The ChildStory IT system will be introduced to the Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) districts and statewide services, including the Child Protection Helpline, over a five-week period in October-November. E-reporting for mandatory reporters will also become functional through the Reporter Community at this time.
ChildStory’s Partner Community will be introduced to non-government child protection service providers, police, and the health and education sectors in early 2018. It will replace the Contracting Portal for all service providers with some additional functionality for out-of-home care service providers and targeted services (Brighter Futures, Youth Hope, Intensive Family Preservation and Intensive Family Based Services).
Other functionality to come on board in early 2018 includes:
- A mobile application for FACS caseworkers
- Interactivity for young people through YOU
- Interactivity for family and carers through the Caring Community.
The timing is later than previously predicted but this will ensure the system is the best it can be, including rigorous testing, before caseworkers start using it. The child protection work we do is critical to the lives of children at risk of significant harm, so we need to make sure any new system is robust before we implement it.
At the same time as the ChildStory IT system is being built, the team will continue its awareness briefings with FACS staff, non-government service providers and other government agencies. These briefings will become a series of ChildStory training experiences in the run up to implementation.
There will be dedicated support services for ChildStory from implementation.