❓ Hon Nick Goiran asks about the whereabouts of children in care, following up on a previous question. The Minister provides updated figures on children found and still unaccounted for, and details the range of days children were missing.
AnsweredQoN 1013Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Children in care—Whereabouts unknown1013.Hon Nick Goiranto
theminister representing the Minister for Child
Protection:I refer to the
answer to my question without notice 951 on 23 October 2025.(1) Has the one child the department reported to
WA police as a missing person been found?(2) Have the six children recorded as "unaccounted
for, not in contact" been found?(3) Are the whereabouts of the three children
recorded as "unaccounted for, in contact" now known?(4) For how many days was the whereabouts of the
10 children unknown and have any reports been received of the children being
victims of crime during this period?(5) How many children who are in the care of the
CEO have their whereabouts currently recorded as:(a) "unaccounted for, in contact";(b) "unaccounted for, not in contact";
and(c) "missing"?
theminister representing the Minister for Child
Protection:I refer to the
answer to my question without notice 951 on 23 October 2025.(1) Has the one child the department reported to
WA police as a missing person been found?(2) Have the six children recorded as "unaccounted
for, not in contact" been found?(3) Are the whereabouts of the three children
recorded as "unaccounted for, in contact" now known?(4) For how many days was the whereabouts of the
10 children unknown and have any reports been received of the children being
victims of crime during this period?(5) How many children who are in the care of the
CEO have their whereabouts currently recorded as:(a) "unaccounted for, in contact";(b) "unaccounted for, not in contact";
and(c) "missing"?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 November 2025
Response time
0 days
Hon Jackie Jarvis replied:I thank the Leader
of the Opposition for some notice of the question. The following response has
been provided by the Minister for Child Protection.The Department of
Communities advises the following as of 11 November 2025.(1) The whereabouts of the one young person was
known; however, the young person is now "'unaccounted for, not in contact".(2) The whereabouts of five of the young people
are now known. One young person's whereabouts was known; however, the young
person is now "unaccounted for, in contact".(3) The whereabouts of the three young people is now
known.(4) The period the 10 young people's whereabouts
was unknown ranges between one day and 28 days.All reported or disclosed
allegations or incidents relating to a child in care being a victim of crime
are treated as a priority and investigated accordingly. These matters are
reported to the Department of Communities' senior leadership and the WA Police
Force as appropriate.As the government has stated
repeatedly, providing information relating to a specific cohort would require a
significant diversion of resources to crosscheck individual case files to
ensure that no matters were reported following the period of each child being
unaccounted for.(5) There are:(a) 10;(b) three; and(c) none.
Children in care—Whereabouts unknown
of the Opposition for some notice of the question. The following response has
been provided by the Minister for Child Protection.The Department of
Communities advises the following as of 11 November 2025.(1) The whereabouts of the one young person was
known; however, the young person is now "'unaccounted for, not in contact".(2) The whereabouts of five of the young people
are now known. One young person's whereabouts was known; however, the young
person is now "unaccounted for, in contact".(3) The whereabouts of the three young people is now
known.(4) The period the 10 young people's whereabouts
was unknown ranges between one day and 28 days.All reported or disclosed
allegations or incidents relating to a child in care being a victim of crime
are treated as a priority and investigated accordingly. These matters are
reported to the Department of Communities' senior leadership and the WA Police
Force as appropriate.As the government has stated
repeatedly, providing information relating to a specific cohort would require a
significant diversion of resources to crosscheck individual case files to
ensure that no matters were reported following the period of each child being
unaccounted for.(5) There are:(a) 10;(b) three; and(c) none.
Children in care—Whereabouts unknown
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