child abuse and neglect. The Protocol is intended to provide assistance to a network of professionals including child protection workers, law enforcement officials, school personnel, doctors and other health care providers. The overriding goal of the Protocol is to ensure the safety and well-being of Saskatchewan children. The Government of Saskatchewan is committed to working cooperatively with professionals and community organizations to enhance child abuse reporting and investigation. This means working together to prevent child abuse and neglect whenever possible and, when it happens, reporting it to the proper authorities. The Child and Family Services Act provides that “every person who has reasonable grounds to believe that a child is in need of protection shall report the information to a child protection worker (Department of Community Resources or First Nations Child and Family Services Agency child protection worker) or peace officer (police/RCMP officer)”. After a report is made, child protection staff and police/RCMP officers are legallyresponsible for the investigation of child abuse cases. Child protection staff investigate to determine if there are reasonable grounds to find the child in need of protection. The police/RCMP investigate to determine if a criminal offence has been committed and if there are reasonable grounds to lay charges under The Criminal Code of Canada. Other professionals play an important role in assisting with the investigation, supporting the child during and after the investigation, and providing follow-up services to the child and family. Purpose The Provincial Child Abuse Protocol provides a framework for a network of local service providers to work together to • recognize child abuse; • ensure children are protected and supported, and their families are assisted throughout the investigation process; • develop a coordinated and collaborative approach for reporting and investigating child abuse; • create a guide for developing and implementing local reporting and investigating procedures; and • ensure groups or individuals working on behalf of children are aware of the irresponsibilities. Guiding Principles The Provincial Child Abuse Protocol is based on the following guiding principles: • Suspected child abuse or child neglect must be treated seriously and must be reported to a child protection worker under The Child and Family Services Act or to the police. • Professionals and organizations working with children must develop protocols to ensure prompt reporting of suspected cases of child abuse or child neglect. • When a child discloses abuse, particular care will be taken to ensure that the child has the support he or she needs upon making a disclosure. • A child’s disclosure of abuse shall be treated as a serious complaint and investigated with the same concern as an adult’s complaint. • An immediate response to allegations of child abuse will be provided. • Complaints of child abuse require a coordinated, team approach to investigation, assessment, and any necessary intervention, treatment and follow-up. • Sharing information is essential to ensure good decisions are made about the protection, safety, and well-being of the child, and the protection of the public. • Where there is an assessed need for treatment or support services for the child, the suspected abuser, or any family member, services should be provided. • As physical or sexual abuse, severe neglect, and sexual exploitation of children are criminal acts, abusers must be held accountable for their actions, while treatment may assist in preventing further abuse. Roles and Responsibilities All Agencies and Community Members In Saskatchewan, all members of the public have a duty to report situations where they believe a child is being abused or neglected to a child protection worker under The Child and Family Services Act or a police officer. A child protection worker under The Child and Family Services Act includes child protection staff employed by the Department of Community Resources or First Nations Child and Family Service Agencies. The duty to report applies in spite of any claim of confidentiality or professional privilege other than solicitor/client privilege or Crown privilege. The Code of Professional Conduct; Chapter IV - “Confidential Information”; Guiding Principle #11 states: “Disclosure of information necessary to prevent a crime will be justified if the lawyer has reasonable grounds for believing that a crime is likely to be committed and will be mandatory when the anticipated crime is one involving violence against the person.” Failure to report is an offence under The Child and Family Services Act. Source: Government of Saskatchewan Justice and Attorney General http:www.justice.gov.sk.ca continued...
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