Easy English fact sheets for parents dealing with the child protection system. Advice from parents with experience.

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My child

My child / Seeing your child
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Seeing your child

Your Court Order

Your Court Order tells you your rules.
Read about Court Orders in our fact sheet
New words.
Time with your child is called
  • contact
  • family time
or
  • visits.
Your Court Order says
  • how many times you see your child. Like
    • 12 times in a year.
    • That is 1 time each month.
      It may be more times each month.
Your Court Order also says
  • how you will see your child. Like
    • there will be a contact worker in the room
or
  • it is just you and your child.
And
The Court Order will also say
  • who can have contact visits with your child.
    • Like mum only
  • who can not have contact visits. Like
    • your childs big brother.

Sometimes you can not go to contact.

Like you may be sick
Call Community Services as soon as you can. Like
call your childs caseworker the
day before contact.

Things you can say to your child

Talk about things your child likes.
Tell your child
  • you love them
    and
  • miss them.
You may want to say
I miss you. You can not live with me right now.
But I love you.

You miss your child.
You feel so sad when you see your child

It is better for your child to see you with a smile.
You are happy to see your child.
Try not to look upset.
This is hard.
When you say goodbye
  • tell your child you will see them again
  • be quick when you say goodbye.
The contact worker will help your child.

Rules

There will be rules in your Court Order. Like
Do not ask your child for information about
  • where they now live
  • the carer.
Do not say bad things about the carers.
Do not bring other people to your contact.
You must ask your caseworker.
Do not take drugs before your contact.
Do not drink alcohol before your contact.

You want to change contact

Ask for help from your
  • lawyer
  • advocate.
  1. You want to change the time for contact.
    Talk to your childs caseworker.
  1. You want to change the place for contact.
    Talk to your childs caseworker.
  1. You want to take someone else to contact.
    Talk to your childs caseworker.
They will have to think about
  • is this person safe?
  • is it best for your child?
  1. You want to change how many times you see your child
or
You do not want the contact worker in the room.
Talk to your lawyer.
You may go to a meeting.
This is called a contact mediation
Everyone asks is this best for your child?
Every one says yes.
Contact with your child can change.
or
Some one says no.
Your lawyer will need to
go back to court.
This is called section 86.

Good ideas from other parents

Play with your child.
Have fun with your child.
This is time for you to be together.
There are some ideas in this fact sheet.
Go to every contact.
It is good for you.
It is good for your child.
Get a diary.
Write in your contact
  • days
  • times.
Know where the contact is.
Like the Community Services office in the city.
It may be hard to get to this place.
Ask for help.
You can talk to your
  • caseworker
  • lawyer
  • advocate
  • support person.
Things you can take to your contact.
  • toys from home your child likes
  • snacks for you and your child
  • nappies and wipes when you have a baby.

Play time with your child

Have fun with your child.
Take things your child likes.
This is time for you to be together.
These are some games we take to contact.
  • Art and Craft
  • Pencils and paper
  • Colouring book
  • Snakes and Ladders
  • Puzzles
  • Talking Heads.

More information

The Ability Rights Centre made a fact sheet
See IDRS website www.idrs.org.au
Read Contact – seeing your child
This fact sheet is general information.
It may not be the same for you.
Talk to a lawyer about
  • your own child
  • your family.
This fact sheet was made by
  • The WASH House
  • The Ability Rights Centre. A service of IDRS
with
  • a Parent Advisory Group, 2020.
Images
We have used images from
  • ChangePeople
  • Clipart
  • Inspired Services
  • Mayer-Johnson
  • Participics
  • Picto-Selector
  • Pinterest
  • TheNounProject
Access Easy English helped The WASH House write the Easy English.
March 2020.

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