Hon Sue Ellery asks about child sexual abuse inquiries and safety assessments, including referrals and charges laid. The Department of Child Protection provides data on inquiries and assessments but refers questions about charges to the Minister for Police.

AnsweredQoN 5142Legislative Council
Asked
6 March 2012
Portfolio
Child Protection

QuestionView source ↗

(1) For the period, 1 December 2011 to 29 February 2012, what was the number of initial inquiries in relation to suspected child sexual abuse received by district and by category of mandated referrer?
(2) For the period, 1 December 2011 to 29 February 2012, what was the number of Safety and Wellbeing Assessment with harm assessment, by district and by category of harm as follows -
(a) neglect;
(b) sexual;
(c) physical abuse; and
(d) emotional abuse?
(3) Has Western Australia Police notified the Department of Child Protection of any charges that had been laid in respect of any of the Safety and Wellbeing Assessments recorded in the period 1 December 2011 to 29 February 2012?
(4) If yes to (3), how many individuals were charged and what was the nature of these charges?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
1 May 2012
Responded by
Minister for Child Protection
Response time
56 days
(1) There were 739 initial inquiries for a child between 1 December 2011 and 29 February 2012 where the primary concern was sexual abuse, in the following districts:
Armadale - 86
Cannington - 23
Crisis Care - 161
East Kimberley - 29
Fremantle - 12
Goldfields - 32
Great Southern - 29
Joondalup - 53
Midland - 40
Mirrabooka - 45
Murchison - 28
Peel - 36
Perth - 24
Pilbara - 27
Rockingham - 49
South West - 16
West Kimberley - 24
Wheatbelt - 25.
By category of mandated reporter:
Doctor - 84
Midwife - 2
Nurse - 39
Police officer - 299
Teacher or principal - 72
Non-mandated referrers - 243.
(2) There were 2,351 safety and wellbeing assessments with harm concerns recorded between 1 December 2011 and 29 February 2012, in the following districts:
Armadale - 229
Cannington - 166
Crisis Care - 160
East Kimberley - 59
Fremantle - 91
Goldfields - 101
Great Southern - 67
Family and Adoption Services - 1
Joondalup - 158
Midland - 209
Mirrabooka - 262
Murchison - 120
Peel - 138
Perth - 138
Pilbara - 99
Rockingham - 188
South West - 77
West Kimberley - 36
Wheatbelt - 52.
By category of harm:
(a) Neglect - 858
(b) Sexual - 656
(c) Physical - 781
(d) Emotional/psychological - 898.
(3) This data is not routinely collected in the Department for Child Protection's client information system. Questions regarding charges should be referred to the Minister for Police.
(4) Not applicable.
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