❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses child deaths in 2005-06 involving the Department for Community Development (DCD), seeking details on the ages, Aboriginality, and recorded causes of death for children known to the department.
AnsweredQoN 696Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - CHILD DEATHS IN 2005-06
I refer to new figures released in The West Australian today on the number of deaths that occurred of children known to DCD in 2005-06. (1) In 2005-06, there were 100 coroner notifications of children who died and of those 55 had some form of contact with the department. Of those 55 children, how many were aged five years and under? Please detail ages at the time of death. (2) How many of those 55 children were Aboriginal children five years and under? Please detail ages at the time of death. (3) Did the relevant DCD files record the cause of death for each child; and, if not, why not? (4) If yes to (3), what were the causes of death for each of the children? Hon KATE DOUST
I refer to new figures released in The West Australian today on the number of deaths that occurred of children known to DCD in 2005-06. (1) In 2005-06, there were 100 coroner notifications of children who died and of those 55 had some form of contact with the department. Of those 55 children, how many were aged five years and under? Please detail ages at the time of death. (2) How many of those 55 children were Aboriginal children five years and under? Please detail ages at the time of death. (3) Did the relevant DCD files record the cause of death for each child; and, if not, why not? (4) If yes to (3), what were the causes of death for each of the children? Hon KATE DOUST
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(1) In 2005-06, there were 100 coroner notifications of children who died and of those 55 had some form of contact with the department. Of those 55 children, how many were aged five years and under? Please detail ages at the time of death. (2) How many of those 55 children were Aboriginal children five years and under? Please detail ages at the time of death. (3) Did the relevant DCD files record the cause of death for each child; and, if not, why not? (4) If yes to (3), what were the causes of death for each of the children? Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(2) How many of those 55 children were Aboriginal children five years and under? Please detail ages at the time of death. (3) Did the relevant DCD files record the cause of death for each child; and, if not, why not? (4) If yes to (3), what were the causes of death for each of the children? Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(3) Did the relevant DCD files record the cause of death for each child; and, if not, why not? (4) If yes to (3), what were the causes of death for each of the children? Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(4) If yes to (3), what were the causes of death for each of the children? Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(1) In 2005-06, there were 100 coroner notifications of children who died and of those 55 had some form of contact with the department. Of those 55 children, how many were aged five years and under? Please detail ages at the time of death. (2) How many of those 55 children were Aboriginal children five years and under? Please detail ages at the time of death. (3) Did the relevant DCD files record the cause of death for each child; and, if not, why not? (4) If yes to (3), what were the causes of death for each of the children? Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(2) How many of those 55 children were Aboriginal children five years and under? Please detail ages at the time of death. (3) Did the relevant DCD files record the cause of death for each child; and, if not, why not? (4) If yes to (3), what were the causes of death for each of the children? Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(3) Did the relevant DCD files record the cause of death for each child; and, if not, why not? (4) If yes to (3), what were the causes of death for each of the children? Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(4) If yes to (3), what were the causes of death for each of the children? Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(1) Twenty-nine of the 55 children were aged five years and under. At the time of death the children were of the following ages: one child died at birth; 16 were less than six months old; nine were one year old; one was two years old; one was three years old; and one was four years old. (2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(2) Seventeen of the 55 children were Aboriginal. They were of the following ages: nine were less than six months old; six were one year old; one was two years old; and one was three years old. (3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(3) The department does not determine the cause of death of a child. The department receives information only about the initial circumstances of a child’s death from the Coroner’s Court of WA. This information is then placed on the relevant DCD file for each child. (4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
(4) The actual causes of death for these children are not available until the cause has been determined by the coroner. As such, this question needs to be directed to the coroner.
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