Ministerial Child Protection Commission
A Ministerial Child Protection Commission has been announced. The Commission is to be headed by the Honourable James Wood AO, QC, Chairman of the Law Reform Commission and will examine how child protection services in NSW can better deal with the explosion in child protection reports and improve the care of vulnerable children.
Reports to DoCS system have increased by 80 per cent – from 159,000 in 2001/02 to 286,000 in 2006/07 – whilst reports requiring referral to a Community Services Centre or Joint Investigation Response Team for further investigation have increased by 95 per cent over the same period.
This has added substantial strain to the system, which is still in the process of implementing major reforms due for completion at the end of 2007/08.
“The reality of the child protection system is that the number of reports is increasing rapidly, and those reports are becoming more complex,” said Minister for Community Services Kevin Greene. “DoCS caseworkers are doing a great job of getting to more reports of children at risk of harm, but recent events have highlighted the need to do more to help kids who are falling through the gaps in the system.”
DoCS Director-General, Neil Shepherd, stated that the Commission will look at what needs to be done, beyond the current reforms, to cope with future demand. “It will commence work immediately and determine what changes are required to cope with future levels of demand once the current reforms are complete,” he said.
The Commission will examine the whole of the system from initial reporting to final placement in out-of-home care and the system’s oversight arrangements. It will specifically examine, report on, and make recommendations in relation to:
- the system for reporting of child abuse and neglect, including mandatory reporting, reporting thresholds and feedback to reporters
- management of reports including the adequacy and efficiency of systems and processes for intake, assessment, prioritisation, investigation and decision-making
- management of cases requiring ongoing work including referrals for services and monitoring and supervision of families
- recording of essential information and capacity to collate and utilise data about the child protection system to target resources efficiently
- professional capacity and professional supervision of the casework and allied staff
- the adequacy of the current statutory framework for child protection including roles and responsibilities of mandatory reporters, DoCS, the courts and the oversight agencies
- the adequacy of arrangements for inter-agency cooperation in child protection cases
- the adequacy of arrangements for children in out-of-home care
- the adequacy of resources in the child protection system.
The Commissioner will report by 30 June 2008.