❓ A parliamentary question probes the low rate of child protection notifications in WA compared to national figures, questioning the absence of mandatory reporting. The Minister defends WA's approach, citing research questioning the effectiveness of mandatory reporting and highlighting WA's high investigation rate.
AnsweredQoN 1740Legislative Council
Asked
4 March 2004
Member
Portfolio
Community Development, Women's Interests, Seniors and Youth
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the Minister aware that in the 2002-03 financial year there were 198 355 formal child protection notifications nationally?
(2) Can the Minister offer any explanation as to why approximately only one per cent of those notifications came from Western Australia?
(3) Has the Minister enquired whether this very small proportion of notifications from Western Australia is related to the absence of mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse in Western Australia?
(4) If so, what is the result of the enquiry?
(5) If it is not the reason, what is the reason?
(6) If it is the reason, what are the reasons for not then adopting mandatory reporting?
(7) Is the Minister aware that the AMA supports mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse?
(2) Can the Minister offer any explanation as to why approximately only one per cent of those notifications came from Western Australia?
(3) Has the Minister enquired whether this very small proportion of notifications from Western Australia is related to the absence of mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse in Western Australia?
(4) If so, what is the result of the enquiry?
(5) If it is not the reason, what is the reason?
(6) If it is the reason, what are the reasons for not then adopting mandatory reporting?
(7) Is the Minister aware that the AMA supports mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
31 March 2004
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, Women's Interests, Seniors and Youth
Response time
27 days
(1) Yes
(2) Each State and Territory has different policies and procedures for the intake and recording of notifications. Caution needs to be exercised in comparing data between States and Territories and nationally.
(3) Yes
(4) Depending upon its scope, mandated reporting is a contributing factor to the very large numbers of notifications recorded in some States and Territories. However, in these States not all of the notifications are investigated. For example, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia with mandated reporting only investigate 34%, 41% and 46% respectively of the notifications recorded. WA by comparison investigates 96% of notifications recorded (Table 2.1 Child Protection Australia 2002-2003).
(5) N/A
(6) Research is increasingly showing that mandatory reporting is not efficient or effective in protecting children (Harries Report 2002). The available evidence is that it undermines statutory child protection systems by drawing in many notifications about children and families that are not warranted. The likelihood of children at risk being overlooked increases.
(7) The AMA has a Child Abuse and Neglect Position Statement dated 1996 that provides only qualified support for mandatory reporting. In February 2004 the AMA held a Summit on Child Abuse. The Summit sought to promote a public health approach to responding to child abuse that addresses the social and economic factors associated with many notifications. At the AMA Summit of Child Abuse media conference in 19 February 2004 it was noted by Dr Terry McDonald that there are a spectrum of difficulties in child protection that mandatory reporting does not address. It was further stated that there was a need to move away from responding to incidents to looking more at the issue of harm to children.
(2) Each State and Territory has different policies and procedures for the intake and recording of notifications. Caution needs to be exercised in comparing data between States and Territories and nationally.
(3) Yes
(4) Depending upon its scope, mandated reporting is a contributing factor to the very large numbers of notifications recorded in some States and Territories. However, in these States not all of the notifications are investigated. For example, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia with mandated reporting only investigate 34%, 41% and 46% respectively of the notifications recorded. WA by comparison investigates 96% of notifications recorded (Table 2.1 Child Protection Australia 2002-2003).
(5) N/A
(6) Research is increasingly showing that mandatory reporting is not efficient or effective in protecting children (Harries Report 2002). The available evidence is that it undermines statutory child protection systems by drawing in many notifications about children and families that are not warranted. The likelihood of children at risk being overlooked increases.
(7) The AMA has a Child Abuse and Neglect Position Statement dated 1996 that provides only qualified support for mandatory reporting. In February 2004 the AMA held a Summit on Child Abuse. The Summit sought to promote a public health approach to responding to child abuse that addresses the social and economic factors associated with many notifications. At the AMA Summit of Child Abuse media conference in 19 February 2004 it was noted by Dr Terry McDonald that there are a spectrum of difficulties in child protection that mandatory reporting does not address. It was further stated that there was a need to move away from responding to incidents to looking more at the issue of harm to children.
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