❓ Dr. Pettitt questions the Minister for Child Protection regarding children in the Department of Communities' care at Banksia Hill Detention Centre who remain there despite being granted bail. The Minister's response indicates data is not centrally collated and requires significant resources to retrieve, but as of 21 March 2022, no children in care were detained post-bail.
AnsweredQoN 209Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
BANKSIA HILL DETENTION
CENTRE
209. Hon Dr BRAD PETTITT to the Leader of the House representing the
Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to children under the
Department of Communities' care at Banksia Hill Detention Centre.
(1) Since June 2019, how many children have remained
at Banksia Hill Detention Centre despite being granted bail by
magistrates because the Department of Communities' child protection and
family services has failed to find them suitable accommodation?
(2) How long have
these children in (1) remained at Banksia Hill Detention Centre, despite being
granted bail, until suitable accommodation has been found?
(3) Are any children currently at Banksia Hill
Detention Centre under the care of the Department of Communities and
have been granted bail by a magistrate; and, if yes, how many and for how long
have they been at Banskia Hill Detention Centre since bail was granted by a magistrate?
CENTRE
209. Hon Dr BRAD PETTITT to the Leader of the House representing the
Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to children under the
Department of Communities' care at Banksia Hill Detention Centre.
(1) Since June 2019, how many children have remained
at Banksia Hill Detention Centre despite being granted bail by
magistrates because the Department of Communities' child protection and
family services has failed to find them suitable accommodation?
(2) How long have
these children in (1) remained at Banksia Hill Detention Centre, despite being
granted bail, until suitable accommodation has been found?
(3) Are any children currently at Banksia Hill
Detention Centre under the care of the Department of Communities and
have been granted bail by a magistrate; and, if yes, how many and for how long
have they been at Banskia Hill Detention Centre since bail was granted by a magistrate?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) The
Department of Communities works exhaustively to provide the right accommodation
and care arrangements for all children and young people in care who have been
granted bail by the courts. Coordinating a range of factors, including
transport arrangements and care planning, is required before Communities can
safely provide bail for children in care. When possible, Communities aims to
maintain a young person's previous placement for the period they are
incarcerated. However, there are occasions on which the level of support
required may not be available at the point that bail is granted and, due to the
nature of the offence and/or likelihood of reoffending, Communities cannot
adequately ensure the safety of the young person or the community. In some
instances, care arrangement recommendations are made as part of bail being
granted and it can take time for these arrangements to be made. In other instances, these young people remain on remand for
other pending charges. Communities has a co-located senior child protection
worker at Banksia Hill Detention Centre who coordinates support plans for children
in care between Banksia Hill, the Department of Justice, Communities'
regional offices and partner districts.
�In relation
to children who have remained at Banksia Hill Detention Centre despite bail
being granted, since June 2019 this historical information is not collated
centrally and would require manual review of individual files and reports, and
significant resources and additional sharing and cross-referencing of
information between agencies.
(3) The
co-located senior child protection worker at Banksia Hill reported that, as at
21 March 2022, there were no children in care remaining at Banksia Hill
Detention Centre who had been granted bail.
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) The
Department of Communities works exhaustively to provide the right accommodation
and care arrangements for all children and young people in care who have been
granted bail by the courts. Coordinating a range of factors, including
transport arrangements and care planning, is required before Communities can
safely provide bail for children in care. When possible, Communities aims to
maintain a young person's previous placement for the period they are
incarcerated. However, there are occasions on which the level of support
required may not be available at the point that bail is granted and, due to the
nature of the offence and/or likelihood of reoffending, Communities cannot
adequately ensure the safety of the young person or the community. In some
instances, care arrangement recommendations are made as part of bail being
granted and it can take time for these arrangements to be made. In other instances, these young people remain on remand for
other pending charges. Communities has a co-located senior child protection
worker at Banksia Hill Detention Centre who coordinates support plans for children
in care between Banksia Hill, the Department of Justice, Communities'
regional offices and partner districts.
�In relation
to children who have remained at Banksia Hill Detention Centre despite bail
being granted, since June 2019 this historical information is not collated
centrally and would require manual review of individual files and reports, and
significant resources and additional sharing and cross-referencing of
information between agencies.
(3) The
co-located senior child protection worker at Banksia Hill reported that, as at
21 March 2022, there were no children in care remaining at Banksia Hill
Detention Centre who had been granted bail.
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