CHILDREN IN CARE — WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN
754. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the Leader of the House representing
the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the minister's
answer to question without notice 586 answered on 9 August 2022.
(1) Have the two
children recorded in the placement type ''unknown—in contact''
been found?
(2) Have the other two children reported to the Western
Australia Police Force as missing persons been found?
(3) For how many
days did each of the four children have their whereabouts recorded as unknown
or missing?
(4) How many
children who are in the care of the CEO have their whereabouts currently
recorded as —
(a) a missing
child; or
(b) ''unknown—in
contact''?
(5) Further to (4)(a), how many
have been reported to WA police as a missing person?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. Children and young people may move between living arrangements, which are recorded by case
management in the child or young person's placement type. A child
is recorded in a placement type ''unknown—in contact''
when a young person is unwilling to disclose their location but is still in
contact with their caseworker or other safety networks who keep in contact with
them. If the child cannot be located or contacted, they are recorded in
placement type ''missing child'' and a missing person's
report is submitted to the WA Police Force. Every child still has access to the
same supports that would be made available to them if they were residing in
their approved placement.
(1) Yes.
(2) One child has
been located and the other has had their placement type updated to ''unknown—in
contact''.
(3) They were
recorded as unknown for 27 days and 15 days. For the placement type ''missing'',
they were previously recorded as missing for 18 days and are now recorded as ''unknown—in
contact'' for five days and 19 days.
(4) (a) No children.
(b) Four children.
(5) Not applicable.