Child protection conferences

Part of the Mediation and training topic

Child protection conferences are guided meetings that give concerned parties an opportunity to challenge an application for a child protection order.

What you should know

A child protection order may be made by the Office of the Director of Child Protection Litigation (ODCPL). A child protection conference helps parents and children challenge a request for an order. The conference gives families a chance to talk about their concerns and try to reach an agreement about the order.

This may help avoid the need for a court hearing.

Before the conference

The court sets the date for the conference. Everyone involved gets notice of when and where the conference will be.

Before the conference, a Child Protection Conferencing Unit (CPCU) officer will call and confirm the date and time of the conference.

This session might be different to the time given by the court. Please arrive at court at the time confirmed – this is when your session will begin.

During the call you can ask questions about the process and what to expect.

The caller will usually:

give you information about the conference process
tell you who else will be present and what issues they might raise
talk with you about what you would like to discuss and how to communicate this effectively
ask how you feel about the application and any related issues
tell you what might happen if an agreement is or isn't reached.

Sometimes conferences are split into separate sessions for parents. This helps everyone feel safe and comfortable sharing important information.

During the conference

A convenor (trained facilitator) will guide the conference. They are impartial and don't take sides.

They make sure people communicate with respect and make a decision that's in the best interests of the child or children.

A conference usually takes about 2 hours.

Everyone has a chance to talk about:

what is working well for the child
current worries or concerns for the child
how the parents are working towards their case plan goals
what is in the best future interest of the child
the outcome and what to report to the court.

Who can attend the conference

The following people can attend the conference, ifappropriate:

the convenor (who is a nationally accredited mediator)

the parent(s) named on the application

representatives from ODCPL, Child Safety and/or the Office of the Public Guardian

legal representatives for the parents or other participants

a Separate Representative (someone appointed by the court to represent the child's best interests)

interested parties as directed by the court

a person from an independent Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander entity (if the child is an Aboriginal or a Torres Strait Islander)

the child, if appropriate

support person(s) for the parent (non-speaking role).

No one else can attend the conference without the convenor's approval.

Trauma informed process

We understand that people involved in this process may have experienced trauma. The convenor and CPCU staff will treat everyone with care using trauma informed processes.

Cultural needs

We'll do our best to make sure conferences meet your cultural needs. Everyone is asked to respect each other's cultural needs.

After the conference

The convenor will complete a report (form 20) about the outcome of the conference.

They give the report to the court and to everyone who went to the conference.

If an agreement was reached, this will be included in the report. If the court is satisfied that the agreement is the best way forward, they may make final orders at the next mention.

If an agreement wasn't reached, the court may set a date for a hearing.

More information

Child Protection Conferencing Unit
Phone: (07) 3738 7018
Email: cpcu.mailbox@justice.qld.gov.au