A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses allegations of abuse of children in foster care and state care between October 2005 and March 2007, including the number of investigations and Aboriginal children affected. The Minister provides detailed figures and context.

AnsweredQoN 213Legislative Council
Asked
2 May 2007
Portfolio
Child Protection

QuestionView source ↗

CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE - ABUSE
I refer to question without notice 189 regarding children who have been abused whilst in foster care. (1) Sixteen children have had their claims of abuse substantiated whilst being in the chief executive officer’s care. How many children have alleged abuse whilst in state care in the period from October 2005 to 31 March 2007? (2) How many of these children’s claims are under investigation? (3) How many Aboriginal children have alleged abuse within the above time frame? Hon SUE ELLERY

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Allegations of abuse have been made in respect of 95 children in foster care. Of all children in the care of the chief executive officer over this period, a total of 182 children alleged abuse. Allegations made do not always concern current events, but may include past events. Such allegations range from allegations of inappropriate discipline to allegations of serious physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse and neglect. The department is currently reviewing the definitions of abuse in care. The data is from the April CCSS snapshot 2007-04 for allegations between 1 October 2005 and 31 March 2007. Please note that the response to question without notice 189 on 1 May 2007 was restricted to children in foster care only and not other placement types. (2)-(3) Allegations in relation to 39 of the 95 children in foster care are still being investigated. Allegations in relation to 90 of the 182 children in all placement types are still being investigated. Forty-one of the 95 children in foster care are indigenous. Seventy-six of the 182 children are indigenous.
(1) Sixteen children have had their claims of abuse substantiated whilst being in the chief executive officer’s care. How many children have alleged abuse whilst in state care in the period from October 2005 to 31 March 2007? (2) How many of these children’s claims are under investigation? (3) How many Aboriginal children have alleged abuse within the above time frame? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Allegations of abuse have been made in respect of 95 children in foster care. Of all children in the care of the chief executive officer over this period, a total of 182 children alleged abuse. Allegations made do not always concern current events, but may include past events. Such allegations range from allegations of inappropriate discipline to allegations of serious physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse and neglect. The department is currently reviewing the definitions of abuse in care. The data is from the April CCSS snapshot 2007-04 for allegations between 1 October 2005 and 31 March 2007. Please note that the response to question without notice 189 on 1 May 2007 was restricted to children in foster care only and not other placement types. (2)-(3) Allegations in relation to 39 of the 95 children in foster care are still being investigated. Allegations in relation to 90 of the 182 children in all placement types are still being investigated. Forty-one of the 95 children in foster care are indigenous. Seventy-six of the 182 children are indigenous.
(2) How many of these children’s claims are under investigation? (3) How many Aboriginal children have alleged abuse within the above time frame? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Allegations of abuse have been made in respect of 95 children in foster care. Of all children in the care of the chief executive officer over this period, a total of 182 children alleged abuse. Allegations made do not always concern current events, but may include past events. Such allegations range from allegations of inappropriate discipline to allegations of serious physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse and neglect. The department is currently reviewing the definitions of abuse in care. The data is from the April CCSS snapshot 2007-04 for allegations between 1 October 2005 and 31 March 2007. Please note that the response to question without notice 189 on 1 May 2007 was restricted to children in foster care only and not other placement types. (2)-(3) Allegations in relation to 39 of the 95 children in foster care are still being investigated. Allegations in relation to 90 of the 182 children in all placement types are still being investigated. Forty-one of the 95 children in foster care are indigenous. Seventy-six of the 182 children are indigenous.
(3) How many Aboriginal children have alleged abuse within the above time frame? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Allegations of abuse have been made in respect of 95 children in foster care. Of all children in the care of the chief executive officer over this period, a total of 182 children alleged abuse. Allegations made do not always concern current events, but may include past events. Such allegations range from allegations of inappropriate discipline to allegations of serious physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse and neglect. The department is currently reviewing the definitions of abuse in care. The data is from the April CCSS snapshot 2007-04 for allegations between 1 October 2005 and 31 March 2007. Please note that the response to question without notice 189 on 1 May 2007 was restricted to children in foster care only and not other placement types. (2)-(3) Allegations in relation to 39 of the 95 children in foster care are still being investigated. Allegations in relation to 90 of the 182 children in all placement types are still being investigated. Forty-one of the 95 children in foster care are indigenous. Seventy-six of the 182 children are indigenous.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Allegations of abuse have been made in respect of 95 children in foster care. Of all children in the care of the chief executive officer over this period, a total of 182 children alleged abuse. Allegations made do not always concern current events, but may include past events. Such allegations range from allegations of inappropriate discipline to allegations of serious physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse and neglect. The department is currently reviewing the definitions of abuse in care. The data is from the April CCSS snapshot 2007-04 for allegations between 1 October 2005 and 31 March 2007. Please note that the response to question without notice 189 on 1 May 2007 was restricted to children in foster care only and not other placement types. (2)-(3) Allegations in relation to 39 of the 95 children in foster care are still being investigated. Allegations in relation to 90 of the 182 children in all placement types are still being investigated. Forty-one of the 95 children in foster care are indigenous. Seventy-six of the 182 children are indigenous.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Allegations of abuse have been made in respect of 95 children in foster care. Of all children in the care of the chief executive officer over this period, a total of 182 children alleged abuse. Allegations made do not always concern current events, but may include past events. Such allegations range from allegations of inappropriate discipline to allegations of serious physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse and neglect. The department is currently reviewing the definitions of abuse in care. The data is from the April CCSS snapshot 2007-04 for allegations between 1 October 2005 and 31 March 2007. Please note that the response to question without notice 189 on 1 May 2007 was restricted to children in foster care only and not other placement types. (2)-(3) Allegations in relation to 39 of the 95 children in foster care are still being investigated. Allegations in relation to 90 of the 182 children in all placement types are still being investigated. Forty-one of the 95 children in foster care are indigenous. Seventy-six of the 182 children are indigenous.
(1) Allegations of abuse have been made in respect of 95 children in foster care. Of all children in the care of the chief executive officer over this period, a total of 182 children alleged abuse. Allegations made do not always concern current events, but may include past events. Such allegations range from allegations of inappropriate discipline to allegations of serious physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse and neglect. The department is currently reviewing the definitions of abuse in care. The data is from the April CCSS snapshot 2007-04 for allegations between 1 October 2005 and 31 March 2007. Please note that the response to question without notice 189 on 1 May 2007 was restricted to children in foster care only and not other placement types. (2)-(3) Allegations in relation to 39 of the 95 children in foster care are still being investigated. Allegations in relation to 90 of the 182 children in all placement types are still being investigated. Forty-one of the 95 children in foster care are indigenous. Seventy-six of the 182 children are indigenous.

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