Multi-Agency Protection Service

Ms SANDERSON (Adelaide) (14:56): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Why, in the government's own report card for child protection, is MAPS (the Multi-Agency Protection Service) shown as 'delivered', and how many child protection cases not involving domestic violence have been referred to MAPS?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Higher Education and Skills) (14:57): I am not sure of the source document that the member is quoting from, but if I can just clarify my understanding of MAPS, although I am not the minister responsible for MAPS.

The idea of MAPS is that it is to, initially at least, look at domestic violence and to make sure that in so doing all of the risks that pertain to that family are understood by the various agencies involved. So what that means at present is that we have a very highly regarded service in the form of MAPS that other states are interested in, and are interested in modelling, but that at present the child protection elements of that become references and notifications to the CARL.

There is, I think, a question about whether MAPS might have further stages, and therefore it would become more involved in the acquisition of information about child protection. But at present it's the domestic violence lens that is the one that is used for the gathering of information and the assessment of risk. I know that the commissioner, Margaret Nyland, is aware of MAPS, and it may be that she will have some views about its usefulness within the child protection system proper.

Mr Gardner: So why are you saying that you've done it in child protection?

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is warned. The member for Morphett.