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 by telephone, or
• a Services Australia staff member by telephone or face-to-face in a service centre

If the referral is made by a DSS Redress Officer, the social worker must obtain the referring Redress Officer's logon and contact details. This is to notify them of the risk assessment outcome within one business day of the referral being received.

The social worker will:

• Support the immediate needs of the individual
• Complete a risk assessment
• Refer the client to Redress Support services for ongoing support if required

If the social worker cannot make a risk assessment (for example, the client terminates the call), they may complete a Release of Information (ROI) to the relevant authority to stop or lessen the threat to life, health or welfare of a person. The relevant authority may include police or emergency services.

After completing/attempting to complete the risk assessment, is there concern for the individual’s safety and/or the safety of others?

• Yes. If the individual:
• is available, go to Step 2
• is not available, go to Step 3
• No. If the individual:
• is available, go to Step 4
• is not available, go to Table 2 Step 8

Ask the individual to provide:

• their personal details, such as:
• name
• address
• contact details, for example their phone number
• date of birth
• their Customer Reference Number (CRN), if they know it
• do not use a Services Australia system to look up the CRN. For example do not search in Process Direct or Customer First

Use the Release of information for non-Centrelink customers form to make a referral (the individual does not need to provide their permission).

If the individual:

• is available, go to Step 5
• is not available, and their CRN is:
• known, go to Table 2 Step 7
• not known, go to Table 2 Step 8

The social worker notifies a nominated DSS Redress Officer of the risk assessment outcome within one business day of the referral being received.

This is to provide a status update on the risk assessment and outcome. Use the DSS Redress Officer's logon details obtained at the time of referral to contact via Teams.

If the social worker does not have the logon or contact details of the referring DSS Redress Officer, they can use contact numbers listed in National Redress Scheme.

This is to provide a status update on the risk assessment and outcome.

Ask the individual for consent to record information about the referral.

Do they give consent?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 4

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 3

Ask the individual for consent to search for their customer record on the agency system.

Does the individual give their consent?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 4

Record a customer referral in SWIS if the individual does not give consent to record their information, and:

• their CRN is known
• there is concern for the individual 's safety and/or the safety of others
• the social worker made a referral using the Release of information for non-Centrelink customers form, and
• if the above applies, go to Step 8

Record an anonymous customer referral in SWIS if the individual does not give consent to record their information and:

• their CRN is not known
• there is concern for the individual's safety and/or the safety of others
• the social worker made a referral using the Release of information for non-Centrelink customers form
• if the above applies, go to Step 9

Record an anonymous customer referral in SWIS if:

• there is no concern for the individual 's safety and/or the safety of others, and
• the individual does not give consent to record their information
• if the above applies, go to Step 9

Search for a customer record.

Note: do not record the individual's details on an agency system, for example Process Direct or Customer First.

Was a customer record identified on the agency system?

• Yes,
• note down the CRN
• go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 6

Ask the individual if they give permission for Services Australia to create a customer record on the agency's system.

Create this record to document the interaction as a core function of the social work role (not to make the individual a Centrelink customer).

Do they give permission?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 9

Find a SME to create a CRN for non-Centrelink customers.

Contact a SME using Microsoft Teams:

• Ask them to create a Centrelink record for the individual
• Email the individual's personal information to the SME. Use the right email security marking

The SME will either:

• create a CRN and email this to the social worker
• contact the social worker to ask for more detail. If they do not have enough information to create a CRN the SME will tell the social worker

Did the SME provide a CRN?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 9

From Customer First > Workspace > Social Work Information System (SWIS):

• Select Referrals/Contact
• Select Create New Referral
• Referral source: DHS. In the drop down list select service centre
• Referral issues: select Risk of suicide and other applicable fields depending on the individual’s circumstances
• Select Zone Survey box for non-identified data collation
• Select Continue

Record the contact in SWIS:

• Select Contact Type: for example phone interview or face-to-face
• Select Social Work Intervention: choose up to 3 options
• Outcome of intervention: choose up to 3 options
• Record any other relevant SWIS contacts
• Record SWIS case notes. Only record information that is necessary to providing social work help and support to the client

If the individual discusses other agency business, document this on their Centrelink customer record for example in Process Direct or Customer First. Note: do not refer to Redress in any documents outside of SWIS.

Go to Step 10.

From Customer First > Workspace > Social Work Information System (SWIS):

• Select Add Anonymous Client
• Complete the mandatory fields
• Select Continue
• Select Referrals/Contact
• Select Create New Referral
• Referral source: DHS. In the drop down list select service centre
• Referral issues: select Risk of suicide and other applicable fields depending on the individual’s circumstances
• Select Zone Survey box for non-identified data collation
• Select Continue

SWIS automatically generates a ‘dummy’ CRN for anonymous customers. Take note of the CRN and use it to record any further contact. Anonymous records are used for short-term (1 to 2 days) recording purposes and should not be accessed again.

Do not record DOCs or case notes on an anonymous record.

Go to Step 10.

The social worker notifies a nominated DSS Redress Officer of the risk assessment outcome within one business day of the referral being received.

This is to provide a status update on the risk assessment and outcome. Use the Redress Officers logon details obtained at the time of referral to contact via Teams.

If the social worker does not have the logon or contact details of the referring DSS Redress Officer, they can use contact numbers listed in National Redress Scheme.

Procedure ends here.

A social worker contacts by Microsoft Teams and/or email to ask for creation of a Centrelink customer record for an individual linked to the National Redress Scheme.

Did the social worker provide enough detail to search for the customer?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No:
• Send a Microsoft Teams message to the social worker. Ask them for more details about the individual
• After receiving the details requested, go to Step 2

Search for the customer.

Was an existing Centrelink customer record identified?

• Yes, email the Customer Reference Number (CRN) to the social worker. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 3

Add the customer to the system.

Was the Centrelink customer record created?

• Yes, email the CRN to the social worker. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 4

Email Operations Design Transformation. In the email:

• ask them to create a customer record for the individual
• provide the client details required to create the record

Operations Design Transformation will advise when they have created a CRN.

Email the CRN to the social worker.