CHILD PROTECTION — REGISTERED CARERS
852. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the parliamentary secretary representing the
Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the evidence from the
director general to the budget estimates hearing on 18 October 2021. The
director general stated —
� as a last resort, our workers take
children home. But that is only if they are registered carers and it is
absolutely a last resort; it is not something that we encourage.
(1) How many workers are registered
carers?
(2) Is the
minister aware of any instance in which a worker who is not a registered carer
has been left with no other option but to take a child home or look after them
in a hotel or in similar accommodation?
Hon SAMANTHA
ROWE replied:
I thank the member for some notice
of the question. I provide the following answer on behalf of the Minister for
Child Protection.
(1)–(2) The
Department of Communities advises that the evidence provided is inaccurate. The
department advises that formal notification will be sent to the committee
through the existing processes. All child protection workers who take children
home are screened to work with vulnerable children via the Department of
Communities' screening processes, in addition to them holding a working
with children check.