❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding child protection services, specifically focusing on safety and wellbeing assessments, children in care, and case management as of November/December 2014. Highlights potential delays and resource allocation issues.
AnsweredQoN 2566Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) As at 30 November 2014, what was the number of new Safety and Wellbeing Assessments for a child recorded during that month, by district? (2) As at 30 November 2014, what was the number of children in care for more than 20 days with no planning recorded, by district? (3) As at 30 November 2014, what was the number of Safety and Wellbeing Assessments with a harm assessment open for more than 90 days, by district? (4) As at 30 November 2014, what were the number of open Safety and Wellbeing Assessments with a harm assessment, by district? (5) As at 30 November 2014, what was the number of "monitored" or "active holding" cases not allocated to workers caseload, by district?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 March 2015
Responded by
Minister for Child Protection
Response time
28 days
(1) There were 1,124 new Safety and Wellbeing Assessments recorded in the month of November in the following districts:
Armadale - 105
Cannington - 74
Crisis Care - 94
East Kimberley - 34
Fremantle - 35
Goldfields - 31
Great Southern - 63
Joondalup - 84
Midland - 36
Mirrabooka - 82
Murchison - 56
Peel - 69
Perth - 30
Pilbara - 75
Rockingham - 82
South West - 57
West Kimberley - 22
Wheatbelt - 95
(2) The Department's policy for planning for children in care is that a plan is recorded within 30 calendar days. The previous policy was 20
working days
. Working days cannot be reported by the Department database and the answer is provided as within 30 calendar days.
This data is not available retrospectively. As at 23 February 2015, there were no children in care for more than 30 days with no planning recorded.
(3) There are a range of reasons for delay in finalising safety and wellbeing assessments. These can include waiting to receive critical information from other agencies or professionals; forensic investigations being finalised by the Western Australian Police; and occasionally delays in data entry.
The Department takes necessary action to keep a child safe with the safety and wellbeing assessment is underway.
As at 30 November 2014, there were 951 Safety and Wellbeing Assessments open for more than 90 days in the following districts:
Armadale - 134
Cannington - 68
Crisis Care - 19
East Kimberley - 15
Fremantle - 7
Goldfields - 31
Great Southern - 47
Joondalup - 19
Midland - 76
Mirrabooka - 30
Murchison - 34
Peel - 70
Perth - 40
Pilbara - 122
Rockingham - 31
South West - 44
West Kimberley - 120
Wheatbelt - 42
Other work units - 2
(4) There are a range of reasons for delay in finalising safety and wellbeing assessments. These can include waiting to receive critical information from other agencies or professionals; forensic investigations being finalised by the Western Australian Police; and occasionally delays in data entry.
The Department takes necessary action to keep a child safe with the safety and wellbeing assessment is underway.
As at 30 November 2014, there were 3,257 open Safety and Wellbeing Assessments in the following districts:
Armadale - 319
Cannington - 233
Crisis Care - 68
East Kimberley - 98
Fremantle - 48
Goldfields - 101
Great Southern - 165
Joondalup - 161
Midland - 219
Mirrabooka - 246
Murchison - 166
Peel - 240
Perth - 122
Pilbara - 315
Rockingham - 192
South West - 151
West Kimberley - 211
Wheatbelt - 199
Other work units - 3
(5) This data is not available for 30 November 2014 as data for monitored cases in November is extracted on 6 December.
As at 6 December 2014, there were 653 monitored cases in the following districts:
Armadale - 28
Cannington - 29
East Kimberley - 24
Fremantle - 52
Goldfields - 33
Great Southern - 52
Joondalup - 19
Midland - 91
Mirrabooka - 17
Murchison - 25
Peel - 52
Perth - 11
Pilbara - 33
Rockingham - 48
South West - 27
West Kimberley - 68
Wheatbelt - 44
Armadale - 105
Cannington - 74
Crisis Care - 94
East Kimberley - 34
Fremantle - 35
Goldfields - 31
Great Southern - 63
Joondalup - 84
Midland - 36
Mirrabooka - 82
Murchison - 56
Peel - 69
Perth - 30
Pilbara - 75
Rockingham - 82
South West - 57
West Kimberley - 22
Wheatbelt - 95
(2) The Department's policy for planning for children in care is that a plan is recorded within 30 calendar days. The previous policy was 20
working days
. Working days cannot be reported by the Department database and the answer is provided as within 30 calendar days.
This data is not available retrospectively. As at 23 February 2015, there were no children in care for more than 30 days with no planning recorded.
(3) There are a range of reasons for delay in finalising safety and wellbeing assessments. These can include waiting to receive critical information from other agencies or professionals; forensic investigations being finalised by the Western Australian Police; and occasionally delays in data entry.
The Department takes necessary action to keep a child safe with the safety and wellbeing assessment is underway.
As at 30 November 2014, there were 951 Safety and Wellbeing Assessments open for more than 90 days in the following districts:
Armadale - 134
Cannington - 68
Crisis Care - 19
East Kimberley - 15
Fremantle - 7
Goldfields - 31
Great Southern - 47
Joondalup - 19
Midland - 76
Mirrabooka - 30
Murchison - 34
Peel - 70
Perth - 40
Pilbara - 122
Rockingham - 31
South West - 44
West Kimberley - 120
Wheatbelt - 42
Other work units - 2
(4) There are a range of reasons for delay in finalising safety and wellbeing assessments. These can include waiting to receive critical information from other agencies or professionals; forensic investigations being finalised by the Western Australian Police; and occasionally delays in data entry.
The Department takes necessary action to keep a child safe with the safety and wellbeing assessment is underway.
As at 30 November 2014, there were 3,257 open Safety and Wellbeing Assessments in the following districts:
Armadale - 319
Cannington - 233
Crisis Care - 68
East Kimberley - 98
Fremantle - 48
Goldfields - 101
Great Southern - 165
Joondalup - 161
Midland - 219
Mirrabooka - 246
Murchison - 166
Peel - 240
Perth - 122
Pilbara - 315
Rockingham - 192
South West - 151
West Kimberley - 211
Wheatbelt - 199
Other work units - 3
(5) This data is not available for 30 November 2014 as data for monitored cases in November is extracted on 6 December.
As at 6 December 2014, there were 653 monitored cases in the following districts:
Armadale - 28
Cannington - 29
East Kimberley - 24
Fremantle - 52
Goldfields - 33
Great Southern - 52
Joondalup - 19
Midland - 91
Mirrabooka - 17
Murchison - 25
Peel - 52
Perth - 11
Pilbara - 33
Rockingham - 48
South West - 27
West Kimberley - 68
Wheatbelt - 44
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