LawSense Seminar | Law for Mental Health Practitioners: Child, Youth & Family QLD

August 18, 2022

Principal Scott Ames will be participating in the LawSense’s ‘Law for Mental Health Practitioners: Child, Youth & Family‘ 2022 series on 18 August 2022, presenting the following topic:

Navigating Sexting, Online Offences and Cyber-Bullying: Understanding Your Obligations in Reporting, Providing Support and Note-Taking/Documentation

Sexting, Offences and Cyber-Bullying Update

  • Reviewing your current laws dealing with sexting and other offences – when has an offence been committed? What laws apply to minors?

Obligations in Mandatory Reporting and Reporting to Police – Extent of Evidence Required and Grey Areas

  • Understanding your obligations in responding to offences or suspected offences and bullying, including:
    • Reviewing obligations to report to police and mandatory reporting obligations
    • Exploring the nature and extent of evidence you should have before you consider reporting:
      • are suspicions enough?
      • can you rely on hearsay evidence?
    • Understanding restrictions on you accessing and storing sexting material for the purposes of evidence
    • Examining your obligations and options where the client/patient does not want the matter to be reported

Reviewing Options to Have Material Removed from Social Medial Platforms

  • Reviewing the current policies and procedures of some popular platforms regarding complaints, removal of material or suspension of accounts
  • Dealing with anonymous posts of difficulties identifying perpetrators
  • Maximising the assistance from the eSafety Commissioner

Best Practice in Documenting Client Issues with Sexting, Online Offences and Cyber-Bullying

  • Examining what information, you should seek and record
  • Exploring key aspects of notes from conversations with the client/patient
  • Copying and storing posts, pictures, messages, and other online material

For more information click here.