❓ Question on Notice regarding reasons for incomplete child safety assessments and subsequent child protection notifications, including data on children in the South West region of WA.
AnsweredQoN 2083Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to child safety and wellbeing assessments, and I ask: (a) for what reasons would a safety and wellbeing assessment be unable to be completed; and (b) in each of 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014 to date, how many children whose safety and wellbeing assessment were unable to be completed were later the subject of another child protection notification: (i) how many of these children were living in the South West?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
3 December 2014
Responded by
Minister for Child Protection
Response time
41 days
(a) A safety and wellbeing assessment may not be completed for number of reasons, including:
· Another district office is currently or has previously assessed the same concern.
· There is an ongoing criminal investigation by the WA Police and the Department for Child Protection and Family Support (the Department) needs to defer contacting the alleged perpetrator as it may compromise the police investigation. In these circumstances, steps are taken to ensure the safety of the child during the investigation.
· The family cannot be located after reasonable efforts. Attempts would be made to locate the family including placing an alert on the Department's system and applying the interstate liaison process with child protection agencies in other states.
· There has been a pattern of vexatious or a number of similar unfounded allegations previously assessed.
· The parent has moved interstate. Where a family moves interstate, the Department would apply the interstate liaison process with child protection agencies in other states regarding locating the family.
(b) 2011-12 329
2012-13 278
2013-14 230
1 July to 31 October 2014 17
(i) 2011-12 7
2012-13 15
2013-14 14
1 July to 31 October 2014 1
· Another district office is currently or has previously assessed the same concern.
· There is an ongoing criminal investigation by the WA Police and the Department for Child Protection and Family Support (the Department) needs to defer contacting the alleged perpetrator as it may compromise the police investigation. In these circumstances, steps are taken to ensure the safety of the child during the investigation.
· The family cannot be located after reasonable efforts. Attempts would be made to locate the family including placing an alert on the Department's system and applying the interstate liaison process with child protection agencies in other states.
· There has been a pattern of vexatious or a number of similar unfounded allegations previously assessed.
· The parent has moved interstate. Where a family moves interstate, the Department would apply the interstate liaison process with child protection agencies in other states regarding locating the family.
(b) 2011-12 329
2012-13 278
2013-14 230
1 July to 31 October 2014 17
(i) 2011-12 7
2012-13 15
2013-14 14
1 July to 31 October 2014 1
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