About the Research Materials

The 12 chapters have been compiled specifically for legal professionals, social workers and other professionals working in disciplines associated with the work of the Court, and students studying in these areas.

Chapters are published in PDF and Word and open in a new window. 

A separate PDF file contains a running list of amendments which have been made to the Research Materials. 

Note:  A reference in these materials to "DOHS" or 'DHHS" is a reference to the Child Protection Division of the Victorian Government Department of Human Services (prior to 1 January 2015) or to the Department of Health & Human Services subsequently.

A reference in these materials to the "Department of Justice" is to be read from 1 January 2015 as a reference to the "Department of Justice & Regulation".

About the Author

Research Materials has been assembled by former Magistrate Peter Power.

Mr Power graduated LL.B. (Hons) from Monash University in 1980 and won the Supreme Court prize in that year. In 1982 he was an associate to Justice Brennan (as he then was) in the High Court of Australia. From 1983 until 1990 he practised at the Victorian Bar. He was sworn in as a Victorian Magistrate on 26 April 1990. For most of the time until his retirement on 3 February 2019 he sat at Melbourne Children’s Court.

Since then Mr Power has been employed as a consultant to the President of the Children's Court. Mr Power was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia on 26 January 2007 for service to the community as a magistrate, particularly through developing improved case management procedures and programs, and raising public awareness of court processes.

In earlier lives he was a teacher and a computer programmer.