Appendix 1 – Glossary

Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations

Not-for-profit organisations that are incorporated as Aboriginal organisations, created and controlled by Aboriginal people.

Australian Privacy Principles

The Australian Privacy Principles as set out in Schedule 1 of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

Carer

In relation to a child, means a person who fulfils the functions of parental responsibility for the child (see definition of ‘parent’).

Child

A person who is under the age of 18 years.
An unborn child that is the subject of a report made under section 29 of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 or a referral under section 32 of that Act.

The Child Information Sharing Scheme, created under Part 6A of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005, permits the requesting and disclosure of confidential information between prescribed organisations for the purpose of promoting the wellbeing or safety of a child or group of children.

Child Link

Child Link refers to the digital tool, created under Part 7A of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005, which creates an entry for each Victorian child with limited key factual information, and is accessible by a Child Link User or a person who is otherwise authorised to access Child Link under Part 7A.

Collection notice

A collection notice is a statement that is provided to an individual at or before the time an organisation collects personal information from that individual, or if that is not practicable, then as soon as is practicable after, informing that individual of certain things about the collection of their information and how it may be accessed, used or disclosed.

Commonwealth Privacy Act

Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)

Confidential information

For the purposes of the Child Information Sharing Scheme, the term ‘confidential information’ includes:

health information and identifiers for the purposes of the Health Records Act 2001
personal information for the purposes of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014, including sensitive information (such as a criminal record), and unique identifiers.

Excluded information

Information that is specifically excluded from being shared under the scheme as defined in section 41Q of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005. See Chapter 1 for the full list of excluded information.

Family violence

As defined in section 5 of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 to mean any behaviour toward a family member (which includes a domestic or intimate partner) that is physically, sexually, emotionally, psychologically or economically abusive; threatening or coercive; or is in any other way controlling that causes a person to live in fear for their safety or wellbeing or that of another person.

In relation to children, family violence is also defined as behaviour by any person that causes a child to hear or witness or otherwise be exposed to the effects of the above behaviour. This definition includes violence within a broader family context, such as extended families, kinship networks and communities and other family-like relationships; for example, the relationship between a person with a disability and their carer if that relationship has over time come to approximate the type of relationship that would exist between family members.

Family Violence Information Sharing Guidelines which are made under Part 5A of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008.

As defined in section 144D of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 to mean a person or body prescribed, or a class of person or body prescribed, to be an Information Sharing Entity under the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme.

The Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme was established under Part 5A of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008. Part 5A authorises a select group of prescribed Information Sharing Entities (Family Violence information sharing entities) to share information with one another for family violence risk assessment and risk management.

Family Violence Risk Assessment Entity

As defined in Part 5A of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008. A Family Violence Information Sharing Entity also prescribed to be a Risk Assessment Entity. Risk Assessment Entities can request and receive information from any information sharing entity for a family violence assessment or protection purpose, in response to, or from voluntary sharing by, another information sharing entity.

Guidelines

The Child Information Sharing Scheme Ministerial Guidelines, which are made under section 41ZA of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005.

Health Complaints Commissioner

The Health Complaints Commissioner appointed under section 111 of the Health Complaints Act 2016, to whom complaints can be made under Part 6 of the Health Records Act 2001 about an interference with an individual’s privacy in relation to health information.

Health information

Health information within the meaning of the Health Records Act 2001. Among other things, it includes information or an opinion about the physical, mental or psychological health of an individual, a disability of an individual, an individual’s expressed wishes about the future provision of health services to them, a health service provided or to be provided to an individual; and other personal information collected to provide, or in providing, a health service.

Health Privacy Principles

The Health Privacy Principles set out in Schedule 1 to the Health Records Act 2001.

Identifier

An identifier within the meaning of the Health Records Act 2001. It is usually a number that is either assigned to an individual in conjunction with or in relation to their health information by an organisation for the purpose of identifying that individual, or that is adopted, used or disclosed in conjunction with or in relation to the individual’s health information by an organisation for the purpose of identifying that individual. For example, when a health service assigns each of its patients a unique number for the purposes of identifying them on their system.

Information Privacy Principles

The Information Privacy Principles as set out in Schedule 1 to the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014.

A person or body prescribed, or a class of person or body prescribed, to be an Information Sharing Entity under the Child Information Sharing Scheme. In these guidelines, information sharing entities may also be referred to as ‘prescribed entities’ or ‘prescribed organisations and services’.

MARAM Framework

The Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework is designed to guide services in assessing and managing the risk of family violence.

Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner or OVIC

Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner established under section 6B of the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

Part 5A

Part 5A of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008, which creates the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme.

Part 6A

Part 6A of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (the Act), which creates the Child Information Sharing Scheme (the scheme).

Personal information

Personal information within the meaning of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 is information or an opinion other than health information about an individual whose identity is apparent or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion. Personal information can be recorded in any form and can be personal information regardless of whether it is true or not.

Scheme

Refers to the Child Information Sharing Scheme (the scheme), which was created under Part 6A of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005.

Unless indicated otherwise, this term is used to refer to collecting, using or disclosing information.

Sensitive information

Sensitive information as defined in Schedule 1 to the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014. It includes personal information that is information or an opinion about an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation or practices, or criminal record.

Third party

Any person other than the child or the child’s family members whose confidential information may be relevant to promoting the wellbeing or safety of the child or group of children.

Unique identifier

An identifier as defined in Schedule 1 of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (for example the serial number on a bank card or a receipt number).

Updated 6 March 2023