Phone 1800 124 684 or 6496 0001
Child Protection Unit Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH)
Phone: (08) 6456 0089 or (08) 6456 2222
Categories: 24hr Emergency Contacts, Child and Youth Services,
The PCH Child Protection Unit (CPU) is a specialised, hospital-based service providing medical, forensic, social work and therapeutic services for children and their families when there is a concern that a child has, or may have suffered from child abuse. The PCH CPU is the only hospital-based service of this kind in WA.
Our staff coordinate assessment, planning and (when appropriate) intervention strategies and ongoing therapy for children and families where there are child protection concerns. This includes:
- inpatient services in conjunction with inpatient unit staff
- outpatient clinics, including after-hours services for acute sexual assault
- therapy outpatient clinics.
Key roles of the CPU include:
- medical and forensic examination, opinion formulation and report writing
- diagnosis and treatment of injuries and infections
- medical and forensic investigations, including blood tests and imaging
- assessment of a child’s current and ongoing safety risk
- psychosocial assessments
- crisis support for children and families
- a wide range of therapy services
- education and training in child protection
- consultation on child protection matters within hospital, external health services and the wider community
- court attendance for civil and criminal matters
Referrals are accepted from a variety of internal and external sources, including:
- Family and community members
- PCH Emergency Department
- Other hospitals and health services
- Department for Child Protection and Family Support (external site)
- WA Police (external site)