The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network has a Child Protection Unit at Westmead and at Randwick. The John Hunter Children’s Hospital at Newcastle has a child protection team. The units and team provide specialist paediatric and child protection services for NSW. These tertiary child protection services (Level 6 delineation) provide comprehensive paediatric medical, forensic and psychosocial assessments with access to intensive care, surgery and other subspecialties. Medical officers and paediatric sub-specialists are available for medical consultation and second opinions to staff across NSW.

The Child Protection Units/teams provide 24-hour crisis counselling and medical service, specialist psychosocial and medical assessment, forensic medical assessment, ongoing therapeutic and counselling services for victims of sexual assault and their non-offending family members, medical treatment, advocacy and case management, court support and expert testimony in court. They also provide state-wide 24-hour specialist consultation and support to community services and health workers.

Referrals can be made by individuals, health professionals, the Department of Communities and Justice, the NSW Police Force and the Joint Investigation Response Team (JIRT). The Child Protection Units at Randwick and Westmead incorporate a Sexual Assault Service and provide counselling services for children under 10 years with sexualised behaviours.

Child Protection Units work within a NSW Government interagency framework with the Department of Communities and Justice, the NSW Police Force and the NSW Department of Attorney General and Justice.

Contact details

24-hour service with on-call medical staff that can provide advice and consultation. 

Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick

Business hours:​ ​ (​02) 9382 1412  After hours: ​(02) 9382 1111​ ​

Who do I ask for? Ask for the intake worker for the Child Protection Unit who will contact the appropriate Child Protection Medical Consultant if needed.

The Children's Hospital at Westmead​

Business hours:​ ​ (​02) 9845 2434  After hours: ​(02) 9845 0000 ​

Who do I ask for? Ask for the intake worker for the Child Protection Unit who will contact the appropriate Child Protection Medical Consultant on call if needed.

John Hunter Children's Hospital 

Business hours:​ ​ (02) 4921 3000 After hours: (02) 4921 3000

Who do I ask for? Ask for the Child Protection Consultant on call.

Current as at: Monday 5 June 2023
Contact page owner: Prevention and Response to Violence, Abuse and Neglect