❓ Hon Nick Goiran questions the Minister for Child Protection regarding the Department of Communities' involvement in cases of child sexual abuse involving students in private schools. The Minister clarifies the department's role in both public and private school cases.
AnsweredQoN 148Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CHILD PROTECTION —
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE — ROEBOURNE
148. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the Leader of the House representing
the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the minister's
answer to my question without notice asked on 19 February 2019, and answered on
20 February 2019, in which the minister reconfirmed that the Department of
Communities is involved in the monitoring, assessment and management of every
case in which a young person charged with or convicted of a sexual offence
attends a public school, but indicated that the department is not involved in
such cases in which the young person attends a private school.
(1) Why is the department not
involved in such cases when the young person attends a private school?
(2) Will the
minister table the act, regulation, directive, policy or other that empowers
the department to exempt itself from involvement in these cases?
(3) If no to (2),
will the minister undertake to comply with section 82 of the Financial
Management Act 2006?
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE — ROEBOURNE
148. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the Leader of the House representing
the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the minister's
answer to my question without notice asked on 19 February 2019, and answered on
20 February 2019, in which the minister reconfirmed that the Department of
Communities is involved in the monitoring, assessment and management of every
case in which a young person charged with or convicted of a sexual offence
attends a public school, but indicated that the department is not involved in
such cases in which the young person attends a private school.
(1) Why is the department not
involved in such cases when the young person attends a private school?
(2) Will the
minister table the act, regulation, directive, policy or other that empowers
the department to exempt itself from involvement in these cases?
(3) If no to (2),
will the minister undertake to comply with section 82 of the Financial
Management Act 2006?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) No reference
was made to the Department of Communities not being involved in cases in which
a young person attends a private school. As per the multi-agency protocols for
students charged with harmful sexual behaviours, WA police notify both the
Department of Education and the Department of Communities of all students
charged. When a young person has been reported, charged or convicted of a sexual
offence while attending school—public or private—an initial
report will be made to the mandatory reporting service. When the Department of
Communities receives a report, it will undertake an initial inquiry around the
safety and wellbeing concerns of the victim.
When mandatory reports are made
involving a young person who sexually offends, the Department of Communities
will also undertake initial inquiries around the safety and wellbeing of the
young person. If initial inquiries identify ongoing concerns, safety and
wellbeing assessments will be undertaken to identify whether there are ongoing
risks in the child or young person's current environment and whether
restrictions need to be made to support the safety and wellbeing of them and/or
others. When there are ongoing concerns for the safety of children, current
protection orders and/or it is a current open case, the Department of
Communities is engaged in interagency planning and support.
(2)–(3) Not applicable.
some notice of the question.
(1) No reference
was made to the Department of Communities not being involved in cases in which
a young person attends a private school. As per the multi-agency protocols for
students charged with harmful sexual behaviours, WA police notify both the
Department of Education and the Department of Communities of all students
charged. When a young person has been reported, charged or convicted of a sexual
offence while attending school—public or private—an initial
report will be made to the mandatory reporting service. When the Department of
Communities receives a report, it will undertake an initial inquiry around the
safety and wellbeing concerns of the victim.
When mandatory reports are made
involving a young person who sexually offends, the Department of Communities
will also undertake initial inquiries around the safety and wellbeing of the
young person. If initial inquiries identify ongoing concerns, safety and
wellbeing assessments will be undertaken to identify whether there are ongoing
risks in the child or young person's current environment and whether
restrictions need to be made to support the safety and wellbeing of them and/or
others. When there are ongoing concerns for the safety of children, current
protection orders and/or it is a current open case, the Department of
Communities is engaged in interagency planning and support.
(2)–(3) Not applicable.
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