Sally Yard

• Receiving and assessing allegations of child abuse and neglect via the Child Abuse Report Line (CARL) and the online reporting system (eCARL).
• Gathering sensitive information from members of the public and professional mandated notifiers and accurately documenting it in the department’s approved systems.
• Using your assessment skills to determine whether concerns meet legislative thresholds for intervention and taking appropriate action in line with departmental policies and procedures.

• Respond to crises relating to children and families that emergencies beyond regular office hours, ensuring the relevant measures have been put in place to contain problems and ensure everyone involved is safe.

• Collaborate with the Police and engage with parents, carers and young people (up to the age of 25) and children to identify the information you need in order to make an effective assessment on the pressures immediately faced by these individuals, and determine what needs to happen next.

• Emergency duty team Social Worker provide in-depth reports on the decisions and safety plans made so the day-service colleagues have all the insight they need to take over by 9am the next working day, including details of emergency protection orders, child protection investigations, holding strategy/safety planning meetings with police and health, acting as an “appropriate adult” for vulnerable children being interviewed by the Police and so forth.

• Work asylum seekers, looked after children and youth offenders all falling into your remit, this is a great chance to help some of the most troubled young people, ensuring their voices are always heard.

• Worked within a child protection team with children & families who have been made subject to a child protection plan.

• Worked with child and families who are subject to non statutory child in need plans.

• Initiate child care proceedings with the family court with the view of seeking Full Care Orders, Adoption Orders or Supervision Orders. This includes preparing court documentations for initial proceedings through to final orders and placements orders for adoption.

• Preparing the Child Progress Record (CPR) for adoption and identifying adoptive parents.

• Working with and supporting children in foster care, following the looked after processes to ensure that their placements are supported and reviewed as per guidelines.

• Worked in the hospital team at Barnet Hospital Team who were responsible for pre birth assessments. Assessments were undertaken with mothers and fathers who are expecting a baby who have drug and alcohol issues, mental health, history of domestic violence or any other concerns which could place the new-born baby and other siblings at risk.

• The assessment could lead to the initiation of a pre-birth child protection case conference and unborn placed on a child protection plan. Baby may remain on a child protection plan and be discharged home with parents or child care proceedings and removal of baby at birth and placed in foster care.

• Hospital Team also works with Accident Emergency and responds to children attending A&E for overdoses, injuries or any other concern that arises. Assessment is made if the child is safe to return home, further assessment is required or no further action to be taken.

• Worked within the duty & assessment services where referrals from police, health, education, families, or any other person/agency is received and reviewed and decision is made if further action is required.
• Complete Child & Family Assessments.
• Attend Child Protection Case Conferences.
• Implement child protection plans in conjunction with professionals & families.
• Complete joint Section 47 Assessments with police
• Legal planning meetings
• Initiate court proceedings and complete court paperwork.
• Complete Section 7/37, private court assessments within court appointed time frame
• Initiate and attend professional and strategy meetings
• Child protection visits to families and children within the required statutory times
• Kinship/viability assessments
• Keep case recordings on children’s files up to date and completed within 48 hours of the event, home visit, meeting, phone conversation, etc.
• Work with families to gather information, assess risk and identify the most appropriate intervention required.
• Work in partnership with a variety of professionals within a hospital and community setting i.e. mental health, drug and alcohol services, antenatal, health visitors, accident and emergency, and any other units that are significant to a family i.e. education if older children within the family, etc.
• Assisting colleagues with complex cases and sharing information and knowledge.

• Worked within the duty & assessment services where referrals from police, health, education, families, or any other person/agency is received and reviewed and decision is made if further action is required.
• Complete Child & Family Assessments.
• Attend Child Protection Case Conferences.
• Implement child protection plans in conjunction with professionals & families.
• Complete joint Section 47 Assessments with police
• Legal planning meetings
• Initiate court proceedings and complete court paperwork.
• Complete Section 7/37, private court assessments within court appointed time frame
• Initiate and attend professional and strategy meetings
• Child protection visits to families and children within the required statutory times
• Kinship/viability assessments
• Keep case recordings on children’s files up to date and completed within 48 hours of the event, home visit, meeting, phone conversation, etc.
• Work with families to gather information, assess risk and identify the most appropriate intervention required.
• Work in partnership with a variety of professionals within a hospital and community setting i.e. mental health, drug and alcohol services, antenatal, health visitors, accident and emergency, and any other units that are significant to a family i.e. education if older children within the family, etc.
• Assisting colleagues with complex cases and sharing information and knowledge.

• Worked within the duty & assessment services where referrals from police, health, education, families, or any other person/agency is received and reviewed and decision is made if further action is required.
• Complete Child & Family Assessments.
• Attend Child Protection Case Conferences.
• Implement child protection plans in conjunction with professionals & families.
• Complete joint Section 47 Assessments with police
• Legal planning meetings
• Initiate court proceedings and complete court paperwork.
• Complete Section 7/37, private court assessments within court appointed time frame
• Initiate and attend professional and strategy meetings
• Child protection visits to families and children within the required statutory times
• Kinship/viability assessments
• Keep case recordings on children’s files up to date and completed within 48 hours of the event, home visit, meeting, phone conversation, etc.
• Work with families to gather information, assess risk and identify the most appropriate intervention required.
• Work in partnership with a variety of professionals within a hospital and community setting i.e. mental health, drug and alcohol services, antenatal, health visitors, accident and emergency, and any other units that are significant to a family i.e. education if older children within the family, etc.
• Assisting colleagues with complex cases and sharing information and knowledge.

• Worked in the hospital social work team at Newham Hospital Team who were responsible for pre birth assessments. Assessments were undertaken with mothers and fathers who are expecting a baby who have drug and alcohol issues, mental health, history of domestic violence or any other concerns which could place the new-born baby and other siblings at risk.

• The assessment could lead to the initiation of a pre-birth child protection case conference and unborn placed on a child protection plan. Baby may remain on a child protection plan and be discharged home with parents or child care proceedings and removal of baby at birth and placed in foster care.

• Hospital Team also works with Accident Emergency and responds to children attending A&E for overdoses, injuries or any other concern that arises. Assessment is made if the child is safe to return home, further assessment is required or no further action to be taken.

• Worked in the hospital team at Homerton Hospital Team who were responsible for pre birth assessments. Assessments were undertaken with mothers and fathers who are expecting a baby who have drug and alcohol issues, mental health, history of domestic violence or any other concerns which could place the new-born baby and other siblings at risk.

• The assessment could lead to the initiation of a pre-birth child protection case conference and unborn placed on a child protection plan. Baby may remain on a child protection plan and be discharged home with parents or child care proceedings and removal of baby at birth and placed in foster care.

• Hospital Team also works with Accident Emergency and responds to children attending A&E for overdoses, injuries or any other concern that arises. Assessment is made if the child is safe to return home, further assessment is required or no further action to be taken.

• Worked within the duty & assessment services where referrals from police, health, education, families, or any other person/agency is received and reviewed and decision is made if further action is required.
• Complete Child & Family Assessments.
• Attend Child Protection Case Conferences.
• Implement child protection plans in conjunction with professionals & families.
• Complete joint Section 47 Assessments with police
• Legal planning meetings
• Initiate court proceedings and complete court paperwork.
• Complete Section 7/37, private court assessments within court appointed time frame
• Initiate and attend professional and strategy meetings
• Child protection visits to families and children within the required statutory times
• Kinship/viability assessments
• Keep case recordings on children’s files up to date and completed within 48 hours of the event, home visit, meeting, phone conversation, etc.
• Work with families to gather information, assess risk and identify the most appropriate intervention required.
• Work in partnership with a variety of professionals within a hospital and community setting i.e. mental health, drug and alcohol services, antenatal, health visitors, accident and emergency, and any other units that are significant to a family i.e. education if older children within the family, etc.
• Assisting colleagues with complex cases and sharing information and knowledge.

• Worked within the duty & assessment services where referrals from police, health, education, families, or any other person/agency is received and reviewed and decision is made if further action is required.
• Complete Child & Family Assessments.
• Attend Child Protection Case Conferences.
• Implement child protection plans in conjunction with professionals & families.
• Complete joint Section 47 Assessments with police
• Legal planning meetings
• Initiate court proceedings and complete court paperwork.
• Complete Section 7/37, private court assessments within court appointed time frame
• Initiate and attend professional and strategy meetings
• Child protection visits to families and children within the required statutory times
• Kinship/viability assessments
• Keep case recordings on children’s files up to date and completed within 48 hours of the event, home visit, meeting, phone conversation, etc.
• Work with families to gather information, assess risk and identify the most appropriate intervention required.
• Work in partnership with a variety of professionals within a hospital and community setting i.e. mental health, drug and alcohol services, antenatal, health visitors, accident and emergency, and any other units that are significant to a family i.e. education if older children within the family, etc.
• Assisting colleagues with complex cases and sharing information and knowledge.

Prior to commencing my Social Worker Degree in 1996 and during my years of study I held a number of different positions mostly doing administration work. This work gave me the skills to manage the administration side of social work efficiently.

1999-2002

Foxtel Pay TV

Entertainment Consultant

1996-1997
John Yard & Associates
Office Manager and Co-ordinator

1993-1995
Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd
Customer Enquires Consultant

1990-1993
Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd
Claims Officer, Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd
New Business Suspense Clerk

1989-1990
Colonial Life Assurance Society Ltd
Insurance Traineeship

1989-1990
South Australian Deaf Society
Telemarketer

1988-1989
Engelhardt Eyewear Pty Ltd
Process Worker

1986-1987
Department of Employment and Industrial Relations
Personnel and Mail Room Assistant

1984-1986
Woolworths Limited (Supermarket in Australia)
Service Deli Assistant,

Research in relation to FRP – involved interviewing previous clients in relation to their experience with FRP.

Researching and writing the report in relation to family reunification and the FRP program.

Attended and participated involvement in team and unit meetings.

Visits to other agencies in relation to children e.g. non-government organisations that foster children.

Completed two large file audits and file audit summaries.

Home visits to families in relation to the assessment for possible reunification.

Assisted child protection workers in relation to locating family members overseas.

Field placement at Hanover Housing working with adults who are homeless. The centre had accommodation where adults could live for up to 4 weeks and we worked with long term adults who were placed in temporary accommodation.

Worked with clients who were temporarily staying at the premises and the longer term clients who struggled with long term homelessness, drug and alcohol issues, mental health issues, domestic violence etc.