❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister regarding the increase in monitored children in the South West due to drug use. The Minister outlines the government's investment in early intervention and child protection services.
AnsweredQoN 461Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
METHAMPHETAMINE ACTION
PLAN TASKFORCE — MONITORED CHILDREN
461. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Prevention of Family
and Domestic Violence:
I have a supplementary question. How can the minister suggest
that the tripling of the number of children being monitored in the south west
is a good thing when this means that a number of kids are on the government's
radar and we are now seeing regional WA top the list for drug and
methamphetamine use in this country?
The SPEAKER : Member, you had about three tracks. In
future, supplementary questions should be short and sharp. Minister, I am sure
you will answer the question.
PLAN TASKFORCE — MONITORED CHILDREN
461. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Prevention of Family
and Domestic Violence:
I have a supplementary question. How can the minister suggest
that the tripling of the number of children being monitored in the south west
is a good thing when this means that a number of kids are on the government's
radar and we are now seeing regional WA top the list for drug and
methamphetamine use in this country?
The SPEAKER : Member, you had about three tracks. In
future, supplementary questions should be short and sharp. Minister, I am sure
you will answer the question.
AnswerView source ↗
I do not think it is possible to put
all manner of social ills into a bucket, swirl them around and say that the
child protection system or the Department of Communities is expected to address
those issues in every district in every part of the state. We do what we can
with the issues that are presented in the community. We understand there are
families under stress. We understand that any manner of social issues are going
on, including drug and alcohol abuse, challenges with mental illness and the
like. We have invested record new dollars, including over $100 million into
early intervention work with Western Australian families who are vulnerable and
in early intervention systems over the forward estimates to try to prevent
children coming into care in the child protection system. I am very proud of
the investment that we have made. We have put that into dedicated organisations
working with Aboriginal families through the Wungening Aboriginal Corporation
and its consortium. We have put that into intensive family support networks, as
well as direct delivery of work. We have also put that into new spends in
combatting domestic violence. We are doing a range of things with early
intervention to try to stem the tide of children coming into the child
protection system and into the formal care of the department.
If the children are unsafe with
their families, we will make the judgement that they need to be taken away from
their biological parents and put into the care of the department, usually
through foster carers. Then we work with those foster carers and those children
to see whether reunification is possible; and, if not, they are given more
secure placement. I agree that it is not a good thing in the south west or any
district in this state that there can be an increase in the number of
allegations of harm coming before the child protection system. Of course that
is not a good thing. We are allocating money to early intervention. We have
active districts working with those children who may come before the child
protection system. With regard to the monitored list, it means that those
children are settled and doing well in their placements.
all manner of social ills into a bucket, swirl them around and say that the
child protection system or the Department of Communities is expected to address
those issues in every district in every part of the state. We do what we can
with the issues that are presented in the community. We understand there are
families under stress. We understand that any manner of social issues are going
on, including drug and alcohol abuse, challenges with mental illness and the
like. We have invested record new dollars, including over $100 million into
early intervention work with Western Australian families who are vulnerable and
in early intervention systems over the forward estimates to try to prevent
children coming into care in the child protection system. I am very proud of
the investment that we have made. We have put that into dedicated organisations
working with Aboriginal families through the Wungening Aboriginal Corporation
and its consortium. We have put that into intensive family support networks, as
well as direct delivery of work. We have also put that into new spends in
combatting domestic violence. We are doing a range of things with early
intervention to try to stem the tide of children coming into the child
protection system and into the formal care of the department.
If the children are unsafe with
their families, we will make the judgement that they need to be taken away from
their biological parents and put into the care of the department, usually
through foster carers. Then we work with those foster carers and those children
to see whether reunification is possible; and, if not, they are given more
secure placement. I agree that it is not a good thing in the south west or any
district in this state that there can be an increase in the number of
allegations of harm coming before the child protection system. Of course that
is not a good thing. We are allocating money to early intervention. We have
active districts working with those children who may come before the child
protection system. With regard to the monitored list, it means that those
children are settled and doing well in their placements.
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