Answers to Questions

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

In reply to the Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (10 November 2010).

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): The Minister for Families and Communities has provided the following information:

1. The Information Sharing Protocol between the Commonwealth and Child Protection Agencies outlines procedures on how agencies can share information in order to provide more responsive care and protection services to children and young people. Arrangements under this protocol are in operation with Centrelink, Medicare and the Child Support Agency.

Information sharing between agencies is based on the existing concerns of Families SA. Automatic cross-referencing is not undertaken on all notifications.

Under the National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2009-20, further arrangements are being developed with Commonwealth agencies that may hold information of use to child protection agencies.

2. In order to protect the privacy of the children and young people involved, specific comments in relation to the families in question will not be made. This is an extremely complex case, one that has recently appeared before the Courts.

Families SA responded immediately when notifications about the families were raised with the Families SA Crisis Response Unit.