Child Protection

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (14:19): I have a supplementary question, again to the Minister for Child Protection: how many abuse reports or notifications were made to the Department for Child Protection in relation to the three-year-old girl who died in Whyalla?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD (Reynell—Minister for Child Protection, Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:19): I would have expected that the shadow minister for child protection, the shadow attorney-general, would have a broad understanding of the particular legislative and other requirements to make sure that we actually keep confidentiality about the circumstances and details of a particular family.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Unley!

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: That is the right thing to do, in terms of the expectation around adherence to processes, but also it's the right thing to do for the confidentiality of a particular family, of course it is. It is about treating them with dignity and respect, and I will continue, as I said in my previous answer, to drive change across the child protection and family support system. I will continue to drive that long-term transformational change in ways that begin to improve the lives of children, young people and their families, so many of whom—an overwhelming number of whom—are facing some really complex, heartbreaking issues. I will continue to focus on doing that.

I will also continue to make sure that confidentiality is adhered to in a way that ensures the privacy that is required for children and their families. That is the right thing to do. It is a thing that I thought the shadow attorney-general would understand, but I am happy to explain that. That is the right thing to do, and questions that are about, 'What is the number?' just indicate what I have sadly come to learn about those opposite. I have tried to engage them in this process of transformation. The sector has tried to engage them in this really important process of transformation, but instead we hear questions that are not about: what are the sorts of challenges families are facing, how can we uphold their right to privacy and confidentiality and how can we work to advance change that helps improve their lives?

Again, the offer is extended to work together on that transformation. There have been many invitations to attend particular forums and discussions, but unfortunately they haven't always been accepted. But, again, I will continue to keep working towards that change, to keep having that focus on improving the lives of children, young people and their families and I will also keep working to make sure that families are treated with dignity and respect. I was able to make half of this point in our last sitting, but I can't remember how I wasn't able to finish. There was something over there that caused this part of the answer to get cut off.

A few weeks ago, as I often do, I was with a group of young people and they are extraordinary young people; strong, resilient, clever, engaged with the child protection and family support system, extraordinary young people. In a conversation with them about what was important to them, one of the things—one of the many things they talked about—was absolutely a desire for them to have their confidentiality respected, and for them, with that confidentiality, to be treated with dignity and respect.