CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (14:35): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Disabilities a question about child protection for children with disabilities.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: As my fellow members would know, I am greatly concerned about the prevalence of abuse and neglect against children and, indeed, adults with disabilities. The Hon. Justice Robyn Layton QC, in her Child Protection Review of 2003, recommended that consideration be given to a process of annually collecting and publishing information pertaining to young people with disabilities who are the subject of child protection notifications.

However, despite this recommendation, as I understand it, such information is not currently published. In any event, it is widely accepted that children with disabilities are more vulnerable to sexual abuse. Despite this fact, research shows that abuse and neglect against people with disabilities is significantly under-reported. One of the reasons cited by researchers for the under-reporting is the perception that reports are not always taken seriously by institutions such as the police or protection agencies. My questions to the minister are:

1. When reports of abuse and/or neglect are made to the Child Abuse Report Line, is the operator required to ask whether the child has a disability and, if not, why not?

2. Over the past 12 months what percentage of these reports relate to children with disabilities?

3. Of those reports which do involve children with disabilities, what percentage result in criminal charges being laid?

4. How do report and charge rates relating to the abuse of children without disabilities compare to those of children with disabilities?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises) (14:37): I thank the honourable member for her questions and will refer them to the Minister for Disabilities in another place and bring back a response.