Provision of consultation services and training for Health staff. Delivery of medical and psycho-social assessments for children who are experiencing sexual, physical and emotional abuse or neglect, for the Canterbury District.  

C&FSS is a multidisciplinary team of Paediatricians, Nurses and Social Workers.

Ages:

• 0-12 years inclusive - sexual abuse medical assessments
• 0-15 years inclusive - physical abuse medical assessments
• 0-17 years inclusive - Gateway assessments and Infant2teen assessments
• Consultation services are available for all ages, including antenatal cases

Region: Canterbury District

Description:

• Receives referrals from Oranga Tamariki and the Police for paediatric medical assessments when there are concerns regarding abuse and neglect. The age criteria for acceptance of referrals for a sexual abuse medical assessments is 0-12 year inclusive and for a physical abuse 0-15 years inclusive.
• Receives referrals from Health staff where there is child protection, family violence and elder abuse concerns.
• Provides guidance, consultation, training and education to Health staff on child protection, family violence and elder abuse matters.
• Facilitates and coordinates multidisciplinary meetings (Child and Family Safety Review Committee and NICU/Maternity care and wellbeing meeting) that supports staff to review cases where there is vulnerability.
• Develops and maintains the Child Protection and Intimate Partner Violence Policies for Canterbury District.
• Promotes and supports collaborative interagency practice between Health and other agencies e.g. Ministry for Children Oranga Tamariki, Police, Cambridge Clinic.
• Participates in the Police Integrated Safety Response to promote immediate safety for families experiencing family violence.
• Provides child and young people that are referred by the Ministry for Children Oranga Tamariki with Gateway Assessments to address children and young people's holistic health and educational needs. 
• Provides Infant2teen Health Assessments to identify and address children's holistic health and educational  needs. Referrals are accepted from community agencies.
• Involved in the provision of Children's Team Services.

How to Access:

Referrals are only accepted from Health Professionals, Police and Oranga Tamariki (apart from Infant2teen which accepts referrals from community agencies)

The above professional groups can contact us for guidance and consultation, anytime during working hours.

Phone: External (03) 364 0905
             Internal 80905

If an acute sexual abuse medical assessment is required after hours, call (03) 364 0640 and ask for the sexual abuse paediatrician on call.

If you require an acute physical abuse assessment after hours, call (03) 364 0640 and ask for the Paediatric Consultant on call. (Please refer to the age groups outlined above, to establish if we are the appropriate service to contact).