The Victorian Department of Human Services contracted AHA to critically analyse the Child Protection Practice Manual (the Manual) to identify improvement opportunities.

This review occurred in the context of considerable workforce change and reform. The intent of the review was to ensure that the manual is easy-to-understand and provides clear guidance to child protection workers to meet their obligations and comply with relevant legislation.
AHA’s critical analysis of the Manual focused on:
•Identifying improvement opportunities in language,
•Format (structure, lay-out, usability)
•Style.
AHA’s review encompassed content as it relates to language, format and communication style.
Occurring in parallel to AHA’s project, was the Department review of the Manuals content to ensure that child protection procedural guidelines and practice advice (including legal delegations and practice ‘Standards’) supported the intentions of the workforce reforms.
AHA’s approach to this review drew on our knowledge and experience of effective operational manuals in health and other community service workforce contexts, as well as our understanding of best practice workforce communication.