Types of Orders

There are a number of different types of Orders that can be made when Child Safety make an application for a child protection order under the Child Protection Act. The types of final orders that can be made include:

• Directive Orders: These Orders usually involve the child remaining in the home in the care of one or both parents but include a direction that a parent do or not do certain things, for example a direction that the parent attend counselling or not allow the child to have contact with a certain person. A directive Order can also direct that a parent not have contact with the child or only have a certain type of contact with the child (supervised contact);

• Supervision Orders: These Orders usually involve the child remaining in the home in the care of one or both of the parents but requires Child Safety to supervise the child’s protection in relation to certain matters which are listed in the Order;

• Custody Orders: These Orders involve the child being removed from the family home and grant child safety (or a suitable person, such as a relative of the child) the right to care for and make decisions about the child’s daily care needs;

• Guardianship Orders: These Orders involve the child being removed from the family home and grant child safety (or a suitable person, such as a relative of the child) the right to to for and make decisions about the child’s daily needs as well as long term decisions about the child’s wellbeing and development, including things such as the child’s health, educations and religion

• Permanent care order: These Orders grant a suitable person guardianship of the child on a permanent basis.

For information about when a court can make a child protection order see here.