Social Work role with individuals linked to the National Redress Scheme and recording in SWIS 003-18061809

A referral to a social worker can be initiated by:

• a DSS Redress Officer over the telephone using the warm transfer process,
• a Services Australia staff member either in a service centre or smart centre

When referred by DSS, the individuals will be told that they are being transferred to a Services Australia social worker who will ask personal information about their circumstances. This is to enable the social worker to appropriately record interactions and provide the most suitable support. If the individual does not provide permission for the DSS officer to provide information to the social worker (but accepts the referral to a social worker), a referral can still be made.

Social workers will provide support and help to individuals contacting about the Scheme where they are experiencing an acute crisis. Individuals referred to the Social Work Service include:

• applicants
• nominees
• carers
• family members
• institutional representatives
• staff of Redress Support Services

An acute crisis referral occurs when the individual presents:

• at imminent risk of suicide, self-harm or risk to others, or
• at immediate and significant risk to the health and wellbeing of themselves or another person

Social workers will:

• provide immediate support and crisis intervention
• liaise with and provide referrals to appropriate support services including Redress Support Services to meet the needs of the individual

The Resources page has a link to the National Redress Scheme website, which lists these services.

Social workers must

• only record Redress referrals in SWIS Case Notes, even if the individual identifies as a non-Centrelink customer.
• check the Zone Survey box in SWIS for non-identified data collection.

Social Workers record referral as either :

• a customer referral if the individual:
• has a Customer Reference Number (CRN) and provides consent for the referral to be recorded
• has a CRN, does not provide consent for the referral to be recorded, but the social worker deems the customer to be at imminent risk of harm
• gives consent to use their personal information to search for their record or provides permission to create a customer record for purposes of documenting the interaction
• an anonymous customer, if the individual:
• does not provide consent for the referral to be recorded and is not at imminent risk of harm
• does not have a CRN and does not want a record created