❓ Hon Nick Goiran questions the Minister for Child Protection regarding the placement of a child sexual abuse victim in a group home with a known sexual offender, and the Minister's awareness of the case and departmental policies. The Minister acknowledges awareness of the police investigation but avoids directly answering the number of children in similar dangerous placements.
AnsweredQoN 1132Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITIES
— CHILDREN IN CARE — SEXUAL ABUSE
1132. Hon
NICK GOIRAN to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for
Child Protection:
I
refer to the series of articles last week in WAtoday that revealed that the
Department for Child Protection knowingly put a male with a history of
sexual assault allegations in the same group home as a younger girl who had
suffered previous child sexual abuse and that this placement resulted in this
girl being sexually abused once again.
(1) When was the minister first
aware of this case?
(2) Is the
minister aware that section 2.1.2 of the department's Casework Practice
Manual states, in reference to care arrangements in group homes —
It will not always be possible to
avoid placing children who pose a risk to others in the same residential group home as other children,
especially in urgent situations or when the risk is not yet known. However, children with a history of extreme
violence or sexual assault should not be placed where there are younger
children, children who have developmental delays, or children who are
especially vulnerable for other reasons (such as previous abuse).
If placing the child is unavoidable,
a safety plan must be developed and implemented.
(3) Is the
minister aware that section 2.1.2 also states that, in such an unavoidable
placement —
the assistant district director
(ADD)/district director (DD) must approve the care arrangement.
(4) Does the minister know how many
other children are currently in such a dangerous placement?
(5) If yes to (4), how many?
— CHILDREN IN CARE — SEXUAL ABUSE
1132. Hon
NICK GOIRAN to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for
Child Protection:
I
refer to the series of articles last week in WAtoday that revealed that the
Department for Child Protection knowingly put a male with a history of
sexual assault allegations in the same group home as a younger girl who had
suffered previous child sexual abuse and that this placement resulted in this
girl being sexually abused once again.
(1) When was the minister first
aware of this case?
(2) Is the
minister aware that section 2.1.2 of the department's Casework Practice
Manual states, in reference to care arrangements in group homes —
It will not always be possible to
avoid placing children who pose a risk to others in the same residential group home as other children,
especially in urgent situations or when the risk is not yet known. However, children with a history of extreme
violence or sexual assault should not be placed where there are younger
children, children who have developmental delays, or children who are
especially vulnerable for other reasons (such as previous abuse).
If placing the child is unavoidable,
a safety plan must be developed and implemented.
(3) Is the
minister aware that section 2.1.2 also states that, in such an unavoidable
placement —
the assistant district director
(ADD)/district director (DD) must approve the care arrangement.
(4) Does the minister know how many
other children are currently in such a dangerous placement?
(5) If yes to (4), how many?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) I was made
aware of the WA Police Force investigation Operation Timing Belt in June 2020.
The Department of Communities has continued to keep me updated on the ongoing
WA police investigation as further information becomes available.
(2)–(3) Yes.
(4) The safety
and wellbeing of children and young people in care is a priority. Communities
engages as soon as possible to support
children and young people in making safe decisions to support their wellbeing.
A safety plan is developed that is appropriate to the specific
circumstances of the care arrangement, and the individual child and the child's
participation is also central to the safety planning process. The circumstances
of placement arrangements are recorded on individual case files.
(5) Not applicable.
some notice of the question.
(1) I was made
aware of the WA Police Force investigation Operation Timing Belt in June 2020.
The Department of Communities has continued to keep me updated on the ongoing
WA police investigation as further information becomes available.
(2)–(3) Yes.
(4) The safety
and wellbeing of children and young people in care is a priority. Communities
engages as soon as possible to support
children and young people in making safe decisions to support their wellbeing.
A safety plan is developed that is appropriate to the specific
circumstances of the care arrangement, and the individual child and the child's
participation is also central to the safety planning process. The circumstances
of placement arrangements are recorded on individual case files.
(5) Not applicable.
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