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Parliamentary Questions


Question On Notice No. 649 asked in the Legislative Council on 24 March 2022 by Hon Nick Goiran

Question Directed to the: Leader of the House representing the Minister for Child Protection
Parliament: 41 Session: 1


Question

I refer to the disturbing case of Macie and Lee, in which the Department of Communities placed a vulnerable young girl, Macie, with a known sexual abuser, Lee, in a residential care home, leading to Macie being abused by Lee, and the subsequent report from the Commissioner for Children and Young People’s Independent Review Into The Department Of Communities’ Policies And Practices Into The Placement Of Children With Harmful Sexual Behaviours In Residential Care Settings, tabled on 15 September 2021, and I ask:
(a) is the Minister aware that the review report states “the decision not to move Macie or Lee from their shared placement was likely indicative of a broader and ongoing departmental issue regarding a lack of suitable temporary and long term care placements for vulnerable children and young people and/or children who pose a risk to others, and for children and young people in general. Information provided to the Review showed that family, foster care and residential care placements are all limited and insufficient”;
(b) have any additional family, foster and/or residential care placements been secured since this report was released;
(c) if yes to (b), how many and in which category; and
(d) if no to (b), why not?

Answered on 10 May 2022

(a) Yes.

(b) – (d) Between 15 September 2021 and 31 March 2022:

  • 37 departmental general foster carer households were approved; and
  • 300 additional family carer households were approved across the state.

The Department of Communities has committed to increase the number of Residential Group Homes in regional WA over the next four years.