Joint Child Protection Response Program (JCPRP) aims to provide a seamless service response to children and young people at risk of significant harm, as a result of sexual assault, serious physical abuse and extreme neglect. JCPRP is a tri-agency program delivered by the NSW Police Force, Department of Communities and Justice and NSW Health.
The JCPRP model aims to deliver improved outcomes for vulnerable children and young people and their non-offending family members by providing them with coordinated safety, justice and health responses.
The JCPRP was formerly known as the Joint Investigation Response Team (JIRT) program. The program underwent a name changefollowing review by the NSW Ombudsman in August 2017.
Each agency has specialised knowledge and expertise in their area of work and has responsibilities under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (the Care Act). JCPRP links the:
NSW Health is responsible for providing an integrated medical and psycho-social response to JCPRP clients who are victims of sexual assault, serious physical abuse and extreme neglect.
A small team of clinicians is employed to work in the Joint Referral Unit (JRU) on joint decision-making around intake to JCPRP. JRU Health staff work closely with health services to provide timely health information about JCPRP clients and to arrange urgent health service provision where required.
NSW Health also employs clinicians in the 22 JCPRP units around NSW where they work with the partner agencies on local planning and coordinated service responses for JCPRP clients. Again, the JCPRP senior health clinicians and health clinicians rely on the support of their local health district or specialty health network to perform their functions and ensure JCPRP clients receive a seamless response from NSW Health.
The NSW Health role in JCPRP is a whole-of-organisation response which is broader than the dedicated health staff working in the JRU and the JCPRP units.
