18Assessment by Secretary

### 18 Assessment by Secretary > > (1)  If the Secretary believes, or suspects, on reasonable grounds that a child is at risk, the Secretary may carry out an assessment of the circumstances of the child. > > > (2)  For the purposes of an assessment, the Secretary may require, by written notice – > > > > > > (a) any person who has previously examined, assessed, carried out tests on or treated the child; or > > > > > > > (b) the employer of that person – > > > > to provide the Secretary with a written report on the examination, assessment, tests or treatment. > > > (3)  [*\[Section 18 Subsection (3) inserted by No. 22 of 2009, s. 11, Applied:01 Aug 2009\]*](/view/html/inforce/2009-08-01/act-2009-022#GS11@EN) For the purposes of an assessment, the Secretary may require, by written notice, any person the Secretary considers may have information relevant to the safety, welfare or wellbeing of the child to provide the Secretary with a report on one or more of the following: > > > > > > (a) the child; > > > > > > > (b) the child's guardian; > > > > > > > (c) a significant person in the child's life; > > > > > > > (d) another person with whom the child resides. > > > (4)  [*\[Section 18 Subsection (4) inserted by No. 22 of 2009, s. 11, Applied:01 Aug 2009\]*](/view/html/inforce/2009-08-01/act-2009-022#GS11@EN) For the purposes of [subsection (3)](#GS18@Gs3@EN) , information relevant to the safety, welfare or wellbeing of the child may include, but is not limited to – > > > > > > (a) medical information on the child, the child's guardian, a significant person in the child's life or another person with whom the child resides; or > > > > > > > (b) information relating to the family circumstances of the child in the past or present, or as proposed or anticipated for the future. > > > (5)  [*\[Section 18 Subsection (5) inserted by No. 22 of 2009, s. 11, Applied:01 Aug 2009\]*](/view/html/inforce/2009-08-01/act-2009-022#GS11@EN) If a person provides an oral report to the Secretary under [subsection (3)](#GS18@Gs3@EN) , the Secretary may require the person to provide the Secretary with a written version of the report as soon as practicable after the oral report is provided. > > > (6)  [*\[Section 18 Subsection (6) inserted by No. 22 of 2009, s. 11, Applied:01 Aug 2009\]*](/view/html/inforce/2009-08-01/act-2009-022#GS11@EN) [*\[Section 18 Subsection (6) omitted by No. 15 of 2011, s. 9, Applied:28 Jun 2011\]*](/view/html/inforce/2011-06-28/act-2011-015#GS9@EN) .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .