❓ A parliamentary question addresses the Department for Community Development regarding the definition of neglect, a specific infant death due to neglect, the department's involvement with the family, and the department's risk assessment procedures.
AnsweredQoN 651Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - DEATH OF CHILD DUE TO NEGLECT
I refer to the Child Death Review Committee. (1) What does the Department for Community Development understand to be the meaning of the world “neglect”? (2) One of the answers to question without notice 604 about infant deaths, asked on Wednesday, 23 August, stated that the cause of death of an infant under one year of age was neglect. Was this infant given a high priority risk level by the Department for Community Development? (3) How much involvement did DCD have with this family? (4) Does the department have a high risk priority category that flags a family known to DCD? Hon ADELE FARINA
I refer to the Child Death Review Committee. (1) What does the Department for Community Development understand to be the meaning of the world “neglect”? (2) One of the answers to question without notice 604 about infant deaths, asked on Wednesday, 23 August, stated that the cause of death of an infant under one year of age was neglect. Was this infant given a high priority risk level by the Department for Community Development? (3) How much involvement did DCD have with this family? (4) Does the department have a high risk priority category that flags a family known to DCD? Hon ADELE FARINA
AnswerView source ↗
On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
(1) What does the Department for Community Development understand to be the meaning of the world “neglect”? (2) One of the answers to question without notice 604 about infant deaths, asked on Wednesday, 23 August, stated that the cause of death of an infant under one year of age was neglect. Was this infant given a high priority risk level by the Department for Community Development? (3) How much involvement did DCD have with this family? (4) Does the department have a high risk priority category that flags a family known to DCD? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
(2) One of the answers to question without notice 604 about infant deaths, asked on Wednesday, 23 August, stated that the cause of death of an infant under one year of age was neglect. Was this infant given a high priority risk level by the Department for Community Development? (3) How much involvement did DCD have with this family? (4) Does the department have a high risk priority category that flags a family known to DCD? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
(3) How much involvement did DCD have with this family? (4) Does the department have a high risk priority category that flags a family known to DCD? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
(4) Does the department have a high risk priority category that flags a family known to DCD? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
Hon ADELE FARINA replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
(1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
(a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child.
(b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child.
(4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
(1) What does the Department for Community Development understand to be the meaning of the world “neglect”? (2) One of the answers to question without notice 604 about infant deaths, asked on Wednesday, 23 August, stated that the cause of death of an infant under one year of age was neglect. Was this infant given a high priority risk level by the Department for Community Development? (3) How much involvement did DCD have with this family? (4) Does the department have a high risk priority category that flags a family known to DCD? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
(2) One of the answers to question without notice 604 about infant deaths, asked on Wednesday, 23 August, stated that the cause of death of an infant under one year of age was neglect. Was this infant given a high priority risk level by the Department for Community Development? (3) How much involvement did DCD have with this family? (4) Does the department have a high risk priority category that flags a family known to DCD? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
(3) How much involvement did DCD have with this family? (4) Does the department have a high risk priority category that flags a family known to DCD? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
(4) Does the department have a high risk priority category that flags a family known to DCD? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
Hon ADELE FARINA replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Community Development, I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
(1) The Children and Community Services Act 2004 provides the legal definition of “neglect” at section 28(1). It states - “neglect” includes failure by a child’s parents to provide, arrange, or allow the provision of - (a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child. Operationally, the department’s current description of neglect states that neglect is when a child is not provided with adequate food or shelter, effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment and/or care, nurturance or supervision to a severe and/or persistent extent. Neglect must be considered within the context of the social and economic environment in which the child lives and the availability of resources. When the neglect of the child is endemic within a community, consideration should be given to a whole-of-community capacity-building approach that seeks to work with the community to address the underlying risk factors contributing to the neglect and to strengthen the community’s capacity to meet the holistic needs of the child or young person. (2)-(3) It is requested that these questions be put on notice to allow for time to respond. Data needs to be examined. (4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
(a) adequate care for the child; or (b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child.
(b) effective medical, therapeutic or remedial treatment for the child.
(4) If a family is assessed as being a high risk, an alert of this is raised in the electronic information system that is accessible to all departmental staff.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.