Child Abuse Review Panel (1984 - 1985)

More Information [close]

The Child Abuse Review Panel was chaired by the Chief Social Worker at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children (PMH) and included senior officers from the Department for Community Services, the Officer in Charge of the Police Department's Child Care Unit, the Senior Paediatrician from the PMH Child Protection Team, the Superintendent Psychiatrists from the Hillview Terrace Child and Adolescent Unit and the Stubbs Terrace Hospital, and an officer from the Advisory and Coordinating Committee on Child Abuse (ACCCA).

The objectives of the Panel were to:

• Review existing child protection systems and processes
• Assess 'difficulties in interagency procedures and relationships' and make recommendations for improvement
• Provide 'specialist advice' to 'workers providing cases to the Panel' and make that advice and subsequent recommendations available to relevant agencies
• Make recommendations to Ministers regarding operational and interagency guidelines for effective child protection systems and procedures
• Evaluate and make recommendations for a system of mandatory reporting of child abuse.