What is Child, Youth and Family services?
How do I get help with my out-of-control teen?
Does Child, Youth and Family services have the power to take away my child if my partner makes accusations to them about me?
What is Child, Youth and Family services?
Child, Youth and Family is the government agency responsible for making sure children and young people up to age 17 are safe and protected from abuse and neglect. They deal with complaints or concerns about child abuse, and have the power in certain situations to remove children from their home to a place where they will be safe and properly cared for.
How do I get help with my out-of-control teen?
If you’re having problems with a teenager, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can talk to friends, family, your child’s teachers or groups in your community.
You can also ask Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS) for advice on your specific situation. Just call them on 0508 FAMILY (0508 326 459). You can talk to a trained social worker who can give you some practical advice.
You can also call the Barnardos hotline – 0800 4 PARENT (0800 472 7368).
More information on youth justice is in our Government & Law section.
Does Child, Youth and Family services have the power to take away my children if my former partner makes accusations to them about me?
Removal of a child from their parents is a last resort and only happens where it is thought to be necessary for the safety and wellbeing of the child.
When a concern for the safety or wellbeing of child is reported to Child, Youth and Family (CYF) there may be a number of different ways in which CYF responds, depending on how serious the concerns are.
If the concerns are serious and the child is thought to be at risk of harm, there will be an investigation with the child’s family which may involve CYF and/or the police. It is a relatively small number of cases that end up going through this process.
If the accusations of neglect or abuse are thought to be true, then the CYF social worker/police will decide what needs to happen next in order to protect the child’s safety. Before any alternative arrangements are made for the child’s care, the social worker or police will take the case before a judge.
Depending on the circumstances of the case the judge may decide that the child can stay with their parent/s for the time being while options are explored for helping to strengthen the family and the family’s ability to care for and protect the child. Or the judge may decide that the case is urgent and the child needs to go into CYF care – at least for a period of time.
A family group conference will usually be held at some point, either before or after the case has gone before the courts – timing will depend on the urgency and seriousness of the case.
If your children are placed into care, it may only be a temporary arrangement or it may be for a longer period of time – this will depend on the unique circumstances of your situation. You may be ordered to undergo counselling and CYF may set up support services for your children. If your situation improves it may be possible, after applying to the court, to have your children live with you again. More information on children being placed in care is on the CYFS website.
If your case has gone down this path and you believe the accusations made against you were false, unfounded, or out of context, you have the right to defend yourself in court. If the person who made the accusations makes statements in court which they know to be untrue, then they are committing a criminal offence called perjury and they can be punished by the court. In order to prove that their statements are untrue, you may need legal advice.
You are not allowed to find out who lodged the complaint about you. The Privacy Act protects this information.