Child Protection, Baby Removals

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (14:57): My question is to the Minister for Child Protection. Does the minister know of any and, if so, how many babies have been removed from mothers in public birthing hospitals as a result of unborn child concerns? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr TEAGUE: ABC media today reports concerns about the method of removal, inhumane practices and trauma caused by baby removals, as revealed by a whistleblower from a government department.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD (Reynell—Minister for Child Protection, Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:58): Thank you to the member for his important question. Of course, those matters that were raised through the ABC, as I understand it, via a whistleblower are of concern. As the member would appreciate and as the house would appreciate, it is difficult to respond in specific detail to individual circumstances without knowing what particular incidents are being referred to.

What I would absolutely say is that the removal of children and infants is confronting, it is distressing and it is really complex. I am advised that such removal in relation to infants only occurs after very, very careful risk assessment processes have been undertaken. It is certainly my expectation that the department works to help ensure that the safety and welfare of vulnerable infants is of the utmost importance, that it is their highest priority when they undertake those very complex risk assessments, and when they consider and undertake removals after that fulsome risk assessment process is undertaken. It is also my expectation that the department, in relation to all of its dealings with families in our community, ensures that families are treated with respect as those processes are undertaken.

As the member is aware, our government is utterly focused on continuing our process of reforming the child protection and family support system to help children and their families who are facing really complex and difficult circumstances, often complex and interconnected issues, including sometimes mental ill-health, sometimes domestic violence, substance misuse, poverty, intergenerational trauma—that complexity of issues. We are focused on reforming the system to ensure that we are tackling those issues in supporting those families who are experiencing such issues.

One of the strategies that we are using in that process of reform is increasing our investment into the provision of family group conferences. During the last budget, we allocated an additional $13.4 million into family group conferencing. Family group conferencing includes family group conferences which relate to issues where what is called an 'unborn care concern' has been notified to the Department for Child Protection.

On receiving an unborn care concern type of notification, should a family group conference be convened, it can be convened in a way that brings together extended family members around that woman who is pregnant—her immediate family and that broader family—to think about what possible solutions could be provided to keep that child safe, supported and as well as possible. As I said, when there are matters of risk raised about an infant, of course it is my expectation that there is a thorough process of assessment undertaken before a removal may occur.