CHILDREN IN CARE — WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN
292. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the Leader of the House representing
the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the answer to my question
without notice 208 in which the minister informed the house that two children
in the care of the CEO of the department have been reported to WA Police as
missing.
(1) Have these children been found?
(2) For how many days have each of
the children had their whereabouts recorded as unknown?
(3) Has the
department formally reported each of these two children to WA Police as a missing
person on more than one occasion?
(4) How many
other children are in the care of the CEO with whereabouts currently recorded
as unknown?
(5) Further to (4), 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.
The
term ''whereabouts unknown'' may lead to the assumption that
every child with a placement type of ''unknown'' is a missing person, not in contact with
caseworkers and unable to be supported by the Department of Communities.
(1) Yes.
(2) Child one was
recorded in a placement type of unknown for nine days. Child two was recorded
in a placement type of unknown for five days.
(3) Yes.
(4)–(5) As
of 5 April 2022, there are seven children recorded in a placement type unknown.
Six of those children are in contact with
the Department of Communities. One has been reported to WA Police Force as
missing.