Social Workers

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (15:21): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier assure the house that no student social worker, or graduate social worker with less than a year's experience, is involved with families without direct supervision by a senior social worker, as per the Coroner's recommendation 22.22 in the Chloe Valentine inquest?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Higher Education and Skills) (15:21): That recommendation has been fulfilled. The important changes in the way in which student social workers are treated is that they are not involved in the initial investigation and assessment of households, which means that we have more senior social workers—experienced graduated and experienced social workers—undertaking that initial assessment to determine whether the family is likely to require a process that might lead to the removal of the child or not.