The Family Division of the Children's Court of Victoria has jurisdiction to hear a range of applications and make a variety of orders in relation to the protection and care of any person under the age of 17 years.
When is a child in need of protection?
A child may be in need of protection if any of the following has occurred, or is likely to occur:
- the child has been abandoned by his or her parents
- the parents are dead or incapacitated
- the child has suffered physical abuse
- the child has suffered sexual abuse
- the child has suffered emotional or psychological abuse
- the child has been neglected.
A child may also be in need of protection if the court finds that there is at the time a substantial irreconcilable difference between the child and his or her parent/s (or person who has custody) which is likely to seriously disrupt the care and control of the child.