1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:05,160 Speaker 1: Well, the long awaited review into child protection has been released. 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: A draft has been released of changes that the state 3 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: government wants to make to child protection laws. One of 4 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:17,279 Speaker 1: the big issues is moving the suspicion of harm to 5 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: a child, which is mandatory for officials, doctor's, police etc. 6 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 1: To report any suspicion of harm. That threshold will be 7 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: raised to the risk of significant harm. Let's find out 8 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:33,160 Speaker 1: why that particular change. There are many others as well. 9 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: The Minister for Child Protection, Katrin Hillyard on the line. Minister, 10 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: good morning. 11 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Matthew, Good morning to all of 12 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 2: your listeners. 13 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: Does this change the raising of the threshold? Could it 14 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: mean some children will slip by unnoticed? 15 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 2: First of all, come to your question, Matthew. But I 16 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 2: just really wanted to say thank you to the almost 17 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 2: one thousand people and organizations who contributed to our really 18 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 2: comprehensive review of existing legislation. They provided really thoughtful, detailed 19 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 2: feedback which has been integral to the development of this 20 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 2: We heard from people right across the States, children and 21 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 2: young people themselves, carers, aboriginal organizations and communities, community organization leaders, 22 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 2: members of the public about how we can ensure the 23 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 2: legislation sets a foundation and a framework to help improve 24 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 2: outcomes for children and young people and their families. We 25 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 2: as a government are really determined to progress reforms that 26 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 2: makes a lasting difference, and this legislation will absolutely help 27 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,759 Speaker 2: us to do that. So thank you to everybody who's 28 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 2: contributed their views in terms of the increasing of the 29 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 2: threshold for mandatory notifications to significant harm. First of all, 30 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 2: those provisions now reflect align with the provisions that are 31 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 2: in place in other jurisdictions around the country. South Australia 32 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:12,800 Speaker 2: currently has the lowest threshold for mandatory notification. We're raising 33 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 2: it or proposing that we're raising it scores because one 34 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:22,079 Speaker 2: in three children in South Australia are notified to the 35 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,399 Speaker 2: Child Protection system. There are about one hundred and fourteen 36 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 2: thousand contacts to the Call Center or e KHAL just 37 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 2: this last financial year. We know that one in three 38 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: children in South Australia do not require statutory intervention from 39 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 2: child protection workers, but they require a range of other supports. 40 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 2: This legislation is about making sure that we are focused 41 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: on those children who most need that statutory response. The 42 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 2: thing that's really important to note Matthew in the legislation 43 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 2: also is that we are strengthening the definition of cumulative calm. 44 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 2: So where we are seeing notification about a child and 45 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 2: those contexts for the call center have come repeatedly, that 46 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 2: in itself is seen as a risk of significance calm. 47 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 2: And that's the really important point to make. Alongside the 48 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 2: raising of the threshold. The other thing I just wanted 49 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 2: to mention, Matthew is that also we are raising the 50 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 2: threshold for mandatory notification, noting that about seventy five percent 51 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 2: of those notifiers doctors, nurses, teachers, student support offices, etc. 52 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 2: But that doesn't mean they can't make a notification. It's 53 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 2: just that it's mandatory to do it in that particular circumstance. 54 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: I supse. That's my point in asking the question initially, 55 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: is if a child is at risk of low level harm, 56 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: will they slip through the net as a result of 57 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: this higher threshold of significant harm. So if there's abuse 58 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: going on and they're copying it, or in they're in 59 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: an unhealthy environment with parents in domestic violence or whatever 60 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 1: the case may be, and the kids getting neglected as 61 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:25,159 Speaker 1: a result, or drugs are involved, but it's low level, 62 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 1: I mean, surely that's not good if no one has 63 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: to report that and the kid slips through the net. 64 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 2: Well, those are issues that you spoke about in terms 65 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:41,359 Speaker 2: of significant harm, things like an exposure to domestic violence, 66 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 2: the use of drugs, et set. They are serious issues. 67 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 2: What we're talking about in terms of those lower level 68 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:56,160 Speaker 2: issues are issues where perhaps the teacher can respond immediately 69 00:04:56,320 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 2: to a particular issue that a child is operiencing. What 70 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 2: we want to do is to make sure that we 71 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 2: are focused because, just to go back a step, one 72 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 2: hundred and fourteen thousand contacts are made the call center. 73 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 2: There are about forty thousand of them that currently require 74 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 2: particular intervention. So we want to make sure that we 75 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 2: are getting to those that require intervention as quickly as 76 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 2: we possibly can, as effectively as we possibly can. There 77 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 2: are a range of other changes in the legislation that 78 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 2: also support family For instance, we are now increasing the 79 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 2: use of family group conferences. We've changed the way we 80 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 2: talk about effective intervention in the Act. So this change 81 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 2: sits amongst a range of changes. But at the core 82 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 2: of this particular issue is a desire to make sure 83 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 2: that we are getting to those children who most need 84 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,679 Speaker 2: that support. That doesn't mean there is an other support 85 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 2: in all sorts of settings for that one in three 86 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 2: that are notified to the call center or to the 87 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 2: E Carl E carl function, But we want to make 88 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 2: sure that that statutory intervention is focused on that particular 89 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 2: group of children. Again, it doesn't mean there isn't support 90 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:27,599 Speaker 2: for those. 91 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 1: Other children as well, But that's seventy four thousand other 92 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: children and that takes a lot of a lot of supporting, 93 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: doesn't it that you need people to be there for 94 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 1: them as well, even the forty thousand, I mean staffing 95 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: to look after this many children per year? Have you 96 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: got the resources? 97 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 2: Since coming to government, we've invested an additional four hundred 98 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 2: and fifty million dollars into the system, and some of 99 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 2: that funding is for those children who are already in 100 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 2: care to, as you say, make sure that they are 101 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:03,799 Speaker 2: getting the best possible support and care, having the most 102 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 2: people around them, having those effective supports in place. Also, though, 103 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 2: we have invested money thirty five million dollars into intensive 104 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 2: family support services, into family group conferencing, into the establishment 105 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 2: of a peak body for Aboriginal children and young people, 106 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 2: into the childre and Young Person's Visitor, into additional funding 107 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 2: for the Guardian for Children and Young People. So this 108 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 2: legislative reform comes amongst significant reform that we are undertaking 109 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 2: of the system. Matthew would say, it's not easy. This 110 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 2: is difficult, and what we are doing is investing and 111 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 2: making sure we're getting the settings right to give us 112 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 2: the best possible chance of enabling South Australian children and 113 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 2: young people to thrive. I think I've said to you before, 114 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 2: nobody minister, no one person, no one department can stop 115 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 2: sadly some of the things that happen in particular families 116 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 2: that we need to get the settings right. So we 117 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 2: are providing the best possible support, and so we are 118 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 2: enabling those incredible workers in child protection, in education, in health, 119 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 2: right across the system to do the best that they 120 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 2: possibly can with the children with whom they interact. 121 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: You thank a lot of people at the start, and 122 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 1: I've just been handed a release from the Foster and 123 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: Kinship Careers Group, which are broadly supportive of what you're doing. 124 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 1: The release says to get this through though, I mean 125 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: this is a draft and you're calling for submissions now. 126 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 1: But the opposition have they made any favorable comments to 127 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 1: these changes? 128 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 2: Yes, I'm not sure, and I would hope that there 129 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 2: is a bipartisan approach to this really important reform. I'm 130 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 2: not sure of what their position is, that's the matter 131 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 2: for them, but I would hope that they do respectfully 132 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 2: engage in the debate and find out about the comprehensive 133 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 2: suite of changes that are represented in this legislation and 134 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 2: consider those alongside our considerable investment. I really look forward 135 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 2: to a fullsome debate because our state needs that. We 136 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:22,479 Speaker 2: need to confront the really complex issues that an increasing 137 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 2: number of families in our community are facing, and we 138 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 2: need to always be conscious to progress reform that gives 139 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 2: us the best chance of supporting those families, but also 140 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 2: acting when things are not okay, when children are at risk. 141 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: With changing that threshold, does that cut out all those 142 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 1: other children in your figures so suddenly the numbers look better? 143 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 1: Is that why you've increased the threshold? 144 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 2: No? What I would say to that, Matthews. First of all, 145 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 2: as I said, nothing about this stop people from notifying 146 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 2: means that mandatory threshold is raised. But as I said, 147 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 2: we are doing a range of things to support families 148 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:14,319 Speaker 2: before there is even contact made to the Child Protection 149 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 2: and family support system. That's why we're making those other investments. 150 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 2: Also in the legislation, what is set out is the 151 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:29,319 Speaker 2: requirement for a state Strategy for Children to be developed 152 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:35,199 Speaker 2: and laid before Parliament with contributions from every department across government. 153 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 2: And what that means is that as they already do, 154 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:42,839 Speaker 2: a range of other departments will be also articulating how 155 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 2: they will support children in this state. This is about 156 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 2: making a shift so that we have a genuine, whole 157 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 2: of government, whole of community approach to supporting children, young 158 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 2: people and their families in our state. And that is 159 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 2: the right thing to do to make sure we are 160 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 2: all taking responsibility, all active. One of the really other, 161 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 2: really important things that the legislation articulates is that the 162 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 2: voices of children and young people is now privileged in 163 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 2: terms of children and young people themselves having particular rights 164 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 2: about decisions that are made obviously when they're old enough. 165 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 2: The other thing that it does crucially is absolutely privileges 166 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 2: aboriginal decision making and self determination. It also includes an 167 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 2: independent complaint mechanism, It recognizes exposure to domestic violence as 168 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:48,320 Speaker 2: a cause of harm. And really importantly, I know we've 169 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 2: spoken before about these issues, Matthew is make. It increases 170 00:11:54,000 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 2: penalties for those discussing predators who deliberately target children and 171 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 2: young people who they know are in care. That's another 172 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 2: really good step forward in this legislation. 173 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: Minister, appreciate your time this morning. 174 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:11,200 Speaker 2: Thank you, thank you so much. 175 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 1: Katrin Hildyard, Minister for Child Protection. Changes to laws to 176 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 1: help improve children's lives the Children, Young People's Safety and 177 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: Support BUILD twenty twenty four. As the Minister said, range 178 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,679 Speaker 1: of changes. The biggest is increasing the threshold for mandatory 179 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: notifications from any notification any risk of harm to risk 180 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 1: of significant harm. That's the change of one hundred and 181 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:39,320 Speaker 1: fourteen thousand reports in the last year. They expect that 182 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 1: all four to forty thousand moving forward.