❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding the Department for Community Development's involvement with a child who drowned, including whether the child and family were known to the department and if a caseworker was allocated. The response confirms the department's involvement and ongoing coronial inquiry.
AnsweredQoN 295Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - WADE MICHAEL SCALE
I refer to Wade Michael Scale, an 11-month-old baby who drowned in a bath on 30 July 2003 after allegedly being left unsupervised by his mother and who was found to have the sedative benzodiazepine in his blood. (1) Was this child known to the Department for Community Development; and, if so, what was the nature of the involvement? (2) Were any other members of this child’s family known to DCD; and, if so, what was the nature of the involvement? (3) Did DCD allocate a caseworker to this child; and, if so, when? (4) On what dates, if any, was DCD contact made with this family in the 12 months prior to the child’s death? If the parliamentary secretary would prefer to give the reply by letter for confidentiality reasons, I am happy to accept that. Hon KATE DOUST
I refer to Wade Michael Scale, an 11-month-old baby who drowned in a bath on 30 July 2003 after allegedly being left unsupervised by his mother and who was found to have the sedative benzodiazepine in his blood. (1) Was this child known to the Department for Community Development; and, if so, what was the nature of the involvement? (2) Were any other members of this child’s family known to DCD; and, if so, what was the nature of the involvement? (3) Did DCD allocate a caseworker to this child; and, if so, when? (4) On what dates, if any, was DCD contact made with this family in the 12 months prior to the child’s death? If the parliamentary secretary would prefer to give the reply by letter for confidentiality reasons, I am happy to accept that. Hon KATE DOUST
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
(1) Was this child known to the Department for Community Development; and, if so, what was the nature of the involvement? (2) Were any other members of this child’s family known to DCD; and, if so, what was the nature of the involvement? (3) Did DCD allocate a caseworker to this child; and, if so, when? (4) On what dates, if any, was DCD contact made with this family in the 12 months prior to the child’s death? If the parliamentary secretary would prefer to give the reply by letter for confidentiality reasons, I am happy to accept that. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
(2) Were any other members of this child’s family known to DCD; and, if so, what was the nature of the involvement? (3) Did DCD allocate a caseworker to this child; and, if so, when? (4) On what dates, if any, was DCD contact made with this family in the 12 months prior to the child’s death? If the parliamentary secretary would prefer to give the reply by letter for confidentiality reasons, I am happy to accept that. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
(3) Did DCD allocate a caseworker to this child; and, if so, when? (4) On what dates, if any, was DCD contact made with this family in the 12 months prior to the child’s death? If the parliamentary secretary would prefer to give the reply by letter for confidentiality reasons, I am happy to accept that. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
(4) On what dates, if any, was DCD contact made with this family in the 12 months prior to the child’s death? If the parliamentary secretary would prefer to give the reply by letter for confidentiality reasons, I am happy to accept that. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
If the parliamentary secretary would prefer to give the reply by letter for confidentiality reasons, I am happy to accept that. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
(1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
(1) Was this child known to the Department for Community Development; and, if so, what was the nature of the involvement? (2) Were any other members of this child’s family known to DCD; and, if so, what was the nature of the involvement? (3) Did DCD allocate a caseworker to this child; and, if so, when? (4) On what dates, if any, was DCD contact made with this family in the 12 months prior to the child’s death? If the parliamentary secretary would prefer to give the reply by letter for confidentiality reasons, I am happy to accept that. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
(2) Were any other members of this child’s family known to DCD; and, if so, what was the nature of the involvement? (3) Did DCD allocate a caseworker to this child; and, if so, when? (4) On what dates, if any, was DCD contact made with this family in the 12 months prior to the child’s death? If the parliamentary secretary would prefer to give the reply by letter for confidentiality reasons, I am happy to accept that. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
(3) Did DCD allocate a caseworker to this child; and, if so, when? (4) On what dates, if any, was DCD contact made with this family in the 12 months prior to the child’s death? If the parliamentary secretary would prefer to give the reply by letter for confidentiality reasons, I am happy to accept that. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
(4) On what dates, if any, was DCD contact made with this family in the 12 months prior to the child’s death? If the parliamentary secretary would prefer to give the reply by letter for confidentiality reasons, I am happy to accept that. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
If the parliamentary secretary would prefer to give the reply by letter for confidentiality reasons, I am happy to accept that. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Community Development has provided the following response - (1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
(1)-(4) I am advised that the child was known to the Department for Community Development, as were his siblings, and that the department was providing protective and support services. The case was open to the department at the time of the child’s birth and a worker allocated since 4 October 1998. This case is currently subject to a coronial inquiry.
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