❓ Ms. Beard asks the Minister for Child Protection to fund a temporary safe space for at-risk children in Carnarvon before the intensive family support team is established. The Minister responds by highlighting existing child protection measures and the upcoming intensive family support team.
AnsweredQoN 626Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
INTENSIVE FAMILY SUPPORT TEAM — CARNARVON
626. Ms M. BEARD to the Minister for Child Protection:
I
have a supplementary question. Will the minister fund a safe space for
children, even if it is a transitional package , prior to the intensive
family support team being embedded to keep the children who are at serious risk
on the streets at night safe?
626. Ms M. BEARD to the Minister for Child Protection:
I
have a supplementary question. Will the minister fund a safe space for
children, even if it is a transitional package , prior to the intensive
family support team being embedded to keep the children who are at serious risk
on the streets at night safe?
AnswerView source ↗
The member should think through the
logic of her question. We have announced the funding for intensive family
support and we have advertised for those positions, which will be located in
Carnarvon. By the time we get an alternative service up, those positions will
be filled. We are prioritising on getting skilled, degree-qualified child protection workers on the ground who are able to
do that difficult work of engaging with families. As I have r eported
before to this house, I think the Department of Communities and the WA
community should be really proud of some of the work that is happening in that
area of child protection. For two consecutive years now, we have seen
reductions in the number of children coming into care, including Aboriginal
children, as well as the total number. That is a good thing. We need to keep
those kids safe.
I have referred to this so-called
safe space. If children are at risk, to other people or to themselves, after
hours, the police have an opportunity to take them. If they cannot find a responsible
adult to take control of those kids, for want of a better expression, they can
ring the crisis line. Child protection workers are available on call locally to
take care of those children.
The
SPEAKER : I give the call to the
member for Warren–Blackwood with the last question as a reward for
actually getting up and seeking the call properly.
logic of her question. We have announced the funding for intensive family
support and we have advertised for those positions, which will be located in
Carnarvon. By the time we get an alternative service up, those positions will
be filled. We are prioritising on getting skilled, degree-qualified child protection workers on the ground who are able to
do that difficult work of engaging with families. As I have r eported
before to this house, I think the Department of Communities and the WA
community should be really proud of some of the work that is happening in that
area of child protection. For two consecutive years now, we have seen
reductions in the number of children coming into care, including Aboriginal
children, as well as the total number. That is a good thing. We need to keep
those kids safe.
I have referred to this so-called
safe space. If children are at risk, to other people or to themselves, after
hours, the police have an opportunity to take them. If they cannot find a responsible
adult to take control of those kids, for want of a better expression, they can
ring the crisis line. Child protection workers are available on call locally to
take care of those children.
The
SPEAKER : I give the call to the
member for Warren–Blackwood with the last question as a reward for
actually getting up and seeking the call properly.
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