SNAICC says WA Government yet to respond to report that flagged urgent reform for child protection system

The national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and family services says the WA Government is yet to formally respond to a report that raised the alarm over a child protection system facing significant pressures and in need of urgent reform. The landmark strategy flagged departmental out-of-home care and child protection practices as key areas desperate for transformative change. But seven months since the plan was tabled, the government is yet to formally respond. It comes after The Nightly on Wednesday revealed a 10-year-old Indigenous boy took his life while in the care of the government. The child, who had been living with relatives approved by authorities, died on Friday night. His parents, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said they had not seen their boy in eight months. Catherine Liddle, chief executive of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, more commonly known as SNAICC, said the organisation was still waiting for the Cook Government to respond to the action plan. “In September last year, SNAICC handed the West Australian Government the 10-year Roadmap to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal children in care,” Ms Liddle said. “Among the key reform themes identified in this work, was the need to urgently transform departmental out-of-home care and child protection practices. “Stakeholders told us that too often children were being taken from family and ending up in worse situations than they were before removal.” A statement in January acknowledged SNAICC had presented the plan to the government “for consideration and finalisation” and that a “roadmap and action plan will be finalised by the WA Government in 2024”. “SNAICC urges the WA Government to make a formal response to this important strategy, that could change the lives of children and families in the WA child protection system,” Ms Liddle said. The background paper to the report notes that across Australia, vulnerable children are remaining in care for longer periods of time — sometimes with dire results. “A common misconception is that children living in OOHC (out-of-home care) are safe from harm and experience the benefits of a stable, loving home during their time in care,” the report said. “Research illustrates that the WA care system, like other jurisdictions, is under significant pressure and faces significant challenges in ensuring that children receive “stable and supportive care”.” It cites a study from the Telethon Kids Institute which had alarming results. Children who had been in out-of-home care were nearly three times as likely to have contact with mental health services as adults than children who had not had contact with the care system. And self-harm was four times higher in the care group than the control group. Ms Liddle said while it wasn’t appropriate for SNAICC to comment on individual cases, “our hearts go out to the family and all involved in the tragic loss of this child”. The death of a child in State care automatically triggers a coronial inquest. Premier Roger Cook on Thursday said he would welcome an expedited inquest, as was the case with 16-year-old Cleveland Dodd who took his own life at Casuarina Prison’s beleaguered Unit 18. Mr Cook said the courts were now “left with the task of getting answers”. “Getting answers for the family, getting answers to make sure that we are doing everything we can to keep young children safe,” he said. Lifeline 13 11 14 For culturally safe First Nations crisis support, call 13YARN on 13 92 76