Toward access and equity: disability-informed practice in child protection — a guide to assessing parenting capacity with parents with intellectual disability
[7-7000] Abstract
Last reviewed: Feb 2024The resource aims to increase disability awareness among professionals working in care and protection, and to improve their knowledge and skills to engage with parents with intellectual disability. In particular, the resource will assist clinical assessors and experts, judicial officers, Statutory Authorities, caseworkers from government and non-government organisations (NGOs), Independent Legal Representatives, Legal Aid and private solicitors.
It aims to provide guidance to:
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Make an Assessment Order – for judicial officers, legal representatives, and caseworkers
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Allocate a parenting assessment – for specialist bodies such as the New South Wales (NSW) Children’s Court Clinic to determine Authorised Clinicians selection and resources allocation
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Complete a parenting assessment – for Authorised Clinicians and private assessors
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Write an Expert Report – for Authorised Clinicians and private assessors
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Provide background information – for Statutory Authority (casework and legal) teams to support comprehensive assessment
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Source suitable services – for managers/caseworkers and NGOs with delegated case management during care matters
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Represent a parent with intellectual disability – for public and private solicitors to ensure parents understand their rights and can give informed instructions
S Collings, M Spencer and P Kong, “Toward access and equity: disability-informed practice in child protection — a guide to assessing parenting capacity with parents with intellectual disability”, 2022.
[1] This resource was produced by the Research Centre for Children and Families for the Toward Access and Equity project. The project was conducted in partnership with the NSW Children’s Court Clinic, the Intellectual Disability Rights Service and WASH House Inc.