❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks data on deaths of children in care and those known to the Department for Child Protection and Family Support. The Minister provides figures and context, highlighting pre-existing conditions and various reasons for departmental contact.
AnsweredQoN 1048Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT
FOR CHILD PROTECTION AND FAMILY SUPPORT — CHILDREN IN CARE OF CEO —
DEATHS
1048. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the Minister
for Child Protection:
I refer to the deaths of children in
the care of the Department for Child Protection and Family Support.
(1) How many children died while in
the care of the CEO in —
(a) 2013–14;
(b) 2014–15; and
(c) 2015 to date?
(2) How many
children who were known to the department have died since 1 July 2014 and in
which month did they die?
FOR CHILD PROTECTION AND FAMILY SUPPORT — CHILDREN IN CARE OF CEO —
DEATHS
1048. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the Minister
for Child Protection:
I refer to the deaths of children in
the care of the Department for Child Protection and Family Support.
(1) How many children died while in
the care of the CEO in —
(a) 2013–14;
(b) 2014–15; and
(c) 2015 to date?
(2) How many
children who were known to the department have died since 1 July 2014 and in
which month did they die?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice
of the question.
Before providing the individual figures, I would just like to
clarify that many children come into the Department for Child Protection and
Family Support having had some quite disabling pre-birth and at-birth
disabilities, and parents have been unable to care for those children. They are
things like severe physical and intellectual disabilities, cardiac problems and
premature births et cetera. I do not want people to go away from this
information thinking that these deaths have occurred for any particular reason.
The answer is —
(1) The number of children who died while in the care of the
CEO was —
(a) in 2013–2014, one;
(b) in 2014–2015, three; and
(c) in 2015 until today, two.
(2) A total of
65 children whose families had previous contact with the Department for Child
Protection and Family Support died between 1 July 2014 and 22 September 2015.
The predominant causes of death included co-sleeping, motor vehicle accidents
and drowning. These 65 children would not have all been open cases with the
department. They are children whose families the department has had contact
with, but not necessarily for child protection concerns. The department may
become involved with a family for various reasons, including financial and
family support, parent–adolescent conflict, referral to another agency,
parenting advice, fostering/adoption advice or Family Court matters. In 2014:
July, 0; August, seven; September, two; October, six; November, five; and,
December, six. In 2015: January, three; February, five; March, five; April,
four; May, four; June, five; July, two; August, five; and, September, six to
date.
of the question.
Before providing the individual figures, I would just like to
clarify that many children come into the Department for Child Protection and
Family Support having had some quite disabling pre-birth and at-birth
disabilities, and parents have been unable to care for those children. They are
things like severe physical and intellectual disabilities, cardiac problems and
premature births et cetera. I do not want people to go away from this
information thinking that these deaths have occurred for any particular reason.
The answer is —
(1) The number of children who died while in the care of the
CEO was —
(a) in 2013–2014, one;
(b) in 2014–2015, three; and
(c) in 2015 until today, two.
(2) A total of
65 children whose families had previous contact with the Department for Child
Protection and Family Support died between 1 July 2014 and 22 September 2015.
The predominant causes of death included co-sleeping, motor vehicle accidents
and drowning. These 65 children would not have all been open cases with the
department. They are children whose families the department has had contact
with, but not necessarily for child protection concerns. The department may
become involved with a family for various reasons, including financial and
family support, parent–adolescent conflict, referral to another agency,
parenting advice, fostering/adoption advice or Family Court matters. In 2014:
July, 0; August, seven; September, two; October, six; November, five; and,
December, six. In 2015: January, three; February, five; March, five; April,
four; May, four; June, five; July, two; August, five; and, September, six to
date.
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