If you are a social worker or case manager working in child protection, out-of-home care, and related endeavours, this is the page for you.
On this page you will find links to AI-generated, individually curated content covering important aspects of practice in child safeguarding.
Each page has been curated by Colby Pearce. Across the last thirty years Colby has worked continuously with children and young people recovering from a tough start to life, and adults who interact with them in care and professional roles. Colby is the author of A Short Introduction to Attachment Disorder (2016) and A Short Introduction to Promoting Resilience in Children (2011) and the host of The Secure Start Podcast.
If you have a question for which the answer does not already appear on this page, do contact Colby at colby@securestart.com.au .
Bookmark this page as Colby will be adding new practice guidance regularly.
Recognising Abuse and Neglect: Key Safeguarding Signs Across Childhood for Social Workers
Learn the key signs of abuse and neglect across different age groups. An essential safeguarding guide for social workers, carers, and child-protection professionals.
Click here.
Common Questions Social Workers Ask About Child Safeguarding: Guidance, Red Flags, and Evidence-Informed Answers
Discover answers to the most common child safeguarding questions asked by social workers. Evidence-informed guidance on behaviour changes, thresholds, risk, and best practice.
Click here.
When Is Poor Parenting “Good Enough”? Common Child Safeguarding Questions Social Workers Ask
Discover the most common questions social workers ask about child safeguarding, including risk assessment, protective factors, child participation, cultural safety, and defensible decision-making. A practical, evidence-informed guide with a statutory social worker practice note and full bibliography.
Click here.
How Do I Assess Risk When Information From Agencies Is Inconsistent? A Guide for Statutory Social Workers
Learn how statutory social workers can assess child safeguarding risk when agency information is inconsistent. This SEO-optimised guide covers triangulation, professional curiosity, multi-agency dialogue, and evidence-informed risk analysis to support safe, confident practice.
Click here.
Assessing Parental Capacity for Change: A Realistic Guide for Social Workers
Assessing parental capacity for change is critical in child protection. Learn key indicators, tools, and evidence-based strategies to make realistic safeguarding decisions.
Click here.
What do I do when a child or young person on my caseload self-places with birth family?
A practical, trauma-informed guide for responding when young people self-place with birth family—flowcharts, scripts, decision maps and safety-first practice notes.
Click here.
What to do when a foster carer reports that a child in their care is unsettled after birth parent contact?
Guidance for social workers on responding when a foster carer reports a child is unsettled after family contact, with clear steps and child-centred practice advice.
Click here.
What are Best Practice Responses to Placement Breakdown in Out-of-Home Care?
Discover the impact of multiple placement breakdowns in out-of-home care and why stability is essential for children’s recovery, wellbeing and long-term outcomes.
Click here.
What is the impact of Long-Term Residential Care for Children?
Discover the developmental, emotional, and relational impacts of long-term residential care on children and young people. Learn how stability, trauma-informed practice, and high-quality caregiving shape outcomes, and what factors reduce risk and promote healing in out-of-home care settings.
Click here.
When Should Reunification Be Considered in Child Protection?
Learn when reunification should be considered in child protection. Explore key indicators, safety planning, parental change, and evidence-based decision-making.
Click here.
What Should we do When a Child in Care Wants to Change Their Name to Their Foster Carers’ Surname?
Learn how child protection authorities should respond when a child in care requests a surname change. A trauma-informed, best-practice guide to identity, belonging and legal decision-making.
Click here.
When is it appropriate for children in foster care to call carers “Mum” and “Dad”?
Learn when it’s appropriate for children in foster care to call carers “Mum” or “Dad,” with trauma-informed guidance that supports identity, attachment and birth family ties.
Click here.