Court ordered child protection conferences
When the Office of the Director of Child Protection Litigation (ODCPL) applies to the court for a child protection order, the parents or child(ren) can disagree and challenge (contest) the order.
If this happens, a child protection conference must be held before the order can be made. If a conference can’t be held, there must have been reasonable attempts made to hold one. In some cases, the court may also decide not to hold a conference (e.g. if it would put someone in danger).
On this page
Purpose of the conference
A child protection conference is a guided meeting about a child protection matter. The people involved get together to:
- talk about their concerns
- see if they can reach an agreement on the order without needing to go to a court hearing.
The court sets the date for the conference. Everyone will be given a notice that says where and when the conference will be held.
Before the conference
Before the day of the conference, one of our Child Protection Conferencing Unit (CPCU) officers will call you. This is to confirm the date and time of the conference and to help you prepare.
The caller will usually:
- give you information about the conference process
- say who else will be present and what issues they might raise
- talk with you about what you may want 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.
You can also ask them questions about the process.
Conferences are sometimes split into separate sessions for parents. This is to ensure everyone feels safe and comfortable sharing important information.
We (CPCU) might tell you a time for your session that is different to the time on your notice from the court. Please arrive at court at the time we have given you—this is when your session will begin.
At the conference
The conference is run by a trained facilitator called a convenor.
The convenor is impartial and does not take sides. Their job is to help everyone talk to each other in a respectful way and make a decision that is in the best interests of the child or children.
A conference usually takes about 2 hours.
Everyone will have a chance to talk about:
- what is currently working well for the child
- the 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, if appropriate:
- 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 provide a trauma informed process. This means that the convenor and CPCU staff understands that you may have been through trauma and will treat you with care.
Cultural needs
We will do our best to adjust the conference to meet your and your child’s cultural needs. We will also ask the other people attending the conference to understand your cultural needs.
After the conference
The convenor will prepare a report (called a form 20) about the outcome of the conference. They must provide this report to the court and everyone who went to the conference.
If you reached an agreement, 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 you did not reach an agreement, the court may set a date for a hearing.
More information
Contact us for more information: