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| Child protection cases more than doubled after NT intervention, inquiry told | Child protection cases more than doubled after NT intervention, inquiry told |
| (14 days later) | |
| The number of children receiving child protection services in the Northern Territory could be a humanitarian crisis, with rates more than doubling since the 2007 intervention, the royal commission has heard. | The number of children receiving child protection services in the Northern Territory could be a humanitarian crisis, with rates more than doubling since the 2007 intervention, the royal commission has heard. |
| The inquiry was told the protection system in place was unsustainable and unable to deal with a child protection crisis of “epidemic proportions”. | The inquiry was told the protection system in place was unsustainable and unable to deal with a child protection crisis of “epidemic proportions”. |
| New data presented to the commission by the Menzies school of health research also revealed the rates of sexual and physical abuse were higher among non-Indigenous children in 2014-15. | New data presented to the commission by the Menzies school of health research also revealed the rates of sexual and physical abuse were higher among non-Indigenous children in 2014-15. |
| “That’s noteworthy given the prominent attention that was given to the supposed prevalence of child sexual abuse as one of the triggering factors for the NT emergency intervention,” clinical child psychologist and researcher Prof Sven Silburn told the commission. | “That’s noteworthy given the prominent attention that was given to the supposed prevalence of child sexual abuse as one of the triggering factors for the NT emergency intervention,” clinical child psychologist and researcher Prof Sven Silburn told the commission. |
| Comparing the rates of substantiated notifications over the 2014-15 year, Silburn said there were “quite different” types of abuse presenting among Aboriginal children compared with non-Aboriginal children. | Comparing the rates of substantiated notifications over the 2014-15 year, Silburn said there were “quite different” types of abuse presenting among Aboriginal children compared with non-Aboriginal children. |
| About 47% of substantiations among Aboriginal children related to neglect – almost double that of non-Aboriginal children. | About 47% of substantiations among Aboriginal children related to neglect – almost double that of non-Aboriginal children. |
| The Menzies research showed that half of the NT’s Aboriginal children were expected to receive child protection services by the age of 10, 5.5 times the rate of non-Indigenous children. One in four would be subject to a substantiated notification, and one in 12 placed in out-of-home care. | The Menzies research showed that half of the NT’s Aboriginal children were expected to receive child protection services by the age of 10, 5.5 times the rate of non-Indigenous children. One in four would be subject to a substantiated notification, and one in 12 placed in out-of-home care. |
| “In public health terms you’d consider that to be of epidemic proportions,” Silburn said. | “In public health terms you’d consider that to be of epidemic proportions,” Silburn said. |
| “And as a public health concern, with what we know about the detrimental long-term effects on health, behaviour and learning, we’d see this as a public health if not a humanitarian crisis.” | “And as a public health concern, with what we know about the detrimental long-term effects on health, behaviour and learning, we’d see this as a public health if not a humanitarian crisis.” |
| He also added he was sure a growing awareness of the impact children of witnessing violence – not just violence against them – was also contributing to rising rates. | He also added he was sure a growing awareness of the impact children of witnessing violence – not just violence against them – was also contributing to rising rates. |
| “I think there was a kind of wilful blindness to what was going on,” he added. | “I think there was a kind of wilful blindness to what was going on,” he added. |
| Silburn said there had been a “steady and almost exponential increase” in child protection interactions since the 2007 emergency federal intervention, but while there was a number of possible reasons they weren’t able to unpack until further analysis was completed later this year. | Silburn said there had been a “steady and almost exponential increase” in child protection interactions since the 2007 emergency federal intervention, but while there was a number of possible reasons they weren’t able to unpack until further analysis was completed later this year. |
| The gap between notifications and substantiations had continued to wide, and was “much more pronounced from 2012”, which the research team suspected was due to “limitation in operation capacity” of the child protection system, following cuts to the public service around that time. | The gap between notifications and substantiations had continued to wide, and was “much more pronounced from 2012”, which the research team suspected was due to “limitation in operation capacity” of the child protection system, following cuts to the public service around that time. |
| He said the system was reactive and unsustainable, lacking in support and failed to focus on early intervention. | He said the system was reactive and unsustainable, lacking in support and failed to focus on early intervention. |
| The royal commission into the protection and detention of children in the NT began its latest hearing on Monday, and was told that as of 30 April, there were 1,020 children and young people receiving child protection services, at a rate of 91.5 per 1,000, more than triple the national rate of 28.6. | The royal commission into the protection and detention of children in the NT began its latest hearing on Monday, and was told that as of 30 April, there were 1,020 children and young people receiving child protection services, at a rate of 91.5 per 1,000, more than triple the national rate of 28.6. |
| “What commission staff have heard over the last 10 months is that children, families and communities face significant challenges in dealing with the child protection system in the NT,” counsel assisting Timothy Goodwin said in his opening address. | “What commission staff have heard over the last 10 months is that children, families and communities face significant challenges in dealing with the child protection system in the NT,” counsel assisting Timothy Goodwin said in his opening address. |
| The hearing opened with recorded testimony from a child in care. | The hearing opened with recorded testimony from a child in care. |
| The girl described how she was taken from her community at the age of 11 or 12, when welfare officers collected her from school. | The girl described how she was taken from her community at the age of 11 or 12, when welfare officers collected her from school. |
| The girl said she was told she’d just be staying away for one night, and then she’d be taken back home. | The girl said she was told she’d just be staying away for one night, and then she’d be taken back home. |
| “Like I’m going down for one night, but they took me for good,” she said. | “Like I’m going down for one night, but they took me for good,” she said. |
| She wasn’t allowed to visit her family, and was moved around frequently between carers – many of whom spoke languages other than English or her Aboriginal language – and between case workers. | She wasn’t allowed to visit her family, and was moved around frequently between carers – many of whom spoke languages other than English or her Aboriginal language – and between case workers. |
| She said her carers were “a little bit nice but would get really angry” and would “hit or slap” her. | She said her carers were “a little bit nice but would get really angry” and would “hit or slap” her. |
| “They don’t grab you like normal way, they grab you really hard. You know them husband one they really wild”. | “They don’t grab you like normal way, they grab you really hard. You know them husband one they really wild”. |
| At least one repeatedly locked her in a shed day and night, she said. | At least one repeatedly locked her in a shed day and night, she said. |
| The commission continues. | The commission continues. |