❓ Hon Stephen Dawson asks about the deaths of children known to or in the care of the Department for Child Protection and Family Support. The Minister provides statistics on child deaths and explains limitations in data collection and determination of cause of death.
AnsweredQoN 1078Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT FOR CHILD PROTECTION AND FAMILY SUPPORT — CHILDREN IN
CARE OF CEO — DEATHS
1078. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the Minister
for Child Protection:
I refer to the deaths of children in
the care of the Department for Child Protection and Family Support or children
known to the department.
(1) How many children who were known
to the department died in each of the following periods —
(a) 2012–13;
(b) 2013–14;
(c) 2014–15; and
(d) 1 July 2015 to date?
(2) For each of
the periods listed in (1), how many children were known to the department
because of contact relating to —
(a) concerns for a child's
wellbeing; or
(b) family and domestic violence?
(3) For each of
the periods listed in (1), how many children in the care of the CEO and how
many children known to the department died as a result of violence?
CARE OF CEO — DEATHS
1078. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the Minister
for Child Protection:
I refer to the deaths of children in
the care of the Department for Child Protection and Family Support or children
known to the department.
(1) How many children who were known
to the department died in each of the following periods —
(a) 2012–13;
(b) 2013–14;
(c) 2014–15; and
(d) 1 July 2015 to date?
(2) For each of
the periods listed in (1), how many children were known to the department
because of contact relating to —
(a) concerns for a child's
wellbeing; or
(b) family and domestic violence?
(3) For each of
the periods listed in (1), how many children in the care of the CEO and how
many children known to the department died as a result of violence?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
I indicate that the second part of
the question that was previously asked of me about the National Disability
Insurance Agency, the National Disability Insurance Scheme et cetera was about
whether I had talked to new Minister Christian Porter. I indicate that, apart
from sending Minister Porter a text message congratulating him on his
appointment to the position—I think he was sworn in on Monday—and
indicating that I look forward to negotiating with him over the NDIS in WA in
the future, his wife had their first child on Tuesday, so he has not responded
to me yet. I probably could say that I have not yet had a conversation with him
about it. He has had a great week, and I congratulate him on both occasions. I
look forward to having some further involvement with him on the NDIS.
In response to this question about
child deaths, I have been advised by the Department for Child Protection and
Family Support that the wrong information was provided in the response to part
(2) of Legislative Council question without notice 1048 asked by Hon Stephen Dawson yesterday. The
number of deaths for the period is 59, not 65. I understand that, due to time
constraints, the department did not undertake detailed quality assurance prior
to providing this figure. I also advise that my comments regarding the
predominant causes of deaths should have referred to the initial circumstances
of death as reported to the department by the State Coroner. Only the coroner
can make the final determination as to the cause of a child's death.
(1) (a) In 2012–13, there
were 62.
(b) In 2013–14, there were
40.
(c) In 2014–15, there were
48.
(d) From 1 July 2015 to date, there
have been 11.
The department has become involved
with a family for various reasons, including financial and family support,
parent–adolescent conflict, referral to another agency, parenting
advice, fostering or adoption advice, or Family Court matters. When a case is
known to the department, it does not necessarily mean it was an open case or
was involved with the department for child protection concerns.
(2) The
information requested is contained in individual case files and is unable to be
extracted from the database and reported on an aggregated basis.
(3) The cause of
death of a child is a matter for the coroner to determine. I refer the member
to the section of the Ombudsman's annual report related to the office
of child death review, which lists the circumstances of investigative deaths
from 2009 to 2014. The only category close to ''died as a result of
violence'' is alleged homicide.
some notice of the question.
I indicate that the second part of
the question that was previously asked of me about the National Disability
Insurance Agency, the National Disability Insurance Scheme et cetera was about
whether I had talked to new Minister Christian Porter. I indicate that, apart
from sending Minister Porter a text message congratulating him on his
appointment to the position—I think he was sworn in on Monday—and
indicating that I look forward to negotiating with him over the NDIS in WA in
the future, his wife had their first child on Tuesday, so he has not responded
to me yet. I probably could say that I have not yet had a conversation with him
about it. He has had a great week, and I congratulate him on both occasions. I
look forward to having some further involvement with him on the NDIS.
In response to this question about
child deaths, I have been advised by the Department for Child Protection and
Family Support that the wrong information was provided in the response to part
(2) of Legislative Council question without notice 1048 asked by Hon Stephen Dawson yesterday. The
number of deaths for the period is 59, not 65. I understand that, due to time
constraints, the department did not undertake detailed quality assurance prior
to providing this figure. I also advise that my comments regarding the
predominant causes of deaths should have referred to the initial circumstances
of death as reported to the department by the State Coroner. Only the coroner
can make the final determination as to the cause of a child's death.
(1) (a) In 2012–13, there
were 62.
(b) In 2013–14, there were
40.
(c) In 2014–15, there were
48.
(d) From 1 July 2015 to date, there
have been 11.
The department has become involved
with a family for various reasons, including financial and family support,
parent–adolescent conflict, referral to another agency, parenting
advice, fostering or adoption advice, or Family Court matters. When a case is
known to the department, it does not necessarily mean it was an open case or
was involved with the department for child protection concerns.
(2) The
information requested is contained in individual case files and is unable to be
extracted from the database and reported on an aggregated basis.
(3) The cause of
death of a child is a matter for the coroner to determine. I refer the member
to the section of the Ombudsman's annual report related to the office
of child death review, which lists the circumstances of investigative deaths
from 2009 to 2014. The only category close to ''died as a result of
violence'' is alleged homicide.
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