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Published on
09 Nov 2022

Reviews into Child Protection System delivered to Government

The Public Service Association (PSA) notes the government releasing today recommendations from a  report following a review of the multi-agency involvement with the families of the two child deaths at Munno Para and Craigmore. 

The review by former Police Commissioner Mal Hyde has delivered 31 recommendations for improving practices within DCP and other involved agencies. However, further details will not be released until police have concluded investigations into the deaths earlier this year of two young children who had contact with the child protection system.

 Among Hyde’s recommendations released today are:

  • Establishing a taskforce on child neglect.

  • Allocating more funding to “match with the demand for child protection services”, particularly to child protection offices in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.

  • Updating the law to make it easier to prosecute parents accused of criminally neglecting their children, as current legislation “sets the bar too high”.

A separate independent report into the government’s progress with implementing recommendations from previous child protection inquiries has also been provided to the government.

Media have reported today that the Trust in Culture report, by child protection expert Kate Alexander found that the system was “under immense pressure”, and that she called for an “urgent strategy” to ensure more child protection spending is directed towards early intervention services to prevent children from entering state care.

The PSA will consider the findings of the Alexander Report as well as the Hyde Report, once the latter is made public.

In the meantime, we will continue to work closely with Members to ensure your interests are represented in implementing any recommendations

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