The Redfern Waterloo Case Coordination Project receives approval from Privacy Commissioner

The Redfern Waterloo Case Coordination Project

Objective
The object of the Project is to improve case coordination between Participating Organisations and Participating Agencies regarding the management of Complex Cases involving children, young people and families in the Redfern Waterloo area. This is to be achieved through the implementation of a Case Coordination Framework, as outlined in this Direction.

Operation of the Case Coordination Framework
The Case Coordination Framework requires Participating Organisations and Participating Agencies to take the following steps in the referral and management of Complex Cases:

Assessment of the case
(1) A Contact Organisation will make an assessment as to whether it is appropriate to refer a child’s or a young person’s case to the Senior Officers’ Group having regard to the following Case Coordination Assessment Criteria:

a. The child or young person temporarily or permanently resides in Redfern, Darlington, Alexandria, Eveleigh or Waterloo or has strong links to the area through school, relatives or another significant connection;
b. The child or young person is a high level risk to themselves or others;
c. Multiple agency collaboration is necessary due to the complexity of the case; and
d. Agency intervention has failed to reduce the risks so far.

(2) If the Contact Organisation concludes that the case should not be referred to the Senior Officers’ Group, the Contact Organisation will proceed to deal with the case in accordance with the Contact Organisation’s usual procedures.

(3) If the Contact Organisation concludes that the case should be referred to the Senior Officers’ Group, the Contact Organisation will seek the consent of the child or young person (or where applicable, a parent or guardian) to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information about the child or young person by Participating Agencies for the purpose of assessing and managing the child’s or young person’s case within the Project, unless it forms a reasonable view that this is not appropriate (for example, because seeking consent could unreasonably delay necessary services being provided).

Case management and assessment by the Senior Officers’ Group
(4) On referral, the Senior Officers’ Group will assess whether management of the case within the Project is appropriate.

(5) If the Senior Officers’ Group determines that case management within the Project is appropriate, and the child or young person (or where applicable, a parent or guardian) has not already provided consent to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information about the child or young person by Participating Agencies for the purpose of assessing and managing the case within the Project, the Senior Officers’ Group will request the Contact Organisation to seek that consent, unless it forms a reasonable view that this is not appropriate (for example, because seeking consent could unreasonably delay necessary services being provided). Collection, use and disclosure of information
(6) A Participating Agency may rely upon this Direction to collect, use and disclose personal information about the child or young person for the purpose of assessing and managing the case within the Project, whether or not the consent of the child or young person (or, where applicable, the child’s or young person’s parent or guardian) is obtained.

Public interest
This Direction has been made to allow Participating Agencies to collect, use and disclose personal information for the purpose of implementing the objectives of the Project. I am satisfied that the public interest in making this Direction to enable the implementation of the Project is greater than the public interest in requiring Participating Agencies to comply with the information protection principles referred to below. A corresponding direction may apply to the Project under the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002.

Provisions
1. A Participating Agency, in collecting, using and disclosing personal information for the purpose of assessing and managing a case within the Project, consistently with the objects of the Project, need not comply with sections 8(1), 9, 10, 17, 18 or 19 of the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998.
2. Paragraph 1 is subject to the condition that the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by Participating Agencies is reasonably relevant and reasonably necessary for the purpose of meeting the objects of the Project.

Duration
This Direction expires on 31 December 2013.

Signed by me on 18 June 2012
John McAteer
Deputy Privacy Commissioner as delegated under section 35H
Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998.

Schedule – Agencies to which this Direction applies

• Council of the City of Sydney
• Department of Attorney General and Justice
• Department of Education and Communities
• Department of Family and Community Services
• Department of Premier and Cabinet
• Justice Health
• NSW Ministry of Health
• NSW Police Force
• South Eastern Sydney Local Health District
• South Western Sydney Local Health District
• Sydney Local Health District
• Sydney Metropolitan Development Authority

The full determination with definitions can be found at: http://www.privacy.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/privacynsw/ll_pnsw.nsf/pages/privacy_s41_ppipa_waterloo_redfern