System can’t cope with care claims
AN inquiry into child sexual abuse has revealed more than 1000 Tasmanian children are in out-of-home care, with an average of one allegation of child sexual abuse per week.
Rachel Ellyard, counsel assisting the commission of inquiry – which resumed hearings on Tuesday – said while most people working in out-of-home care were supportive and hardworking, the “nature of the system” meant that children were exposed to risk.
Ms Ellyard said the commission previously heard that “children in care, particularly in residential care, often live in a dehumanised and sterile environment where no one says they love them, no one hugs them”.
“That makes them vulnerable to adults who might make them feel special, but then lead them into problematic and exploitative situations,” she said.
She said in April, there were more than 1000 children living in out-of-home care in Tasmania – most in kinship care and foster care, with a small number in residential care.
Ms Ellyard said information provided to the commission by the state government showed between January 2013 and July 2021, there were 439 allegations of child sexual abuse in out-of-home care.
It equated to an average of 52 allegations a year – one per week.
“And, of course, we know that child sexual abuse is under reported, both at the time and even years later,” Ms Ellyard said.
She said 122 of the allegations related to Aboriginal children, and 120 related to children with disabilities.
“Roughly one in every 36 children in out-of-home care is the subject of at least one allegation of child sexual abuse,” Ms Ellyard said.
Claire Lovell, executive director of the state government’s children and families portfolio – which oversees fostering and adoptions, as well as the Child Safety Service – said there were dozens of vacancies within those agencies.
Ms Lovell said that meant not all children in out-ofhome care had an assigned child safety officer.
“I know that we struggle to keep up with reasonable community expectations around the services that we deliver and the safety of quality of those services,” she said.
But Ms Lovell said the organisation was stretched by understaffing, high workloads and a large number of areas requiring attention.
“We can’t do everything at once ... the more things we try to do simultaneously, it seems, the more our efforts are diluted,” she said.
Ms Lovell said it was not possible for the Child Safety Service alone to keep every child safe in Tasmania.
“That’s just not possible,” she said.
“It can’t be the only service that protects children, it can’t be. It can’t do it alone.”
The Tasmanian government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings is examining the state’s out-of-home care system during its third week of hearings.