Page 84 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 22 February 1994
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MINISTER FOR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION
QUESTION NO 1067
Child Abuse
MR CORNWELL: Asked the Minister for Housing and Community Services
(1) Of the 425 substantiated cases of child abuse in 1992-93 (Annual Report,
1992-93, page 74) how many lead to (a) court action and (b) conviction
(2) Of the 547 unsubstantiated cases of child abuse in the 1992-93 Annual
Report, how many led to official apologies being provided by the Department
to those alleged to have been the offenders; if no apologies were provided,
why not.
(3) How many unsubstantiated cases in (2) were found to be made maliciously or
vexatiously by (a) ex-spouses or separated spouses and (b) neighbours.
(4) What action was taken against such offenders
(5) Of the 547 unsubstantiated cases of child abuse, was counselling or any other
assistance offered or provided to those alleged to have been the offenders to
assist them following the investigative process to which they had been
subjected.
MR CONNOLLY: The answer to Mr Cornwell's questions are as follows -
(1) In 1992-93 one hundred and eleven (111) Children in Need of Care
applications were made to the Children's Court. The remaining cases
warranted intervention in the form of voluntary agreements with parents for
the placement of children out of home or supervision in the home with family
support and child care services.
The information on how many perpetrators were charged with criminal offences is not readily available and would require a manual file search. I am not prepared to divert valuable child protection resources to this purpose.
(2) and (5)
All notifications of suspected child abuse must be investigated to ensure that children are safe. Of the five hundred and forty seven (547) cases where abuse was not substantiated, risk factors still existed in one hundred and nine (109) cases, and investigation was not possible in forty two (42) cases (for
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