2016 - 2017 · I am pleased to present the 2016-17Annual Report prepared pursuant to section 43(1)...

ANNUAL REPORT 2016 - 2017

Office of the Children’s Commissioner Northern Territory

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© Office of the Children’s Commissioner, Northern Territory Government 2017

Thisworkiscopyright,suchcopyrightbelongingtothe NorthernTerritoryofAustraliaandsubjecttoconditionsoftheCopyright Act 1968andtheNorthernTerritoryCopyrightpolicy.

ISSN 1837-4522

Suggested citation

OfficeoftheChildren’sCommissioner(2017) Annual Report 2016-2017, Northern Territory Children’s Commissioner. OfficeoftheChildren’sCommissioner,NorthernTerritoryGovernment,Darwin.

Thisreportisavailableinelectronicformatonthe OfficeoftheChildren’sCommissioner’swebsitelocatedat: www.occ.nt.gov.au

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http://www.childrenscommissioner.nt.gov.au

Letter to Parliament

TheHonourableNatashaFylesMLA Attorney-GeneralandMinisterforJustice ParliamentHouse DARWINNT0801

DearMinister

Inaccordancewithsection43(1)(a)oftheChildren’s Commissioner Act,IampleasedtoprovideyouwiththeAnnualReportoftheNorthernTerritoryChildren’sCommissioner.

Yourssincerely

MsColleenGwynne

Children’sCommissioner

31October2017

Report SummaryThisreportcoversthediscretefunctionsandresponsibilitiesoftheChildren’sCommissioner.

SnapshotSnapshot provides a general overview of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner Northern Territory including staffing, key highlights, activities and major achievements of the year.

ComplaintsA summary of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner’s complaint function is provided at Complaints, including an analysis of data with notable trends identified, and how complaints received have been dealt with.

Investigations finalised this reporting year are briefly discussed here.

MonitoringMonitoring summarises the outcomes of case reviews relating to the care and protection of vulnerable children including young people leaving care, cases where a Temporary Placement Arrangement has been applied and abuse in care data and trends. This chapter also includes key operational data relating to the responsibility for monitoring the administration of the Care and Protection of Children Act; this includes an in-depth review of four key areas of practice.

Looking AheadThe Looking Ahead chapter sets out the OCC’s future priorities and provides an overview of the key principles for the OCC to be promoted through our various functions and powers.

OFFICE OF THE CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER NORTHERN TERRITORY ANNUAL REPORT 2016-174

Contents� Abbreviations 6� Explanatory Notes 8� Message from the Commissioner 10� Snapshot 12

TheCommissioner 14OfficeoftheCommissioner 15RoleandFunctionsoftheCommissioner 16OurPerformance 18

� Complaints Function 22 � CAPCA Monitoring

OperationalData 34ChildProtectionAuthoritiesandActivities 52MonitoringInvestigationsofHarmandExploitation ofChildreninOut-of-HomeCare 64Out-of-HomeCareData 74ResidentialCare—Monitoring 104

� Looking Ahead 110� References 119� Figures 120� Tables 122

Report Summary

OFFICE OF THE CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER NORTHERN TERRITORY ANNUAL REPORT 2016-17 5

AABS AustralianBureauofStatistics

ACCG AustralianChildren’sCommissionersandGuardians

ACCP AustralianCentreforChildProtection

ACPP AboriginalChildPlacementPrinciple

Act Children’s Commissioner Act 2013

AGD Departmentofthe Attorney-GeneralandJustice

AIHW AustralianInstituteofHealthandWelfare

CCAPCA Care and Protection

of Children Act

CAT ChildAbuseTaskforce

CCIS CommunityCareInformationSystem

CDRPC ChildDeathsReviewandPreventionCommittee

CEO ChiefExecutiveOfficer

Commissioner Children’sCommissionerNorthernTerritory

DDSS DepartmentofSocialSecurity

IIRU InternalReviewUnit

Abbreviations


MManual TerritoryFamiliesPolicy

andProceduresManual

MLA MemberoftheLegislativeAssembly

NNAPCAN NationalAssociation

forPreventionofChildAbuseandNeglect

NGO Non-GovernmentOrganisation

NT NorthernTerritory

OOCC Officeofthe

Children’sCommissioner

OoHC Out-of-HomeCare

PPCO PermanentCareOrder

PO ProtectionOrder

POC PlacementofCare

PP ProvisionalProtection

RReportingYear Theperiodfrom1July

2016to30June2017

SSTI SexuallyTransmittedInfection

TTILA TransitiontoIndependent

LivingAllowance

TPA TemporaryPlacementArrangement

TPO TemporaryProtectionOrder

7OFFICE OF THE CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER NORTHERN TERRITORY ANNUAL REPORT 2016-17

Explanatory NoteUse of the Term Aboriginal TheCare and Protection of Children ActPart1.3,section13providesthefollowingdefinitionforthetermAboriginal:

a) adescendantoftheAboriginalpeopleofAustralia;or

b) adescendantoftheIndigenousinhabitantsoftheTorresStraitIslands.

Inaccordancewiththelegislativedefinition,thisreportusesthetermsAboriginalandnon-AboriginalthroughoutthisreportexceptwhenquotingadocumentthatspecificallyusesthetermIndigenous.WhenmakingcomparisonswithnationaldatawherethetermIndigenousmayhavebeenusedwehavesubstitutedthetermAboriginaltoensureconsistency.


Use of the Term Vulnerable Children ThetermvulnerablechildisdefinedinSection7oftheCare and Protection of Children Acttoincludethosewhohavebeenarrestedorareonbail,onyouthjusticeorders,onvolatilesubstanceabuseorders,thosesufferingfromamentalillness,amentaldisturbance,oradisabilityaswellasthosewhohavesoughtorareseekingchildrelatedservicesorareinthechildprotectionsystem.Inaddition,ayoungpersonwhohaslefttheCEO'scareistakentobeavulnerablechild.


Message from the CommissionerIampleasedtopresentthe2016-17AnnualReportpreparedpursuanttosection43(1)oftheChildren’s Commissioner’s Act(theAct).

ThereportprovidesasummaryofoutcomesforvulnerablechildrenintheNorthernTerritoryparticularlythosethatencountertheTerritory’schildprotection,Out-of-HomeCare(OoHC)andyouthjusticesystems.

TheActprovidesforthelegislativeframeworkwithrespecttomyroleandthatoftheOfficeoftheChildren’sCommissioner(OCC)andprovidesforspecificresponsibilitiesthatenablesthispositionandtheOCCtooperateindependently.Iamsatisfiedthatinthe2016-17reportingyear,theOCCeffectivelyfulfilleditscorestatutoryfunctionsassetoutintheAct.

TheOCChasseen302approachesthisReportingPeriod,asignificantincreasefrom2015-16.Ofthoseapproaches,86resultedincomplaintsinvolving127children.Overthepasttwoyears,IhaveincrementallyintroducedchangestothewaythattheOCCreceivesanddealswithcomplaintstopromoteaquickerresolutionwithgreaterlevelsofsatisfactionforcomplainantsand,

moreimportantly,betteroutcomesforchildren.Thisisreflectedinthesignificantincreaseofmattersdealtwithbywayofresolutionfrom2to32.Anumberofcomplainttrendshaveemergedthroughouttheyear,ofnoteistheprolongedseparationofyoungpeopleinyouthdetentionstillremainsapredominantcomplainttypeforyoungpeopleindetention,someofthesecomplaintsstillremainunresolved.WewillcontinuetoworkwiththeDepartmentofTerritoryFamiliestoensuretheirpoliciesreflectanunderstandingofwhatconstitutesisolation,separationandsegregation.

AspartofmyfunctiontomonitortheadministrationoftheCare and Protection of Children Act,Inotedthat2016-17saw22,313notificationsmadetoTerritoryFamiliesregardingpotentialharmtochildrenoryoungpeople,aninepercentincreasefrom2015-16.Ofthosenotifications,2,209weresubstantiated,a23percentincreasefrom2015-16.Aboriginalchildrencontinuetobeoverrepresentedinthechildprotectionsystem.Themajorityofnotificationsandsubstantiatednotificationsrelatetoneglect.

Researchidentifiesalinkbetweenneglectandenvironmentalandsocialfactors.IftheNorthernTerritoryiscommittedtoseelessAboriginalchildreninthechildprotectionsystem,thepoor-socioeconomiccircumstancesfacedbyAboriginalpeople,particularlyremoteAboriginalpeople,intheNorthernTerritorymustbeaddressed.

TheTerritorycontinuestoseeahighnumberofshort-termchildprotectionordersinplaceforthreemonthsorless.Thehighnumberofchildprotectionordersonadjournment,whilstcourtproceedingsareyettobefinalised,mayaccountforasubstantialproportionofthesenumbers.SincethelastReportingPeriod,thenumberofordersforfouryearsormorehasincreasedsignificantlybutremainsbelowthenationalaverage.

IntheReportingPeriodtherewere101casesofharmof80childreninOoHCasdeterminedbyTerritoryFamilies.OfparticularconcernthisReportingPeriodisanincreaseinthenumberofchildreninfostercaresubjecttoharm.ThiswillrequireexaminationbyTerritoryFamiliestounderstandwhathascreatedthisincrease.


AnimportantfunctionofmyofficeistoconductcasefilereviewstoensurechildrenincarearebeingprovidedwithappropriateservicesbyTerritoryFamiliesconsistentwithlegislativeobligations.InthisReportingPeriod,theOCCreviewedallcareplansfor17yearoldsleavingcare.Wefoundthat11percentofall17yearoldsinOoHCdidnothaveaspecificleavingcareplanonfileandonly56percentof17yearoldshadparticipatedinthetransitionprocess.Youngpeopleleavingcarefacesignificantchallengesanditiscriticalthat,consistentwithpolicy,planningcommenceoncetheyoungpersonisaged15andthattheyoungpersonisengagedincareplandevelopmentastheyapproachindependentliving.

Thisyearmyofficealsoconductedareviewaroundallchildrenandyoungpeoplewhohaveabscondedfromresidentialcareplacementsorwhoaresaidtobeself-placing.Childrenandyoungpeoplewhoareself-placingareataveryhighriskofharm.Twenty-eightyoungpeoplewereidentifiedasself-placingin2016-17.In53percentofcases,therewerenodemonstratedeffortsonfilefromTerritoryFamiliestoreturnthechildtoanapproved

placement.In86percentofself-placementcases,theDepartmentdidnotprovidefinancialsupport.In8casesreviewersnotedcurrentsafetyconcernsforyoungpeopleinself-placingarrangements.Asaresultofthesefindings,IhaveinstructedmyofficetoconductanowninitiativeinvestigationexaminingTerritoryFamiliespolicysupportingthesafetyandwellbeingofchildrenandyoungpeoplewhoareself-placingwhilstsubjecttoachildprotectionorder.

Forthefirsttime,theOCChasconductedmonitoringactivitiesinrelationtoresidentialcarefacilitiesoperatedbyTerritoryFamiliesandnon-governmentorganisations.Whilstsomeexcellentexamplesofcarewereevident,itisalsoclearthatsomefacilitiesarenotprovidingthestandardofcareexpected.Thisisdiscussedfurtherinthereport.

FocusfortheOCCin2017-18arediscussedintheLookingAheadsection.TheRoyalCommissionintotheProtectionandDetentionofChildrenintheNorthernTerritorywillreleaseitsfinalreporton17November2017.ThehandingdownofthereportwillbeanopportunityforincreasedcollaborationandengagementacrossNorthernTerritorygovernmentagenciesto

reversethehighlevelsofharmNorthernTerritorychildrenaresubjecttoandtheoverrepresentationofAboriginalchildrenlivinginOoHC.Ilookforwardtoworkingwithallgovernmentagenciestowardsthisgoal.Onthatpoint,Iwouldliketothankallthestafffromvariousgovernmentagencies,non-governmentserviceprovidersandvolunteerswhoworkwithvulnerablechildrenintheNorthernTerritory.ThroughouttheyearIhavemetmanydedicatedandpassionatepeoplewho,despitechallengingcircumstances,makeasignificantdifferencetothelivesofchildrenintheNorthernTerritory.

Finally,Iwouldalsoliketotaketheopportunitytothankthesmallbutdedicatedstafffrommyofficefortheirprofessionalismandcommitmentthroughouttheyear.

Ms Colleen Gwynne Children’s Commissioner 31 October 2017

Message from the Commissioner


Snapshot


Our Vision

Children and young people in the Northern Territory reach their full potential.”

“Our MissionToensuretherightsandbestinterestsofchildrenandyoungpeoplearesafeguardedandpromoted.

Our Core Business• Dealwithandmanagecomplaints

• Identifyandaddressissuesaffectingvulnerablechildren

• Monitordevelopmentsreform,legislativeandpolicyissuesrelevanttovulnerablechildren

• Contributetoimproveddecisionmaking

• Communityawarenessandeducation

Our Key Principles• Bestinterestofthechildatthecentre

• Culturallyappropriateandresponsive

• Sharedservicedeliveryandcollaboration

• Evidencebasedbestpractice

• Earlyinterventionandprevention


Who is the Commissioner?

ColleenGwynnewasappointedastheNorthernTerritoryChildren’sCommissionerinJune2015.

Colleenhasmorethan25years’experienceinlawenforcement,reachingtherankofCommanderbeforetakingonotherseniorroleswithintheNorthernTerritoryGovernment.Shehasabackgroundinoversightandsystemreforminsuchareasaspublicsafety,violence,youthcrime,andchildabuse,andhasbeentheleadinvestigatorinmajorandcomplexinvestigations.

SheledthedesignandimplementationoftheChildAbuseTaskforcewhichwasthefirstmulti-agencygroupinAustraliawithaholisticapproachtoreportsofsuspectedchildabuseinvolvingtheprotectionandwellbeingofthechild,familyandcommunitydevelopment.Sheisactivelyengagedincommunityactivitiesandeventsandbelievesthateverychildshouldhavetheopportunitytoreachtheirfullpotential.

Colleenhasformalqualificationsinleadership,criminaljustice,investigations.SheisalsoagraduateoftheFBINationalAcademyandInstituteofCompanyDirectors.

The Commissioner


Office of the Children’s Commissioner

Children’s Commissioner

Manager Strategic Engagement & Monitoring

Assistant Commissioner Business Manager 0.5 FTE

Community Engagement& Education Officer

CoordinatorComplaints & Investigation

Complaints & Investigation Officer

Office Manager


TheCommissionerhasresponsibilityforsixcorefunctionscontainedintheAct:

• Dealingwithcomplaintsaboutservicesprovidedtovulnerablechildrenandmonitoringserviceproviders’responsetoanyreportsbytheCommissioner.TheCommissioneralsohasan‘owninitiative’investigativecapacity.

• Undertakinginquiriesrelatedtothecareandprotectionofvulnerablechildren.

• MonitoringtheimplementationofanygovernmentdecisionsarisingfromaninquiryconductedbytheCommissioneroranyotherinquiryrelatingtothecareandprotectionofvulnerablechildren.

• MonitoringtheresponseofTerritoryFamiliestoallegationsoftheharmorexploitationofchildrenwhiletheyareinOoHC.

• Promotinganunderstandingofandinformingpublicdiscussionabouttherights,interestsandwellbeingofvulnerablechildren.

• MonitoringtheadministrationoftheCare and Protection of Children Actasfarasitrelatestovulnerablechildren.

TheCommissionerisanindependentstatutorypositionestablishedunderprovisionscontainedintheChildren’s Commissioner Act.

TheCommissionerpromotestheinterestsofvulnerablechildrenandrepresentstheirinterestswithgovernmentandthecommunity.

Role and Functions of the Commissioner


TheCommissionerundertakesanumberofothertasksincluding:

• ProvidinginformationandadvicetoGovernmentandMinistersinmatterspertainingtovulnerablechildren.

• Respondingtoissuesinvolvingnationalpolicyrelatedtochildprotectionandchildwellbeing,eitherindependentlyorincollaborationwithChildren’sCommissioners,Guardians,AdvocatesandOmbudsmenfromotherAustralianjurisdictions.


Highlights and Achievements 2016-2017

In2017,theOfficeoftheChildren’sCommissioner(OCC)undertookareviewtoensureitsstructurewasalignedwiththesixcorefunctionscontainedintheChildren’s Commissioner Act(theAct).Followingthatreview,adecisionwasmadetoappointanAssistantCommissionertotakeamajorpartintheprovisionofleadership,strategicdirectionandoverallexecutivemanagementoftheOCCandtoassisttheOCCtotakeamoreproactiveapproachinmonitoringservicesprovidedtovulnerablechildren.Ms Nicole Butlerwasappointedtotheroleinearly2017.Ms ButlerisaproudLarrakia/Wadjigan(TopEnd)andEasternArrente(Central)AboriginalwomanfromtheNorthernTerritoryandbringstotherolesignificantexperienceinsocialwork,publicadministrationandcareandprotectionresearchandpolicydevelopment.

Workalsobeganinthe2016-17reportingperiodtowardstheestablishmentandadvertisingforaCommunityEducationandEngagementOfficer.TherolewillassisttheOCCtoengagewiththecommunityandinformdebatearoundtheissuesaffectingvulnerablechildrenandyoungpeopleintheNorthernTerritory.

Royal Commissions

TherearecurrentlytwoRoyalCommissionsongoingthatwillaffectvulnerablechildrenintheNorthernTerritory.ReportsfromthoseRoyalCommissionswillbehandeddownin2017.

TheRoyalCommissionintotheProtectionandDetentionofChildrenintheNorthern TerritorycommencedhearingsinOctober2016.TheRoyalCommissionwasannouncedbythePrimeMinisterfollowingaFourCornersprogramwhichshowedfootageofthemistreatmentofchildrenintheDon DaleYouthDetentionCentre,Darwin.ThosematterswerethesubjectoftheCommissioner’sOwnInitiativeinvestigationreportintothesamemattershandeddownon17September2015.TheRoyalCommissioners,theHonourableMargaretWhiteAOandMrMickGooda,heardevidencefrom210witnesses,including24childrenwhohadbeenthroughtheyouthdetentionandchildprotectionsystemsintheNorthern Territory,andgatheredinformationfromacrosstheTerritory,interstateandoverseas.

Our Performance


AninterimreportwashandeddownbytheRoyalCommissioninMarch2017.ThatinterimreporthighlightedsignificantlydisproportionateratesatwhichchildrenintheNorthernTerritory,particularlyAboriginalchildren,areexposedtotheyouthjusticeandchildprotectionsystemswhencomparedtochildreninotherstatesandterritories.TheinterimreportalsohighlightedkeyissuesthatcontributetothehighratesofinvolvementofTerritorychildreninthechildprotectionandyouthjusticesystemsincludingthesocio-economicfactors,isolationandtheeffectsofpoorhealthoutcomes.

TheCommissionergaveevidenceontwooccasionsandfilednumerousstatementsrelatingtoyouthjusticeandchildprotection.StafffromtheOCCwerealsokeptbusyrespondingtorequestsforinformationfromtheRoyalCommissionthroughouttheperiodthathearingswerebeingconducted.AfinalreportcontainingrecommendationswillbehandeddowninNovember2017.

InadditiontotheRoyalCommissionintotheProtectionandDetentionofChildrenintheNorthernTerritory,theCommonwealth Government’sRoyalCommissionintoInstitutionalResponsestoChildSexualAbusewillhanddownitsfinalreportinlate2017.TheOCCwasinvolvedincoordinatingconsultationswithyoungpeoplefortheRoyalCommission.

Significantadministrativeandlegislativereformisexpectedintheareasofchildprotection,youthjustice,criminaljusticeandpolicingpracticesfollowingthehandingdownofthereports.Increasedmonitoringofvulnerablechildrenisalsoexpectedparticularlytheestablishmentandmaintenanceofchildsafetyorganisationrequirements.

TheOCCwasinvolvedincoordinatingconsultationswithyoungpeoplefortheRoyalCommission.Significantadministrativeandlegislativereformintheareasofchildprotectionandyouthjustice,criminaljusticeandpolicingpracticesisexpectedfollowingthehandingdownofthereports.InadditionOCCexpectstoseeafocusontheestablishmentandmaintenanceofchildsafeorganisations.

Presentations, Conferences, Seminars and Forums

TheCommissionerandstaffhavepresentedtoanumberofserviceprovidersontherolesandfunctionsoftheOCC.ThepresentationsalsoprovidefeedbacktotheCommissioneronissuesaffectingvulnerablechildrenandtheirfamiliesintheNorthernTerritory.

TheCommissionerandOCCstaffmembersattendedandpresentedatseveralconferences,seminarsandforumsacrosstheTerritoryandnationally.ThisincludedtheCommissionerbeingakeynotespeakerattheProtectingAustralia’sChildren–ChildProtectionandYouthJusticeReformConferenceinSydney,apanelguestattheYouthJusticeAustralasianConferenceinBrisbaneandaspeakerattheOut-of-HomeCareForuminAliceSprings.

PresentationswerealsomadetoTerritory Families’YouthOutreachOfficersaspartoftheirinduction,theAliceSpringsCrossSectorOrientationWorkshopandtheCharlesDarwinChildRightsForum.


National Involvement

TheAustralianChildren’sCommissionersandGuardians(ACCG)isanetworkforchildrenandyoungpeopleCommissioners,GuardiansandAdvocatesfromacrossAustralia.TheACCGaimstopromoteandprotectthesafety,well-beingandrightsofchildrenandyoungpeopleinAustraliatoensurethattheirbestinterestsareconsideredinpublicpolicyandprogramdevelopment.

ThegroupmeetstwiceayearandtheCommissionerattendedmeetingsinNovember2016andMay2017.Themesofthisyear’smeetingsandworkoftheACCGwerealternativemodelsofresidentialcarewithatherapeuticfocus,youthjusticeandchildrenandyoungpeople’sexperienceofviolence.TheACCGalsoproducedastatementonyouthjusticedetention.Anumberofjurisdictionshaveundergonereviewsintoyouthjustice

facilitiesandpracticesoverthepastyear.Thereviewshighlighttheneedforamoveawayfromlarge-scaledetentioncentresandincreasetrauma-informedapproachestoyouthjusticethatavoidrestrictivepractices.


Engagement with Children and Young People in Care

TheCommissionerspokeattheNationalAssociationforPreventionofChildAbuseandNeglect(NAPCAN)ChildProtectionWeekbreakfastwhichthisyearwasco-hostedbyayoungpersonincare.TheCommissioneralsopresentedthe‘PlayYourPartAward’toTangentyereAboriginalCouncilfortheDrumAtwemeProgram,theSmithFamily,GrayFamilyCentreandGrayPrimarySchoolfortheirparentengagementprogram.

OCCstaffattendedaCREATEFoundationconnectionevent.TheeventwasattendedbycarersandchildrenandprovidedanopportunityforstafftotalkabouttheroleoftheOCC.ChildrenincarealsoattendedtheofficeandlearntabouttheCharterofRights(forchildrenandyoungpeopleincare)ataneventorganisedbyCREATE.

TheOCChasundertakenareviewofall53residentialcarefacilitiesbycompletingsitevisitsacrosstheNorthernTerritory.ThisgavetheOCCafurtheropportunitytoengagewithchildrenandyoungpeopleincare.

Secretariat Responsibilities for the NT Child Deaths Review and Prevention Committee

TheOCCcontinueditsroleastheSecretariatfortheChildDeathsReviewandPreventionCommittee(CDRPC)andtheCommissionercontinuedintheroleasConvenor.

TherewerethreemeetingsheldovertheyearandtheConvenorattendedtheannualAustralianandNewZealandChildDeathsReviewandPreventionGroupmeetinginAdelaide.

AdministrativeresponsibilityfortheCDRPC

willbetransferredtotheNorthernTerritoryCoroner’sOfficenextyear.

A copy of the CDRPC Annual Report for 2016-2017 can be found on the OCC website.


Complaints FunctionOneofthecorefunctionsoftheOfficeoftheChildren’sCommissioner(OCC)istodealwithcomplaintsinaccordancewithsection10(1)(a) oftheChildren’s Commissioner Act(theAct)relatingtoservicesprovidedtovulnerablechildren.


Services and Service Providers

AserviceproviderisdefinedundertheChildren’sCommissionerActtobeeitheraNorthernTerritorypublicauthority(suchasagovernmentagency)orapersonorbodyactingforthatauthorityunderanarrangement(suchasanon-governmentorganisation).However,theActspecificallyexcludesacourtfromthedefinitionofserviceprovider.

Thecomplaintsfunctionpertainsonlytothequalityorabsenceofreasonablyexpectedservices.Althoughthereisnoprecisedefinitionof‘services’providedintheAct,itdoessuggestthat‘services’aredistinctfrom‘decisions’madebyauthorisedofficers.TheCommissionerdealswiththecircumstancessurroundingthedecision,includingwhetherlegislative,policyandpracticestandardswerecompliedwithinmakingthedecision.

InaccordancewiththeprinciplesunderlyingtheAct,particularlysection5(1)(a),theCommissionerconsiderswhethertheoutcomeofthedecisionwasinthebestinterestsofthechild.

Provisions for Making a ComplaintAcomplaintcanbemadebyavulnerablechildoranadultactingonbehalfofavulnerablechild.Thelegislationdoesnotspecifywhosuchadultsmaybeortheirrelationshipwiththechild,buttheCommissionerhasthediscretiontodeclinetodealwithacomplaintifitisdeemedthepersondoesnothaveasufficientinterestinthemattertowhichthecomplaintrelates.

Complaintsmustnormallybemadewithinoneyearofthemattertowhichthecomplaintrelates,howevertheCommissionermayacceptacomplaintafterthisoneyearperiodiftheCommissionerconsidersitappropriatetodosointhepublicinterestorbecauseofspecialcircumstances.Complaintscanbemadeinwritingorverbally.Section23oftheActsetsouttheoptionsavailabletotheCommissioneronreceiptofacomplaint,thegroundsonwhichacomplaintmaybeinvestigated,resolved,declinedorreferred,andthetimeframeformakingtheinitialdecision.

Grounds for a Complaint

Acomplaintmustbemadeononeofthefollowinggrounds:

1. Apublicauthority,oranyoneactingforapublicauthority,whohastakenoristakinganactioninrelationtothechildasavulnerablechild;or

2. anoperatorofchild-relatedserviceswhoprovides,orisrequiredtoprovide,theservicesinrelationtothechildasavulnerablechild.

Complaint Management Process

Parts4and5oftheActclearlysetouttheproceduralrequirementsforprocessingacomplaint.Thisincludeswhocanmakeacomplaint,theinitialassessment,thereasonswhytheCommissionermaydeterminenottodealwithacomplaint,wherecomplaintscanbereferred,theinterestedpartiesthatmustbenotified,howinformationcanbeaccessedandhowmattersarefinalised.

ThecomplaintmanagementprocessisclearlydetailedintheActandisillustratedinthefollowingflowchart.


Figure 1:ComplaintManagementProcess

Approach

Does it meet the Grounds of a Complaint (s.21)?

Decline Complaint

Refer Complaint

Resolve Complaint

Investigate Complaint

Assessment of Complaint (s.23)

No Further Action

Preliminary Inquiry can occur

YesNo


Approachesreceived

302

Approaches to the OfficeWhentheCommissionerreceivesanapproach,adeterminationismadeastowhetherornottheapproachconstitutesacomplaintinaccordancewiththelegislation.

In2016-17,therewere302approachesreceivedbytheCommissionercomparedto231thepreviousyear,andofthese216weredeterminedtobeenquiresonlyandassuchwerenotdealtwithasacomplaint,comparedto141thepreviousyear.

Thereareanumberofreasonswhyanapproachisdeemedanenquiryonly.ComplaintsmayfalloutsidetheCommissioner’sjurisdictionoritmaynotmeetthegroundsforacomplaint.However,in2016-17thesignificantincreaseinapproachesdeemedenquirescanbeclearlyattributedtotheCommissioner’sfocusonidentifyingmattershavingthepotentialtoberesolvedbythecomplainantdirectlywiththerelevantserviceprovider.

Insuchcases,acomplaintwillnotbeformalisedwiththeCommissionerbutwiththerelevantserviceprovider.Complainantsareadvisedtore-contacttheCommissionerifthematterhasnotberesolvedbytheserviceprovider.


Dealing with a ComplaintTheCommissionerhasfouroptionstodealwithanapproachthatsatisfiesthegroundsforacomplaint(section23).

Theseareto:

1. investigatethecomplaint

2. resolvethecomplaintwithoutaninvestigation

3. declinetodealwithit

4. referthecomplainttoanotherpersonorbody.

AssoonaspracticableaftertheCommissioner’sassessmentofacomplaint,thecomplainantmustbeinformedofthedecision,whetheritbetoinvestigate,resolve,referordeclinethecomplaint.TheChiefExecutiveOfficeroftherelevantagencyandserviceprovidermustbeinformedofthecomplaintassoonaspracticableafterthecomplainthasbeenmade.

ComplaintsIn2016-17theCommissionerreceived86complaintsinaccordancewithsection23oftheActinvolving127children,whichiscomparableto90complaintsthepreviousyear,howevertherewasanincreaseinthenumberofchildreninvolvedinthecomplaintsfrom108thepreviousyear.

Complaintsreceivedinvolving127children

86


How the Commissioner determined to deal with the complaints Aspreviouslymentioned,therearefourwaystheCommissionermaydeterminetodealwithacomplaintmatter.

In2015-16,theCommissionerhadnotmadeadeterminationonhowtodealwithsixcomplaints.ThesewerecarriedoutinthecurrentReportingPeriod.

AttheendofthecurrentReportingPeriod,theCommissionerhadnomadeadeterminationonhowtodealwithfourcomplaints.

Figure 2:HowtheCommissionerDeterminedtoDealwiththeComplaintsReceivedin2016-17.

Resolution 34

Declined 18

Referral 36


Profile of Children Subject of a Complaint Ofthe127childrensubjectofacomplaintin2016-17,73percentwereAboriginal.Thisisadecreasefrom88percentthepreviousyear.Sixty-sevenpercentofallchildrenthesubjectofacomplaintresidedinOut-of-HomeCare.

ofallchildrenthesubjectofacomplaintresidedinOut-of-HomeCare

67%

Figure 3: DomesticCircumstancesofVulnerableChildrenwhoweretheSubjectofaComplaintin2016-17

Out-of-Home Care 67%

Rehabilitation 1%

Extended Family 5%

Parents 12%

Juvenile Detention 15%


Preliminary Inquiries

Section23(2)oftheActprovidesprovisionfortheCommissionertomakepreliminaryinquiries,thisassiststodeterminehowtobestdealwithacomplaint.

Suchinquirieswillindicatewhetheracomplainthassubstanceandthelevelofcomplexityassociatedwithit,aswellasbeingusefulforwhentheCommissionerisseekingtounderstanddiscretecircumstancesbeyondthatofthecomplaint.

Ofthe86complaintsreceivedbytheCommissioner,44weresubjecttopreliminaryinquiries.Thisisa50percentdecreasecomparedto88thepreviousyear.

ThisfigureisindicativeoftheCommissioner’scontinuedfocusonresolvingcomplaintsexpeditiouslywheneveritisidentifiedthataninvestigationisnotnecessarilygoingtoenhancetheoutcomeforthechild.

TheActprovidestheCommissionerwithaperiodof28daysinwhichtomakeadecisiononwhatcourseofactiontotake,duringwhichpreliminaryinquiriesmaybemade.Theseinquirescanincludethereviewofrelevantdocumentation,closecircuittelevision,siteinspectionsorspeakingwiththechild.

Whereverpossible,andwhenappropriatetodoso,theCommissionerwillendeavourtospeakwiththechildsubjecttothecomplaint,providingthemanopportunitytofreelyexpresstheirexperiencesandfortheirviewstobeconsideredwithintheCommissioner’sproposalforresolvingmattersandanyrecommendationsforimprovingfutureserviceprovision.

Complaintssubjecttopreliminaryinquiries

44


Complaints Resolved by the Commissioner Thefocushasbeenonresolvingmattersexpeditiouslywhereaninvestigationisdeterminedtobeunnecessaryforimprovingtheoutcomeandwouldotherwiseresultindelaysinachievingpositiveresultsforthechild.ComplaintthemesarecontinuouslymonitoredbytheCommissionerandconsiderationforinvestigationisprioritisedforwhensystemicissuesareidentifiedandbroaderscopingoutcomescanbeachieved.

In2016-17,34complaintmattersweredealtwithbywayofresolution.Thisissignificantincreaseof32fromthe2thepreviousyear.

Inthesecases,theCommissionerwillforwardthecomplainttotherelevantserviceproviderproposingmethodsforresolvingthematter.Theserviceprovider’sacceptanceofacomplaintforresolutionwillincludeacceptingtheCommissioner’sproposedactionsornegotiatingavarianceinlinewiththeintentforresolution.

Complaints Referred by the CommissionerIn2016-17,36complaintmattersweredealtwithbywayofreferral.Thisisadecreaseof14from50thepreviousyear.

Thereferralsweremadetoanumberofvariouscomplaintbodies,includinginternalintegrityunitswithinTerritoryFamiliesandtheDepartmentofHealth.

ReferralsmadebytheCommissionerrequiretherelevantserviceprovidertoinvestigatethecircumstancesofthecomplaintandtoprovidetheCommissionerwiththeresultofsuchinvestigation.Assuch,mattersreferredarethosedeterminedbytheCommissionertobeofanaturethataninvestigationwouldimprovethedesiredoutcome.

AttheconclusionoftheinvestigationtheresultmustthenbeprovidedtotheCommissioner.TheCommissionerwillthenassesstheinvestigationfindings,andactiontakenforresolvingthematter,beforedeterminingtofinalisethematter.

TheCommissionermeetswithTerritoryFamiliesonceperfortnighttodiscussallchildprotectionandjuvenilejusticecomplaintsinordertoensuremattersaredealtwithefficientlyandeffectively.

Complaintmattersdealtwithbyresolution

34

Complaintmattersdealtwithbyreferral

36


Complaints Investigated by the CommissionerTheCommissionerdidnotcommenceanyinvestigationsfromcomplaintsreceivedin2016-17,howeverfinalised2investigationsthatcommencedthepreviousyear.

TherewerefourrecommendationsmadebytheCommissionerresultingfromtheseinvestigationsthatcentredonTerritoryFamiliesreviewingchildprotectionpracticesandthedevelopmentandimplementationofpolicyassociatedwiththeexpiryofshort-termprotectionordersandwithdrawalofapplicationsforprotectionorders.

TheCommissionerreceivedtwoquarterlyreportsregardingtheimplementationoftheserecommendationsandwassatisfiedoftheprogressmadebyTerritoryFamiliestowardfinalisingtherecommendedreform.

Complaints Declined by the CommissionerSection24oftheActclearlysetsoutspecificgroundsforwhentheCommissionermaydeclinetodealwithacomplaint.TheCommissionermayonlydeclinetodealwithacomplaintifsatisfiedthereisprovisiontodosoinaccordancewithsection24oftheAct.In2016-17,18complaintsweredeclinedbytheCommissionerinaccordancewithsection24oftheAct.Thisisadecreaseof15from33thepreviousyear.

ThemostcommonreasonfortheCommissionerdeterminingnottodealwithacomplaintwasthatthecomplaintlackedsubstance,whichinmostcaseswasbasedonthefindingsofpreliminaryinquiriesmadebytheCommissioner.

Complaints Decisions Undetermined by the CommissionerTherewerefourcomplaintsreceivedthatwereunderassessmentattheendofthe2016-17reportingperiodwheretheCommissionerhadnotyetmadeadecisiononwhatcourseofactiontotake.

Investigationsfinalised

2Complaintsreceivedstillunderassessment

4

Complaintsdeclined bycommissioner


In2016-17,thefollowingcomplainttrendswereevident:

Complaint Trends

Prolonged separation of young people in youth detention from other young people,

mainstream detention programs and meaningful engagement and activities.

A lack of support provided to young people

applying for bail.

Inadequate child protection investigations and insufficient

assessment of risk to children and young people.

A lack of appropriate engagement and support provided to young

people absconding from Out-of-Home Care

and self-placing.

Poor case management associated with the reunification of children and young people with family.

The timeliness and accessability of mental health assessments for young people in the Youth Justice system.


Section10(1)(c)oftheChildren’s Commissioner ActprovidesthatoneofthefunctionsoftheChildren’sCommissioneristomonitortheCare and Protection of Children Act(CAPCA)asitrelatestovulnerablechildren.ThischaptercontainsananalysisofchildprotectionandOut-of-HomeCare(OoHC)dataprovidedbyTerritoryFamiliesonrequestbyOfficeoftheChildren’sCommissioner.

Monitoring — Operational Data


NOTIFICATIONSIn 2016-17 the total notifications received by Territory Families

was 22,313 - a nine per cent increase from 2015-16. Of the 22,313 notifications received:

79 per cent related to Aboriginal children. 86 per cent were received from professionals with the highest notifiers being police who accounted

for 42 per cent of all notifications. As with previous years, neglect remains the most

common notification category and accounted for 46 per cent of all notifications.

SUBSTANTIATIONS

2,209 notifications were substantiated a 23 per cent

increase from 2015-16.

OUT-OF-HOME CARE

1,049 children in Out-of-Home Care (OoHC) as at 30 June 2017 a 3 per cent increase from 2015-16.

89 per cent are Aboriginal children, of which only 32 per cent were placed with Aboriginal carers.

Children with disabilities accounted for 117 of the total 1,049 children in OoHC.

INVESTIGATIONS

9,245 notifications proceeded to investigation

an 18 per cent increase from 2016-17.


DatareferredtointhischapterprimarilyrelatestotheobligationsandfunctionscontainedinChapter2oftheAct. Chapter2oftheActoutlinestheobligationofthepublictoreportcasesofchildrenatriskofharm,exploitationorabuse.ItalsodetailsthepowersoftheCEOofTerritoryFamilies,authorisedofficersundertheActandthejudiciarytotakeappropriateactiontosafeguardthewellbeingofchildren.

Inadditiontothereviewofthestatisticaldatareferredtointhischapter,theCommissionermonitorstheadministrationoftheActthroughassessmentandfeedbackonoperationalprocesses,aconsiderationofregionalandinter-jurisdictionaldifferencesandtheongoingassessmentoftheover-representationofAboriginalchildreninthechildprotectionsystem.

EachyeartheOCCrequestshistoricalandoperationaldatafromTerritoryFamilies.Therequesteddatarelatestonotifications,investigationsandsubstantiatednotificationsbyTerritoryFamilies.

TheCommissioneracknowledgesandthanksTerritoryFamiliesforprovidingalargevolumeofstatisticalinformationprovidedformonitoringpurposes.


NotificationsNumber of NotificationsIn2016-17TerritoryFamiliesreceived22,313notificationsofpotentialharmandexploitationofchildrenandyoungpeople.Thisrepresentsa9percentincreaseofnotificationsfrom2015-16andfollowsatrendofincreasingnotificationsoverrecentyears.

AsshowninFigure4,therecontinuestobesignificantincreasesinnotificationswitha124percentincreasesince2012-13.However,the9percentincreasedoesindicateaslowingrateofnotificationincreasefrom2013-14to2014-15(32percent)and2014-15to2015-16(20percent)

Figure 4: NumberofNotifications,2012-13to2016-17

24000

22000

20000

18000

16000

14000

12000

10000

8000

6000

4000

2000

0

2012-13

12933

20465

2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

22313

9971

Source: Territory Families 2017

17032

Notificationsreceived

22,313


Source of Notifications

Since2012-13therehasbeenanongoingincreaseinthenumberofnotificationsoriginatingfrompolice.In2012-13policenotificationsamountedto35percentofallnotifications.Thisreportingyearpolicewereresponsiblefor42percentofallnotifications.Policenotificationsspikedin2010-11and2011-12andhaveremainedsteadilyhighersincethen.

NorthernTerritoryPolicehaveadvisedthatgreatergeneralawarenessofchildprotectionconcerns,moreconcentratedpolicinginremotecommunities,andpolicesystemsinrelationtoreportingobligationsareunderstoodtobesomeofthereasonsfortheincreasingratesofpolicenotifications.

TheOCCisconcernedthatthereisasocietywidereportingtendencytorelyonnotifyingratherthanrespondingorassistingwherethereisaconcernforachild.ThemajorityofnotificationsreceivedbyTerritoryFamiliesarenotfurtheractionedastheconcernsdonotmeetthethresholdforinvestigationswhichtriggersaninformationgatheringresponseratherthanaresponsetoaclearlyidentifiedissueorconcern.

Notificationsoriginatingfrompolice

42%


NOTIFIER CATEGORIES NO. OF NOTIFICATIONS RECEIVEDProfessionals

Police 9,279

School Personnel 3,677

Hospital/Health Care 2,468

Medical Practitioner 160

Other Health Personnel 729

Child Care Personnel 106

Social Worker 104

Departmental Officer 976

Non-Government Organisation 1,713

Non-ProfessionalsSubject Child 28

Parent/Guardian 839

Sibling 6

Other Relative 634

Friend/Neighbour 414

OtherAnonymous 276

Other 904

TOTAL 22,313

Table 1: NumberofNotifiersbyCategory,2016-17


Table1showsthatprofessionalsaccountfor86percentofallnotifications.Thispercentageofprofessionalnotificationsisbroadlyconsistentwiththeprevioustworeportingyears.Giventheengagementthatprofessionalssuchaspolice,socialworkersandschoolpersonnel,havewithyoungpeopletheextenttowhichprofessionalsaccountforthemajorityofnotificationsisreasonable.Asidefrompolice,asignificantproportionofnotificationscamefromschoolpersonnelat16percentandhospitalstaffat11percent.

Thenon-professionalcategorywhichincludes,parents,guardians,relativesandfriends/neighborsamountedto9percentofthetotalnotifications.Thisisconsistentwithpreviousreportingperiods.


Notifications by Abuse/Neglect TypeNotificationsmadetoTerritoryFamiliesrelatingtopossibleharmorexploitationtoachildarecategorisedaseitherneglect,physical,emotionalharmorsexualexploitation.

AsshowninFigure5,neglectnotificationsmakeupthelargestcategoryaccountingfor46percentofthetotal.Neglecthasbeenthemostcommonreportingcategoryforsometime.Emotionalharmamountsto26percentofallnotifications,physicalharm21percentandsexualexploitation7percent.

Sexualexploitationnotificationshavecontinuedtodecline.Thisreportingyearlessnotificationsofsexualexploitationwerereceivedthan2015-16.

The22,313notificationsmadetoTerritoryFamiliesinvolved11,222childrenwhichrepresentsaconsistentaverageofaround2notificationsperchild.Boysandgirlscontinuetobeequallyrepresentedinthenotification.1

Figure 5:NumberofNotificationsbyAbuse/NeglectType,2012-13to2016-17

2012-13

11000

10000

9000

8000

7000

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

02013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

Neglect Physical Emotional Sexual


1Achildiscountedmorethanonceiftheirbirthdayoccursbetweennotifications,whichresultsinthenotificationbeingrecordedforbothagegroups.Thisalsooccurswherenotificationsaremadeaboutdifferenttypesofabuse,forexamplethesamechildmayshowupinthe‘physicalabuse’and‘emotionalharm’and‘sexualexploitation’categories


Notifications by Age of ChildAsshowninFigure6,childrenaged10-14constitute31percentofallnotifications,similartothe2015-16reportingperiod(29percent).Childrenaged0-4and5-9eachconstitute29and28percentofnotificationsrespectivelyandyoungpeopleaged15-17makeuptheremaining13percent.AscanbeseenfromFigure6,thenumberofnotificationsforchildrenaged5-9and10-14hasbeensteadilyincreasinginrecentyears.

Figure 6: NumberofNotificationsbyAge,2012-13to2016-17

2012-13

8000

7000

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

02013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

0-4 yrs

5-9 yrs

10-14 yrs

15-17 yrs



Notifications by Aboriginality

AboriginalchildrenmakeuplessthanhalfofallchildrenintheNorthernTerritorybut79percentofallnotificationsrelatetoAboriginalchildren.Thispercentageisgenerallyconsistentwithnumbersforthepastfiveyears.

AsshowninFigure7,notificationsrelatingAboriginalchildrenhavebeengrowingatasignificantrate.Since2012-13notificationfornon-Aboriginalchildrenhasincreasedby98percent.However,forthesameperiodnotificationsinrelationtoAboriginalchildrenhaveincreasedby131percent.InthisreportingperiodnotificationsforAboriginalchildrenhaveincreased10percent.

Figure 7: NumberofNotificationsbyAboriginality,2012-13to2016-17

Source: Territory Families 2017Notes:Notificationswithunknownstatusnotdisplayed.

Aboriginal Non-Aboriginal

2012-13

20000

18000

16000

14000

12000

10000

8000

6000

4000

2000

02013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

Notificationsrelatedto Aboriginalchildren

79%


The Outcomes of Notifications

Whenapersonmakesanotification,anauthorisedofficerwithinTerritoryFamiliesdeterminestheinvestigationprioritybasedonaninitialassessmentofrisk.Outofthe22,313notificationsmadein2016-17,13,068(59percent)notificationswere‘screenedout’,thatisdeterminednottorepresentasignificantdetrimenttothechild’swellbeing,dealtwithinotherways,orarestillawaitingdetermination.Thepercentageofscreenedoutnotificationswaslowerthanin2015-16(62percent).

Urgency Ratings

Thenotificationsthatare“screenedin”forfurtherinvestigationbytheCentralIntakeTeamareprovidedwithaprioritylevelbasedontheimminenceofrisktothechildandurgencyofresponserequired.

Theurgencyratingsare:

• Priority1–24hours

• Priority2–Within3days



AsshowninTable2thevastmajorityofinvestigationsarecommencedwithintheurgencyratingtimeperiodacrossallcategories.

CATEGORY 1 JULY 2016 TO 30 JUNE 2017

Priority 1 95%

Priority 2 91%

Priority 3 92%

Priority 4 95%

Table 2: PercentageofInvestigationsCommencedwithinRequiredTime-Frame,1July2016to30June2017


Notificationsscreenedout

59%


Timeliness of Investigations

Once a child protection investigation commences, Territory Families policy provides that it must be completed within 28 days of commencement.

Figure 8 shows the percentage of investigations that were completed over a five-year period within the 28 day and 62 day time frames. 2012-13 appears to be a high-water mark for on time investigation completions. During this reporting period 45 per cent of notifications were investigated within the 28 day time period, a 5 per cent decrease from 2015-16. Sixty-nine per cent of matters were dealt within 62 days or less, a 3 per cent decrease.

Figure 8: PercentageofCompletedInvestigationswithin 28daysand62days,2012-13to2016-17


28 days or less 62 days or less

2012-13

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

43%

58%

50%

65%

77%

69%73%

44%

66%

45%


Unallocated InvestigationsTerritoryFamiliespolicyprovidesthatanunallocatedinvestigationisonethathasbeenscreenedinasrequiringfurtherinvestigationbecauseofapossibleriskofharmorexploitationtoachild,buttheinvestigationisyettocommence.Itisunderstandablethatasmallnumberofunallocatedinvestigationsexistinthesystemasa24hourtimeperiodisallowedtoallocatetheinvestigation.However,unallocatedinvestigationsposearisktochildrenasthecurrentrisktothechildisnotbeingevaluated.

Asof30June2017therewere67unallocatedinvestigations.Thisisaninepercentreductionfrom2015-16.


The Outcomes Of Notifications AsshowninFigure9,therehasbeenasignificant(124percent)increaseinthenumberofnotificationstoTerritoryFamiliesoverthepastfiveyears.Therearenotableincreasesinthenumberofinvestigationscommencedin2013-14(29percent)and2014-15(45percent).However,investigationscommencedslowedtoa10percentincreasein2015-16.Thisreportingperiodhasseeninvestigationscommencedincreaseto18percent.Thisisasignificantincreasecomparedtothe9percentincreaseintotalnotifications.

Datafromthisreportingperiodshowsa49percentincreaseinthepastfiveyears.

Attheendofeachfinancialyearthereareanumberofinvestigationsnotyetcompleted,whichbasedonpreviousyears,tendstoaddaround3to10percenttothereportednumberofsubstantiationsinthefollowingyear.

TheTerritoryFamiliespracticeofstreamliningmultipleinvestigationsintooneinvestigationhasalsoimpactedonsubstantiationrates.

Ifmultipleinvestigationsarerolledintoone,itonlyallowsforonepossibleoutcome.However,thosemultipleinvestigationscouldhaveledtomultiplesubstantiations.

In2016-17,13,068(59percent)notificationswerescreenedoutasnotmeetingthethresholdofrisktowarrantaninvestigation.Thisisanincreaseof465fromthe2015-16reportingperiod.

Notificationssubstantiated

2,209


Figure 9:NumberofNotifications,Investigationsand SubstantiationsofAbuse/Neglect,2012-13to2016-17

2012-13

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

02013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

Notifications Investigations Substantiations

Source: Territory Families 2017Note:Cautionshouldbeexercisedwhenanalysingfiguresfromthemostrecentyeardisplayedassomechildprotectioninvestigationsfromthatyearhavenotconcludedandthereforenotrepresentedinthesenumbers.

22313

9245

2209

9971

3802

1481

12933

4900

1792 1996

7091

17032

20465

7862

1797

Priorto2014-15,thereappearedtobenoclearrelationshipbetweenthenotificationsmadeandthenumberofmattersinvestigated.The2016-17reportingperiodhascontinuedthetrendsince2014-15ofagreaternumberofnotificationsleadingtoinvestigations.Thissuggestsincreasingratesofnotificationsarebasedongenuinechildprotectionconcerns.However,theincreasingratesofnotifications,investigationsandsubstantiationsplacespressuresontheNorthernTerritorychildprotectionsystemandworkerstaskedwithundertakingincreasinginvestigations.ItwouldbehighlydesirableforanaudittobeconductedbyTerritoryFamiliestoassesswhysomanynotificationscontinuetobescreenedout.Suchanauditcouldensurethehighnumbersofnotificationsbeingscreenedoutisnotrelatedtotheuseofscreeningtoolsoraworkloadortrainingissue.


Substantiations by AboriginalityHistorically,thesubstantiationrateforAboriginalchildrenintheNorthernTerritorywassignificantlylowerthanthenationalaverage.InrecentyearstheratesforAboriginalchildrenintheNorthernTerritoryhasbeenabovethenationalaverage.

In2016-17,1,990substantiationsrelatedtoAboriginalchildren.Thisisa22percentincreaseinsubstantiationscomparedtothe2015-16reportingperiod.

SubstantiationsrelatedtoAboriginalchildren.

1,990


Substantiations by Abuse/Neglect TypeFigure10showsthatneglectremainsthehighestsubstantiationcategory.

The42percentofsubstantiatedneglectnotificationsintheNorthernTerritorycanbecontrastedtoanationalaverageof25percent(nationalfiguresfrom2015-16,AIHW2017).Neglectisgenerallyconsideredtobeafailureofaparentorothercaregivertoprovideadequatesupervision,medicalcare,food,clothingandshelter.Researchhasshownthatpovertyisariskindicatorforneglectandfamilieswhoareexperiencingpovertyarealsomorelikelytobeassociatedwithhigherlevelsofparentalstress,inadequatehousing,homelessness,lackofbasicneedsandsubstanceabuse,allofwhicharestronglyassociatedwithneglect(AIFS,2014).ThereisaveryhighrateofsocialdisadvantageintheNorthernTerritory,itispossiblethatnotificationsandsubstantiationsforneglect,althoughveryhigh,understatetheproblem.IfNorthernTerritorychildrenaretobeexposedtolessincidentsthatgiverisetoneglectsubstantiations,housing,povertyandothersocioeconomicfactorsmusttobeaddressed.

Figure 10: SubstantiationsbyTypeofAbuse/Neglect,2012-13to2016-17(percentages)

2012-13

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

Neglect Emotional Physical Sexual


42%

48%50%

43% 43%

39%34%30%

34% 35%

16% 17%18% 18% 18%

1%2% 2%5% 4%

Substantiationsrelate toneglect

42%


Repeat substantiations

Onceachildprotectionagencyhassubstantiatedabuseorneglect,thefirstpriorityistoassesswhetherfamilysupports,orotherformsofassistance,couldenabletheparents,orotherpeoplewithcareofthechildren,tosafelylookafterthechildren.Incaseswherethatisnotpossible,removaltoalternativecarearrangementsmaybeconsideredtoensurethechild’ssafety.Eitherway,theinterventionmustbedesignedtoensurethesafetyandpromotethewellbeingofthechildren.Anindicatorofhoweffectivelyachildprotectionsystemisensuringthesafetyofchildrenisthenumberofchildrenwhoarere-substantiatedasbeingharmedwithinayearoftheirinitialsubstantiation.

In2015-16,1,614childrenwerethesubjectofasubstantiationofabuseorneglectirrespectiveofwhenthenotificationwasreceived.

Ofthe1,614,346(or21percent)werethesubjectofarepeatsubstantiationwithin12months.ThismeansthatalthoughTerritoryFamilieshadrecognisedthatharmtothechildhadoccurred,theresponseofthosewhocarrytheresponsibilityofensuringthecareandprotectionofthechildwasnotsufficienttoensurethesafetyofthechild.

The21percentofrepeatsubstantiationsisconsistentwiththe22percentratein2014-15.

AsshowninTable3,93percentofthechildreninvolvedinthesere-substantiationsareAboriginal.


HARM DESCRIPTOR (ORIGINAL SUBSTANTIATION) NO. OF CHILDREN

Indigenous 323

Non Indigenous 23

TOTAL 346

Table 3:NumberofChildrenExperiencingRepeatSubstantiations afterbeingSubstantiated,in2015-16



Child Protection Authorities and Activities

OnceTerritoryFamilieshasdeterminedthatachildhasbeenabusedorneglected,theymustdecidewhetheritisappropriatetosupportthefamilytominimiserisktothechildortomakealternativearrangementstoensurethesafetyofthechild.


Authorities

OrdersorarrangementsthataffecttheguardianshiprightsofchildrenandplacethoserightswiththeCEOofTerritoryFamiliesarecontainedwithintheCare and Protection of Children Act(CAPCA).Broadly,theseauthoritiescanbecategorisedasfollows:

Order on Adjournment–amatterhasproceededtocourtandhasbeenadjourned.

Protection Order (PO) Daily Care–wheretheCEOhasdailycareandcontrolofachild,butdoesnotcarryparentalresponsibilityforthechild.Dailycareandcontrolusuallyinvolvesdecisionsinvolvingthebasicneedsofthechildsuchastheprovisionofasafehome,accesstofood,clothing,emergencymedicaltreatmentetc.Parentalresponsibilityencompassesdailycareandcontrolbutalsoinvolvesdecisionsthataffectthebroadercontextofachild’supbringingeg.Religiousaffiliation,non-emergencymedicaltreatmentandwhatschoolthechildwillattendetc.

PO Supervision Direction–theCEOdoesnothavedailycareandcontrolorparentalresponsibilitybutmustsupervisetheprotectionofthechildinsomeway.

PO Long Term Parental Responsibility – involvesanorderofthecourtgrantingparentalresponsibilityanddailycareandcontrolrightstotheCEOforaperiodofmorethantwoyears.

PO Short Term Parental Responsibility – involvesanorderofthecourtgrantingparentalresponsibilityanddailycareandcontrolrightstotheCEOforaperiodlessthantwoyears.Thisisusuallytakenoutwherereunificationofthechildwiththeparentsisastrongpossibilitywithtargetedfamilysupportservices.

Provisional Protection (PP)–whereachildcanbetakenintotheCEO’scareduetoanurgentthreattothechild’swellbeing.Thiscanlastforaperiodofupto72hours.

Temporary Placement Arrangement (TPA)– theCEOcanenterintoavoluntaryagreementwiththeparent(s)ofachildtotakethechildintocareforaperiodofuptotwomonths.Suchanarrangementisintendedtoaddresstemporarycrisesandthearrangementsandcanberenewedforamaximumofsixmonths.

Temporary Protection Order (TPO)–involvesanorderofthecourtgrantingatemporaryperiodofguardianship,initiallyfor14days.Itisusuallyaninterimmeasurewhenlonger-termPOsarebeingconsidered.


Figure 11:NumberofAuthorityTypesbyRegion,2016-17

Reportingregionsforthepurposesofthiscomponentoftheannualreportareoftensubjecttochange.In2016-17,thetworeportingregionswereNorthernandSouthernOut-of-HomeCare.

Therehasbeena20percentincreaseinOrdersonAdjournmentacrosstheregions.In2016-17,therewere1302,makingup72percentofthetotalnumberoforders/authoritiesintheNorthernRegion.IntheSouthernRegion,therewere452OrdersonAdjournment,representing59percent

ofSouthernRegionorders/authorities.ThisisfurtherhighlightedbythefactthatacrosstheNorthernTerritory84percentoforders/authoritiesareclassifiedasinterimandtemporaryandonly16percentfinalisedinthe2016-17reportingyear.Stabilityforachildisimportantanditisimportantthatmattersaredealtwithassoonaspossible.However,theOCCrecognisesthatadjournmentsmaybenecessarywheremattersarecomplexorinvolvedpartiesinremotelocations.

Order on Adjournment Protection Order - Supervision Direction

Provisional Protection

Protection Order - Long-term Parental Responsibility Protection Order - Short-term Parental Responsibility

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

452 81 72 87 14 62

1302 87 162 107 27 92Northern Region

Southern Region

8 7 22

Protection Order - Daily Care and Control

Temporary Placement Arrangement Temporary Protection Order

Interim Order Interstate Transfer

Note:TheOoHCResidentialCareNorthRegionhadtwoordersonadjournmentandoneshort-termParentalResponsibilityprotectionorder.


Length of Orders

TheAustralianInstituteofHealthandWelfare(AIHW)reportsnationallyonthelengthoftimechildrenhavebeenonchildprotectionordersatthetimetheordersweredischarged.Table4providesacomparisonofthedifferentjurisdictions.

AscanbeseeninTable4in2015-16,theNThasthesecondhighestpercentage(34.3percent)ofordersinplaceforaperiodoflessthanthreemonths.Althoughadecreasefrom2014-15(39.7percent),thisisstillsubstantiallyhigherthanthe

nationalaverage.Thehighnumberofordersonadjournmentmayaccountforsomeoftheordersthatwerelessthanthreemonths.Itshouldalsobenotedthat,inthecontextofthistable,ifanorderisdischargedandwithinfivedaysanotherorderistakenout,itcountsasonedischarge.Inthe2014-15reportingyear,54.2percentofmattersweredealtwithunder12months.In2015-16,thatnumberdecreasedto45percentofmatters.TheNTisbelowthenationalaveragefororderslasting1-2years,buton-parfororderslasting2ormoreyears.

SincethelastreportingperiodtheproportionofchildrenandyoungpeopleintheNTonlong-termorders,for4yearsormore,hasincreasedby90percentbutisbelowthenationalaverage.Incontrast,thenumberofchildrenandyoungpeopleonshort-termorders,forlessthanthreemonthsandlessthan12months,isabovethenationalaverageinbothinstances.

STATE/TERRITORY SHORT TERM (MONTHS) LONG TERM TERM (YEARS)

<3 0 to <12 1 to <2 4 or more

NSW 21.0 34.2 8.5 47.2

VIC 9.7 47.6 26.9 10.6

QLD 14.4 25.1 26.7 25.6

WA 4.4 13.4 13.5 14.3

SA 37.3 42.9 15.3 31.3

TAS 25.5 37.3 23.8 20.1

ACT 19.1 30.6 16.0 33.6

NT 39.7 54.2 13.2 7.4

AUSTRALIA 14.8 8.5 21.2 11.0

Source: AIHW 2017 (adapted from table S22) Note:AIHWcaveatsapply

Table 4: LengthofTimeContinuallyonaChildProtectionOrderattheTimeofDischargefromOrderbyState/Territory2015-16(asapercentageoftotal)

Ordersinplaceforaperiodoflessthanthreemonths

34.3%55OFFICE OF THE CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER NORTHERN TERRITORY ANNUAL REPORT 2016-17

Figure 12:LengthofTimeContinuallyonaChildProtectionOrderattheTimeofDischargefromOrderinthe NorthernTerritorybyAboriginalityandcomparedwithnationalaverage,2015-16(asapercentageoftotal)

Usingthesamedata,theOCCexaminedthelengthofchildprotectionordersaccordingtoAboriginality.Ofnoteisthelargeproportionofnon-Aboriginalchildrenonordersfor1-2years,andthestarkdisparitybetweenAboriginalchildren(28.6percent)andnon-Aboriginalchildren(13.1percent)intheNTonordersforbetweentwoandfouryears.

31.1

34.3

14.8

10.5 11.4 10.7

22.7

12.9

26.2

15.9

21.2

28.6

13.1

25.1

19.3

12.9

18

14.1

22

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

<3 months 3<6 months 1-<2 years 2-<4 years 4+ years

35.2

Source: AIHW 2017 (adapted from table S22) Note: AIHWcaveatsapply

Aboriginal children in the NT All NT children

Non-Aboriginal children in the NT All children nationally


Activities

TheaforementionedordersandauthoritiesaccountforonlyaportionofthetotalactivitiesundertakenbyTerritoryFamilies.Otheractivitiesincludetheprovisionoffamilysupportwithouthavingtoaddressoralterthechild’sguardianshipstatusandtheprovisionofprotectiveassessments.Protectiveassessmentsmaybeundertakenfor:

• centrelinkreferralsundertheYouthProtocol

• referralsfromtheYouthCourt

• extra-familialchildsexualassaultinvestigationswheretherearenoallegationsofparentalinvolvement

• circumstanceswhereachildisnotundercontrolandisengaginginbehaviourlikelytocauseharm,intheabsenceofparentalabuseorneglectasoutlinedintheCAPCA.

Figure 13: NumberandPercentageMixofOpenCasesbyTypeof ActivityandbyRegionalOffice,asat30June2017

Figure13providesasnapshotofTerritoryFamiliesactivitiesasat30June2017accordingtoregion.In2016-17childprotectionwasthemainactivityofTerritoryFamilies,followedbyfamilysupportservicesandprotectiveassessments.ActivityinallthreeareasincreasedsignificantlyintheSouthernRegion;childprotectioncasesintheSouthernRegionincreasedby77percent,familysupportincreased

two-foldandprotectiveassessmentmorethandoubledin2016-17.Incontrast,casesremainedrelativelyconsistentintheNorthernRegion,asidefromFamilySupportServices,in2016-17.FamilySupportServiceswereutilisedmorein2016-17than2015-16inbothregionshowever,theNorthernRegionprovidedFamilySupportServicestosignificantlymorefamilies(99)incomparisontotheSouthernRegion.

60% 65% 70% 75% 80% 85%

1,996

Southern Region

Northern Region

Child protection

90% 95% 100%

Family support Protective Assessment

169 53

2,109 69 36



Out-of-Home Care (OoHC)

TheRoyalCommissionintotheProtectionandDetentionofChildrenintheNorthernTerritoryplacedanemphasisonchildprotectionservicedelivery,inparticulartheprovisionofOut-of-HomeCareservices.TheOCChasmonitoredthenumberofchildrenandyoungpeopleincare,andtheprovisionofservicestothesechildrenandyoungpeople,overtheprevioussixyears,usinginternaldataprovidedbyTerritoryFamilies.

Theremovalofchildrenfromtheirfamilyhomesisneveraneasychoiceforachildprotectionpractitioner,however,incertaincircumstancesitistheonlymeansofprotectingthechildduetotheriskofharmposedbysomeparentsorguardians.On30June2017,1,049childrenwererecordedasbeinginsomeformofstatutoryOoHCintheNT.Thisisa3percentincreasefrom30June2016.Ofthe1,049childreninOoHC,938(89percent)wereAboriginalchildren;thesameproportionas2015-16.

Inlinewithnationalaverages,approximatelytwo-thirdsofchildreninOoHCwereaged5-9and10-14and,52percentweremale(comparisonratesbasedon30June2016data).

Figure 14: NumberandPercentageofChildreninCareby Aboriginality,Gender,RegionandAge,asat30June2017

AboriginalNon-Aboriginal

111;11%

938;89%

ABORIGINAL STATUS

MaleFemale

GENDER

NorthernSouthern

436;42%

613;58%

REGION

0-4 years5-9 years10-14 years15-17 years

202;19%

359;34%

319;31%

169;16%

AGE

506;48%

543;52%


BasedonthenumbersinFigure14andABSpopulationdata,theNTOoHCrateat30June2017fornon-Aboriginalchildrenis3per1,000and35per1,000forAboriginalchildren.Thenon-Aboriginalnumbershaveremainedconsistentfrom2015-16(2.9per1,000)andisthelowestinAustralia,almosthalfthenationalaverageof5.8per1,000(comparisonratesbasedon30June2016data).

AlthoughtheoverallplacementrateintheNT(16.2per1,000basedon30 June 2016data)isthehighestofalljurisdictions,therateofplacementofAboriginalchildrenintheNT(35per 1,000)isthesecondlowestjurisdictionnationally,significantlylessthanthenationalaverageof56.6per1,000(comparisonratesbasedon30June2016data).

TheNT’srateofplacementishighestlargelyduetothehighlevelsofdisadvantagedAboriginalchildrenandfamiliesintheNT.However,thecomparativelylowplacementrateofAboriginalchildren,ishardertoexplain.Onvirtuallyeverymeasureofwellbeing,Aboriginalchildrenandfamiliesaremoredisadvantagedthantheircounterpartsinotherjurisdictions.Itmightthereforebeexpectedthatmore,ratherthanfewer,AboriginalchildrenintheNTmightbeinneedofstatutoryprotection.ThisisparticularlyevidentoverthepastfewyearswheretheNTAboriginalsubstantiationratesforabuseandneglect(71per1,000)aresignificantlyhigherthanthenationalsubstantiationrates(43.6per1,000),yettheplacementrateofAboriginalchildrenhasremainedoneofthelowestinAustralia.

Children entering the OoHC system in 2016-17TheOoHCsystemhasaconstantlyshiftingnumberofchildrenwhoenterandleavethesystem.In2016-17,atotalof304childrenenteredthesystem,adecreaseof4percentfrom2015-16.ThisisthelowestnumberofchildrentoenterOoHCintheNTinsixyears.Ofthese304children,264(87percent)wereAboriginalchildren,slightlylowerthanthepercentageofAboriginalchildrenintheOoHCsystemoverall.

Children in OoHC by Aboriginality AsshowninFigure14,asignificantmajorityofchildreninOoHCareAboriginal.ThenumberofAboriginalchildrenincarehasincreasedeachyear,withanincreaseof3 percentin2016-17.Inlinewiththis,theproportionofAboriginalchildreninOoHChassteadilyincreasedfrom82 per centon30June2012to89 per centon30 June2017;anaverageincreaseof0.7percenteachyeardespiteplateauingthisreportingyear.Incontrast,thenumbersfornon-AboriginalchildreninOoHChavebeenquitestable,withaslightdecreaseseenintheprevioustwoyears,from124at30June2015to112at30 June2016and111at30June2017.

ChildreninOut-of-HomeCareareAboriginal

89%

ChildrenenteredtheOut-of-HomeCaresystemin2016-17

304


The Aboriginal Child Placement Principle Asat30June2017,89percent(938)ofchildreninOoHCintheNTwereAboriginal.Thisisconsistentwiththe2015-16reportingperiod.TheAboriginalChildPlacementPrinciple(ACPP)recognisestheimportanceofculturalcontinuityandprioritisesachildbeingplacedwithdirectkinor,failingthis,withsomeonewhospeakstheirlanguageandsharestheirculture,ratherthanamemberofanotherAboriginalgroup,oranon-Aboriginalperson.

OneofthemainchallengesfacingTerritoryFamiliesistomeettheserequirementswheretherearefeweravailableadultsforeachAboriginalchildinneedofcareandprotection,thanfornon-Aboriginalchildren.

ThelownumberofregisteredcarersinmanyAboriginalculturalgroupshasalsomadeitdifficulttomeetACPPguidelines,assetoutintheCAPCA.Whencomparedwithotherjurisdictions,theNThasthelowestrateofAboriginalchildrenbeingplacedwithAboriginalcarers.Asat30June2017,itstoodat32percent,wellbelowthenationalaverageof65percent(comparisonratesbasedon30June2016data).AsshowninFigure15,ofthe32percentofAboriginalchildrenplacedwithAboriginalcarers,theoverwhelmingmajority(85percent)wereplacedwithanAboriginalrelativeorkin.

AboriginalchildrenplacedwithAboriginalcarers

32%



Figure 15: NumberandPercentageofAboriginalchildrenin OoHCAccordingtoPlacementType,30June2017

32%68%85%

15%

Non-Indigenous Caregiver Indigenous relative/kin Other Indigenous


During2016-17,TerritoryFamiliesregistered170newPlacesofCare(POC)orcarers.Althoughthisisslightlylower(4percent)thanthepreviousreportingperiod,theregistrationofexistingcarerslapsinghasdecreasedby10%andindicatesincreasedretentionofcarersintheNT.

Asat30June2017,therewere487POCsintheNTOoHCsystem,anincreaseof7percentincreaseinPOCsfrom2015-16.InpreviousannualreportstheOCChasreportedonthenumberofcarersspecificallyregisterforcrisiscare.CrisiscarersarenolongeraseparatecategoryunderwhichacarermayregisterandtheOCCwillnolongerreportonthiscategory.

ThehighestproportionofPOCs,215(44percent)wereregisteredforspecifickinshipcare,thatisachildbeingcaredforbyextendedfamily.Thishasdecreasedslightly(0.9percent)from2015-16.Kinshipplacementsareimportanttomaintainconnectionstofamily,community,countryandculture.Therewere187(38percent)POCsregisteredtoprovidegeneralfostercareforabroadrangeofchildrenandafurther85(18percent)ofPOCregistrationsinvolvedspecificfostercare,providingcareforaspecificchildnotrelatedtothem.

Theincidencesofgeneralfostercarewerehigherfornon-Aboriginalchildren(80percent)and,specifickinshipcarewerehigherforAboriginalchildren(79.5percent),comparabletothefiguresfor2015-16.

DespitetheincrementaldecreaseinthenumberofAboriginalchildreningeneralfostercare,thenumbersinspecifickinshiphaveremainedconsistent.TheOCCwouldwelcomefurthereffortstoincreasethenumberskinshipcarersforAboriginalchildrenandcompliancewiththeACPP.

Foster Care Placements

Figure 16: PlacesofCarebyAboriginalandCarerType,asat30June2017

Source: Territory Families 2017Note:EachPOCcouldhaveoneormorecarers.IfoneofthecarersisAboriginal,theplacementisconsideredtobeanAboriginalplacement.

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

General Foster Care

37

Specific Foster Care

Specific Kinship Care

150

19

66

171

44

Aboriginal Non-Aboriginal


TheChildren’sCommissionerhasresponsibilityforcomplaintsaboutservicesprovidedforchildrenwithdisabilities,inlinewiththeAct.Insomecases,themainreasonforachildenteringOoHCistheirparentsareunabletocopewiththedemandsoftheirchild’sdisability.Providingsupportforchildren,andtheirfamilies,withcomplexneedscanbeparticularlydifficultinaremoteservicesetting.

At30June2017,therewere117childrenwithadisabilityinthecareofTerritoryFamilies,a4percentincreasefrom2015-16(112).Thisrepresentsaplateaufollowingastarkincrease(10percent)in2014-15.

AsshowninFigure17,childrenwithanintellectualorlearningdisabilitymadeupthelargestportion(50percent)ofthesechildren,followedbyphysicaldisability(28percent),notstated(17percent)andsensory/speech(5percent).

TheOCChasnotedatrendofchildrenwithdisabilitiesinthecareofTerritoryFamiliesbeingonlong-termorders.In2016-17,77(66percent)wereonalong-termorder,anincreaseof2percentfrom2015-16.

Children with a Disability

Figure 17: NumberofchildreninOoHCwithaDisabilitybyDisabilityType,30June2017


70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Intellectual / Learning

58

Physical Diverse

Sensory / Speech

33

6

20

Not Stated

ChildrenwithadisabilityinthecareofTerritoryFamilies

117


ThisChapteranalysesdataprovidedbyTerritoryFamiliesonthesubstantiatedcasesofharmandexploitationofchildrenintheOut-of-HomeCare.

Monitoring Investigations of Harm and Exploitation of Children in Out-of-Home Care


TheNationalStandardsforOoHC(DSS,2011)wereintroducedtodriveimprovementsinthequalityofcaretochildrenandyoungpeopleintheOoHCsystem,andtoinfluencechangetoensurechildreninOoHChavethesameopportunitiesasotherchildrentoreachtheirpotential.Itisvitalthat,whenchildrenaretakenintocare,everythingpossibleisdonetoensurethattheircareandprotectionneedsaremetandthattheyareabletoengageinactivitiesthatwilloptimisetheircapacitytoachievetheirindividualgoals.

Harm and Exploitation in Care Management ProvisionsCAPCAprovidestheCEOofTerritoryFamilieswiththepowertoinvestigateallegationsofharmorexploitationofchildreninOoHCandtorespondaccordingly.ThestatutoryprovisionsaresupportedbytheTerritoryFamiliesPracticeManual,policyandguidelinesinrelationtoconcernsaboutthesafetyofchildrenincare.ThePracticeManualoutlinestheprocessthatdelegatedofficersmustfollowwhenallegationsarereceivedaboutthequalityandstandardofcareprovidedtoachildinOoHC.Itoutlinesthatallconcernsmustbe:

1. referredtotheCentralIntakeTeamforclassification

2. recordedasachildprotectionreport

3. assessedthroughanewchildprotectioninvestigationcaseallocatedtotheworkunitresponsiblefortheareawherethechildiscurrentlylocated(unlesstheconcernswarrantaninvestigationbytheChildAbuseTaskforce).

Dependingontheseverityoftheabuseallegations,thecasewillbe‘outcomed’aseitherapriority1or2rating(requiringa24houror72hourresponserespectively).Thechildprotectioninvestigationmustbecompletedwithin28days.Aspartoftheinvestigationthechildshould,unlessimpracticable,beinterviewedaswellasthepersonorpersonsbelievedresponsible.Athoroughandtimelyinvestigationisimportanttoensurethesafetyofthechildand/oranyotherchildrenwhoareinthesameplacement.

Section84CoftheCAPCArequirestheCEOofTerritoryFamiliestonotifytheChildren’sCommissionerregardingcaseswhereachildprotectioninvestigationsubstantiatesanallegationofharmorexploitationofachildinOoHC.Inaddition,section10(1)(f)oftheCAPCAspecifiesthatoneofthefunctionsoftheChildren’sCommissioneristomonitorthewaysinwhichtheCEOdealswithsuspectedorpotentialabuseincarematters.


Cases of Harm and Exploitation of Children in Out-of-Home CareOn30June2017,therewere1,049childrenintheOoHCsystem,with305childrenenteringthesystemintheReportingPeriod.Ofthetotalnumberofchildrenincare,asof30June2017,938(89percent)wereAboriginaland111(11percent)werenon-Aboriginal.

Between1July2016and1July2017,theCEOofTerritoryFamiliesnotifiedtheCommissionerof91casesofharmandexploitation (there were also 10 cases that the Commissioner was not informed of but discovered) involving80childreninOoHC.Ofthesechildren,TerritoryFamiliesdetermined17weresubjecttomultiplecasesofharmorexploitation,includingfourfemalesthathadbeensubjecttoharmorexploitationon3separateoccasions.

Figure 18: NumberofHarmorExploitationinCareCasesby HarmorExploitationTypeandAboriginality,2016-17

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Emotional

55

Neglect Physical Sexual

Non-Aboriginal

4

22

3

11

2

4

Aboriginal

Childrenincaresubjecttoharmorexploitation

101


Types of Harm and Exploitation

AsshowninFigure18,themostcommonformofharmandexploitationwasemotionalabuse,with59(58%)casesfollowedby25(25%)casesofneglect,13(13%)casesofphysicalharmand4(4%)ofcasesrelatingtosexualharmandexploitation.Thishasdeviatedfromthelastreportingperiodinwhichphysicalabusewasrecordedasthemostcommonformofharmandexploitation.Ratesofnotificationforemotionalabuseforchildrenincareinthisreportingperiod(59cases)havegrownsignificantlyfromthe2015-16reportingperiod(22cases).Increasingnumbersofemotionalabusecasesmirrorstheincreasingnumbersofsubstantiatednotificationsforemotionalharmgenerally.

Childharmorexploitationcantakemanyformsandrarelydoesachildexperienceonlyoneformofharm.Manychildrenwhoaresexuallyabusedwillalsobeemotionallyandphysicallyabused.Inorderforthechildprotectioninvestigationoutcometobesubstantiated,itmustbeassessedthatthechildhassuffered,issuffering,orislikelytosuffer,harmorexploitationinaccordancewithsection15oftheCAPCA.

Inthisreportingperiod,theCommissionerhasreviewedtheprimaryharmorexploitationtype,recordedbyTerritoryFamilies.

Ofthetotal59casesofemotionalabuse:

• 51(87%)involvedAboriginalchildrenand8(13%)non-Aboriginalchildren.

Ofthetotal25casesofneglect:


Ofthetotal13casesofphysicalabuse:


Ofthetotal4casesofsexualexploitation:

• 4(100%)involvedAboriginalchildren.

Furtheranalysisofthe2016-17substantiatednotificationsofharmorexploitationinchildreninOoHCisasfollows:

• Ofthe101cases,88(87%)casesinvolvedAboriginalchildren(comparabletotheproportionofAboriginalchildrenincare)and13(13%)casesinvolvednon-Aboriginalchildren.

• Ofthe17childrensubjectedtomultiplecasesofabuseincare,13(76%)wereAboriginalchildrenand4(24%)werenon-Aboriginal.

• 52(52%)ofcaseswerefemalesand49(48%)casesweremales.

• Themajorityofcases30(30%)occurredinthe5to9agegroup,27(27%)inthe10to14agegroup,26(26%)inthe0-4agegroupand18(18%)wereinthe15to17yearagegroup.

• Thehighestnumberofcasesofharmandexploitationoccurredwherechildrenandyoungpeoplewereinfostercare32(31%).Ofthetotal101casesofharmandexploitationofchildrenin59(59%)casesthechildremainedintheplacement,28(28%)ofthechildrenwereremovedfromtheplacementand14(13%)isundefined.

Substantiatedcasesofharmorexploitationincareinvolved

Aboriginalchildren.

87%


Harm by Placement Type

AsindicatedinFigure19,themostcasesofharmandexploitation29(29%)occurredwheretheplacementtypeisfostercare,23(22%)casesinkinshipcare,20(20%)inhomebasecare,13(13%)haveself-placed,11(11%)inresidentialcare,and5(5%)casesinfamilygroup.

ThisReportingPeriodhasseenanincreaseinthenumberofcasesofharmandexploitationwherethechildoryoungpersonisplacedinfostercarefromthosereportedin2015-16(18cases).Self-placingwasanissueoverthe2015-16period,however,therehasbeen

a63percentreductioninthenumberofnotificationswhereachildisself-placing.

Aself-placingchildoryoungpersonwillgenerallyhavelessinvolvementwithprofessionalsthanachildinkinshiporfostercareandincidentsofharmandexploitationarelikelytobeunderreported.


Figure 19: NumberofHarmorExploitationinCareCasesbyPlacementType,2015-16

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Foster Care Home Based Care

RelativeKinship Care Residential Self-placing Other

29

20

23

5

1113

0


Childrenwhohadsufferedmultiplecasesof harmorexploitation

17

Multiple Cases of Harm and Exploitation

OneofthemeasuresusedbytheCommissionertomonitorthequalityofcareprovidedtochildreninOoHCiswhethertherehavebeenpreviousallegationsofharmorexploitationinrelationtothatchild.

Ofthe80childrenwhowereabusedinthe2016-17period,70hadpriorsubstantiationsofharmorexploitation.

Inthe2016-17reportingperiod,therewere38casesinvolving17childrenwhohadsufferedmultiplecasesofharmandexploitationinOoHC.

Ofthe38cases,18involvedsubstantiatedcasesofemotionalharm,15casesofneglect,4casesofphysicalharmand1caseofsexualharmandexploitation.Infourteencasesthechildrenwereinfostercare,9inkinshipcare,8inhomebasedcare,and2infamilygroupcare.

Thecasesinvolved6inthe5-9 age group,5 childreninthe0-4 age group,4inthe15-17age groupand2inthe10-14agegroup.


Investigations Commenced and Completed Within Required Time FramesOfthe101cases,31wereoutcomedasPriority1,requiringa24hourresponsetimeframe,52caseswereoutcomedasPriority2,requiringa72hourresponse.SeventeencasesweregivenaPriority3rating,requiringa5dayresponseand1casewasgivenaPriority4ratingrequiringaresponsewithin10days.

OfthePriority1childinvestigations,28(90%)werecommencedwithintherequiredresponsetimeframe.46(88%)ofthePriority2childinvestigationswerecommencedwithintherequiredresponsetimeframe.

Ofthe101casesinvestigated,only25(25%)werecompletedwithinthe28days,76(75%)oftheinvestigationswerenotcompletedwithinthespecifiedtime.

Child InterviewedOfthe101casesofharmorexploitationofchildrenincare,TerritoryFamiliescasemanagersinterviewedthechildreninvolvedin73ofthecases,in28casesthechildrenwerenotinterviewed.Thisisaresultofthechildorchildreneitherrefusingtobeinterviewedand/orunabletobelocated,orweretooyoung.

Person Believed to be Responsible InterviewedIn72(71%)ofthecasesthepersonbelievedtoberesponsiblefortheharmandexploitationofthechildwasinterviewedaspartoftheinvestigations.

TheChildAbuseTaskForceorNTPolicewereeithernotifiedorinvolvedin41(41%)ofthe101casesofabuseincare.Theexactlevelofinvolvementappearedtobedependentontheallegations,however,inthemajorityofcasesinvolvingsexualexploitationtherewassomelevelofinvolvement.

Applications for Victims of Crime Assistance IfachildhasbeenthevictimofaviolentactwhichoccurredintheNorthernTerritorytheymaybeentitledtoanawardofassistanceundertheVictims of Crime Assistance Act.AsanincidentofthepowersthatcomewithparentalresponsibilityTerritoryFamilieshavealegalresponsibilitytoensurechildrenincareareassistedtopursueanylegalentitlements.TerritoryFamiliespolicyprovidesthatwhereachildisavictimofaviolentactwhileincare,theInternalReviewUnitwithTerritoryFamilieswillarrangeforanindependentlegalrepresentativetoactintheinterestsofthechild,includingcompletingtheapplicationforfinancialassistancethroughtheCrimesVictimsServicesUnit.

Therewerenoapplicationsforassistanceonanyofthefiles.

TheOCCwasabletoidentifythreecasesinwhichachildincareappearedtohavehadaprimafacieentitlementtovictimsofcrimeassistanceifanapplicationwasmadeontheirbehalf,thoughnoevidenceofapplicationwerepresent.

Investigationscompletedwithinthespecifiedtime

25%No cases of victims of crime

assistance applications


Conclusion

Ofparticularconcernthisreportingperiodwasariseinthenumberofchildrenabusedwiththerecordedplacementtypebeingfostercare.Thirtytwoofthetotalcasesinvolvedchildreninfostercare.FostercarersplayacriticalroleinthechildprotectionsystemandaregivensignificantresponsibilitywithrespecttothedaytodaycareofchildreninOoHC.Thereasonsbehindthesenumbers,thesupportprovidedtofostercarersandscreeningproceduresshouldbereviewedregularly.ChildrenremovedfromtheirfamiliesandplacedintocareshouldbesafeandwellcaredforinOoHC.

ThenumberofcaseswhereTerritoryFamilieshavesubstantiatedharmorexploitationwhereachildoryoungpersonisself-placingcarehasdecreasedin2016-17(13)from2015-16(18).However,itisimportanttorecognisethatchildrenwhoareself-placinggenerallyhavelimitedcontactwithprofessionalsandasaresultthenumberofcasesofharmandexploitationofachildincarewhoisself-placingislikelytobeunderreported.

Themostcommontypeofharmorexploitationincarein2016-17wasemotionalharm(58percent)followed

byneglect(25percent).Emotionalharmreportshaveincreasedsignificantlysince2015-16andmaybetheresultofchildrenwitnessingviolence.Professionalsandthecommunitygenerallyhaveanincreasedunderstandingoftheharmcausedtochildrenwhoarepresentwhenanadultissubjecttodomesticviolence.

InthisreportingperiodtheOCChasconsideredforthefirsttimevictimsofcrimeassistanceapplicationswithrespecttochildrenincarewhereharmorexploitationhasbeensubstantiated.Onanumberoffilesitwasclearthatachildmayhavehad


anentitlementtoanawardofassistanceandthechildshouldhavebeenassisted,consistentwithpolicyandlegalobligations,toapplyforanawardofassistance.TheOCCwillraisetheseindividualmatterswithTerritoryFamiliesforappropriateaction.

Thedecisiontoremoveachildfromtheirfamilyandbeplacedincareisneveraneasyoneforallthoseinvolvedinthechildprotectionsystem.Suchadecisionisonlymadeonthebasisthechildwillbeplacedinasupportiveandsafeenvironment.Themajorityofchildrenincaredoreceiveappropriatelevelsofcareandsupportfromthosefamilyorfostercarerstheyareplacedwith.However,thelevelsofharmandexploitationchildrenincarearesubjecttoremainsofsignificantconcerntotheOCC.Moresoarethe17childrenincaresubjecttomultiplecasesofharmorexploitation.

Finally,monitoringofchildrenincaresubjecttoharmorexploitationisacriticalone.ItisimperativethatTerritoryFamiliesprovideaccurateandtimelyinformationtotheOCCtoenabletheOCCtofulfillthisfunctionanditissignificantconcernthattheOCCwasnotnotifiedofanumberofharmorexploitationincarecases.

The levels of harm and exploitation children in care are subject to remains of significant

concern to the OCC.


InadditiontoanalysingoperationaldataprovidedbyTerritoryFamilies,theOCCconductedcasefilereviewsexamining:

• TheCare and Protection of Children Act requirementforeachchildincaretohaveacareplan

• Theprovisionofleavingcareplansforyoungpeopleagedover15

• Theprovisionofleavingcareplansfor17yearoldyoungpeople

• TerritoryFamiliesresponsestochildrenself-placing

• Caseworkercontactwithchildrenincare

• TheuseofTemporaryPlacementArrangements

CAPCA Monitoring – Out-of-Home Care Data


TEMPORARY PLACEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

There were 41 TPAs relating to 33 children. This is a marked increase (28 per cent) in the number of TPAs from 2015-16, and does not follow the

previous decreasing trend.

In 2016-17, 15 per cent of children entered the care of Territory Families at the conclusion of a TPA, comparative

with previous years.

Key Findings for 2016-2017CARE PLANS

82 per cent of the sample children had a care plan, a 13 per cent decrease from

the previous year.

Of these children 75 per cent had a current care plan. This is comparable to 2015-16 of 77 per cent of the sample

children having a current care plan.

CASE MANAGER CONTACT WITH CHILDREN IN CARE

79 per cent of the sample children in OoHC had face-to-face contact with their case manager in the two months prior to the review date (30 June 2017).

Only 68 per cent had contact once a month.

LEAVING CARE PLANS FOR 17 YEAR OLD YOUNG PEOPLE

Reviewing leaving care plans for all 17 year old young people in care was a new initiative for the Commissioner in 2016-17. This review assessed compliance with policy particularly for young people in their last year of care and found 79 per cent of 17 year olds had a leaving care plan.

Of these, only 56 per cent had participated in the transition from care process.

SELF-PLACING

28 young people were identified as self-placing and in an unapproved Out-of-Home Care placement. In over half of the cases, there was no evidence to demonstrate efforts made by Territory Families to return the young people to an approved placement, and in 86 per cent of cases no financial support was being

provided.

LEAVING CARE PLANS

47 per cent of the sampled young people 15 years and older had a leaving care plan on file, significantly more than the 27 per cent in 2015-16. In addition, there was a significant increase of 28 per cent in the proportion of young people aged 15 years and over who had participated in their

leaving care plan.


Care Plan Review

TheOCCprocessforreviewingtheOoHCdataincludesaccessingasampleofcareplansforchildrenwhowereunderthecareandprotectionoftheCEOofTerritoryFamiliesoverthe2016-17period.ThekeyaimofthecareplanreviewistomonitorTerritoryFamiliescompliancewithPart2.2,Division2oftheCAPCAandanalysethetrendsclarified.ProvisionscontainedwithinthispartoftheCAPCArequiretheCEOtohaveaclear,comprehensiveandwell-measuredplanforeverychildonastatutoryorderoradministrativearrangement.

Care Plan Guidelines

Asidefrombeingalegislativeobligation,thecareplanisacriticalelementofgoodchildprotectionpractice.Thedocumentidentifiestheneedsofthechildacrossthelifedomains;emotionalandbehavioural,healthanddevelopment,familyrelationshipsandconnections,cultureandidentity,educationandorothereducationprograms,lifeskills,socialrelationshipsandleavingcare.Thecareplanshouldidentifyrequirementstoaddressthechild’sindividualneedsandprovideforspecificandmeasurablecareplangoals.Thegoalsmustbeconcreteandachievablewithcleartasksandresponsibilitiesandtimeframes.Thecareplanmustsetoutdecisionsaboutdailycareandcontrolofthechild,contactbetweenthechildandotherpersons,andmustreflecttheoverallobjectiveofthechild’splacementincare.

Thecareplanistobeformulatedinconsultationwiththefamilymembers,includingthechildwhereappropriate,andotherrelevantparties.


Review Process

Thecareplanreviewisbasedona10percentsample(109casesofchildren)inthecareoftheCEOofTerritoryFamiliesasat30June2017.ThecaseswererandomlyselectedensuringanequalpercentagefromeachregionoftheNorthernTerritorywasobtainedfromthe1,049children,enablingcomparisonwithpreviousOCCreportingyears.

Inordertoconductthereview,theOCCaccessedtheTerritoryFamiliesdatabase,knownastheCommunityCareInformationSystem(CCIS).IndependentaccesstoCCIS(byarrangementwithTerritoryFamilies)wasessentialasthissystemholdsmostoftheTerritoryFamiliesclientrecords.

Toensureallrelevantdocumentationwasexamined,hard-copyfilesfortheperiod1July2016to30June2017weremadeavailableforreviewersateachregionalTerritoryFamiliesoffice.

109 CHILDREN

AGE

0-4 Years old 16 (15%) Female 53 (49%)

5-9 Years old 40 (37%) Male 56 (51%)

10-14 Years old 31 (28%) Aboriginal 99 (91%)

15-17 Years old 22 (20%) Non-Aboriginal 10 (9%)

Characteristics of Sampled Children


ofchildrensampled hadacareplan

82%

Findings

Ofthe109cases,11werenotassessedandremovedfromthecounting,dueprimarilytothechildhavingbeenincareforlessthansixweeksasatthe30June2017,withonecaseidentifiednotrelevanttothereviewduetothechildnotbeinginthecareoftheCEOduringthereviewperiod.Assuch,98caseswereincludedinthecareplanreviewprocess.

Ofthese,18casesdidnothaveadraftorauthorisedcareplanduringthereviewperiod.ThereviewconsidersacareplantobepresentifithasbeeneitherapprovedonCCISorhardcopy,orfinalisedonCCISwithinthereviewperiod.

Ofthecasessampled,82percent(80cases)hadacareplanin2016-2017.Thisisasignificantdecreaseof12percentfromthepreviousyear,indicativeoftheincreasedrobustnessofthereviewcriteriarelationtocareplanauthorisation.

Thenumberofchildrenfoundnottohaveacareplanvariedbyregion.Katherinehadthehighestnumberofchildrenwithoutacareplanat65percent(11cases).

Giventheimportanceofcareplanning,theCommissionerbroughtthefindingsofthereviewtotheimmediateattentionoftheCEOofTerritoryFamilieswhomhassincetakenactiontoaddresstheconcerns.

Ofthe80childrenwithacareplan,60children(75percent)hadacurrentcareplan.Thisiscomparableto77percentfromthepreviousyear.TheCommissioner’scommentsinthe2015-16annualreportwerethatfocuswasrequiredtoensureimprovedcomplianceinthisareaoverthenext12months.Thisremainsthecasefor2016-17.


2011-12

Adequately identifies needs of child

Adequately outlines measures to address the child’s needs

Sets out decisions about daily care and control

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

75%

Figure 20: PercentagesofMeasuresofAdequacyofCarePlans2011-12to2016-17

74%69%

62%58%

78% 79% 77%

90% 90%

78%

89% 90% 89%94%

88%81%

98%

Quality of Care Planning

AsshowninFigure20,identificationofthechild’sneedsdecreasedby2percent,outliningmeasurestoaddresstheseneedsdecreasedby8percent,andsettingoutdecisionsrelatingtodailycareandcontrolincreasedby4percentin2016-17.

Since2012-13therehasbeencontinualimprovementinthequalityofthesemeasures.TheOCCdrawsattentiontothedecreaseinoutliningmeasurestoaddressthechild’sneedstoensurethereisafocusonimprovementoverthenext12months.


AsshowninTable5,asignificantdecreasefrom2015-16wasseenacrosstheanalysisofcareplandata,exceptcleardecisionsabouttheplacementarrangements.Themostsignificantdecreaseswereseenregardingconsultationwiththechildoryoungperson(32percent),consultationwiththefamily(26percent)andcleardecisionsaboutcontactbetweenthechildandotherpersons(20percent).TheOCCreinforcesthatthewishesofthechildaretobetakenintoaccount,ifreasonableandappropriate,whenpreparingormodifyingacareplanasoutlinedinSection71oftheCAPCA.

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

The care plan included clear decisions about

contact between the child and other persons

58% 90% 92% 82% 66%

The care plan included clear decision about the

placement arrangements for the child

54% 90% 87% 88% 91%

The goals in the care plan were concrete and

achievable with clear tasks, responsibilities and

time frames

42% 73% 67% 89% 81%

The care plan reflected the overall objectives of the child’s placement in care

64% 79% 89% 91% 79%

The child/young person was

consulted regarding the care plan

10% 72% 73% 78% 53%

The family was consulted regarding the care plan 51% 77% 80% 69% 51%

Table 5: AnalysisofCarePlanQuality


careplansprovided toparents

4%AsshowninFigure21,anunknowndeterminationwasascribedto63percentand80percentofcareplansprovidedtoparentsandcarersrespectively.Thisdeterminationwasallocatedwhenaparentorcarerwasnominatedfordistributioninthecareplan.However,therewasanabsenceofasignaturetoconfirmtheirreceipt.In2015-16theOCCremarkedonasignificantincreaseinthenumberofcareplansprovidedtoparentsandcarers.Theunknowndeterminationin2016-17doesnotnecessarilycontradictthishowever,theselevelsarehighandwarrantfurtherattentiontothissectionofthecareplan.

Theeffectiveinvolvementofparentsandcarersinidentifyingandrespondingtothechild’scareneedsisvitaltosupporttheachievementofpositiveoutcomesandisalegislativerequirementfoundwithinsection73and74oftheCAPCA.

Therewasnodocumentedevidencethatanyofthe16youngpeople(15yearoldsorabove)reviewedreceivedacopyoftheircareplan,56percentwererecordedasexplicitlynotreceivingacopywhiletheremainingwereassessedasunknown.Itisimportantyoungpeoplefifteenyearsandolderareconsultedwithandgivenacopyoftheircareplantoproactivelysupportanindividualisedtransitiontoadulthood,orleavingcareplan.Thisisadifficultstepformanyyoungpeople

andTerritoryFamilieshasakeyroletoplayinengaging,empoweringandequippingtheseyoungpeoplewiththenecessaryskills,supportsandarrangementsforasuccessfultransitiontoindependentliving.

Furthermore,theCAPCAnecessitateshavingregardtothewishesandviewsofthechildand,providingacopyofthecareplantothechildunlessitisinappropriateorimpracticable.TheLeavingCarePlanReviewwilldiscusscareplansforchildrenover15yearsinmoredetail.

Figure 21: Percentageofcareplansprovidedtorelevantparties90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

4%

63%

34%

9%

80%

11%

44%

56%

The care plan was provided to the parents

The care plan was provided to the carer/s

In the case of a fifteen year old (or above) the care plan was

provided to the young personYes Unknown No


Ofthe98childreninthe2016-17sample, 90wereAboriginal.Seventy-two(73percent)ofthesechildrenhadacareplanand62percentofAboriginalchildrenhadspecificcareplan.Thepurposeofaculturalcareplanistoestablishachild’sculturalidentityneedsandwaysinwhichtomaintainlinkswiththeirculture.Themajorityofculturalcareplanswereassessedasbeingofastandardthatmettheintendedpurpose,howeversixwhereassessedasbeinginadequate.

CulturalcareplansarevitalforAboriginalchildrentodeveloptheiridentityandsenseofbelonging.TwocasesfromthePalmerstonofficewereidentifiedashavingspecificculturalcareplansindependentofthechild’scareplan;bothexampleswereoutstandingincomparisontoothersthatwerereviewed.

A6percentincreaseincareplansthatconsideredtheculturalneedsofthechildwasobservedinthisreportingperiod.

Thisyearthereviewincludedthepresenceofagenogramonachild’sfiletoexploretherelationshipsinachild’slife.WhenreviewingtheirpresenceonCCISorthehardfile,itwasdeemedindependentofthepresenceofacareplan.Therefore,thereviewersevaluatedthepresenceofgenogramsforall98casesassessed.

Genogramsareanimportanttooltovisualiserelationships,maintainfamilyandcommunityconnections.TheOCChopesthesefigureshighlightaneedtoworkonthisareaoverthenext12months.

AsshowninFigure22,agenogramwaspresentin57percentofcasesirrespectiveofculturalorAboriginalstatus.ThepresenceofgenogramsvariedacrossTerritoryFamiliesofficeswith88percentinKatherine,followedby58percentinCasuarinaandAliceSpringsand44percentinPalmerston.

Figure 22:Percentageofgenogramspresent

43% 57%

Genogram present No genogram present


Summary - Care Plan Review

The2016-17careplanreviewconsideredasampleof98childreninthecareoftheCEOofTerritoryFamilies.

Alargeproportionofunknowndeterminationsweremadewithrespectofcarersandparentsreceivingacopyoftheircareplanandinconsultationoffamilyindevelopingthecareplan.

Theresultsofthecareplanreviewshoweda12percentdecreaseinthesamplechildrenwhohadacareplan.Asmentioned,thismaybeattributedtoincreasedrobustnessofthereviewcriteriarelatingtocareplanauthorisationofthe18childrendeterminednottohaveacareplan,withtheother9childrenhavingnocareplandraftedwithinthereviewperiod.

Theresultsareconcerning.Toensureapromptresponseforthe18childrenfoundnottohaveacareplan,theCommissionerbroughttheircircumstancestotheimmediateattentionoftheCEOofTerritoryFamilies.TheCommissionerissatisfiedwiththeactiontakentodatebytheCEOtoaddressthisandwillcontinuetomonitorTerritoryFamilies’progressinthisareaoverthenext12months.

decreaseinthesamplechildrenwhohadacareplan

from2015-16

12%


Leaving Care Support

AnglicareNT’sMoving Onprogramprovidesavitalbrokerageandreferralserviceforyoungpeopleaged16to25goingthroughthistransition.AnglicarefacilitatestheAustralianGovernmentfundedTransitiontoIndependentLiving(TILA)intheNT.

TheOCCnotestheMoving On programsawincreaseddemandsfortheirservicesin2016-17.Issuesaroundthetransitionfromfostercaretoindependentliving,financialdifficultiesandhousingremainsomeofthemainservicesprovidedbytheMoving onProgram.

YoungpeopleleavingOoHCareparticularlyvulnerableofpovertyandhomelessnessanditiscriticalgovernmentsconsidertheneedsoftheseyoungpeoplewhendesigningpolicies.

Notingthis,theCommissionerdetermineditworthwhilein2016-17toreviewtheleavingcareplansofall17yearoldyoungpeopletoascertainandreportonthelevelofleavingcaresupportbeingprovidedforyoungpeopleduringtheirlastyearofcare.

Leaving Care Plan Review

Theprocessofyoungpeopletransitioningoutofcarerequiresthatthecaseworkerconsidersthesupportneedsoftheyoungpersononcetheexitcareinconsultationwiththeyoungperson,carersandtheirfamily.Thisinvolvesconsideringtheindividualisedneedsandrequirementsoftheyoungperson’slifeincludinghealth,accommodation,educationandemployment,legalmatters,identityandculture,incomeaccess,identitydocumentationandsupportnetworks.

Theplanningprocessforleavingcareshouldcommenceoncetheyoungpersonhasturned15yearsofage.ThistimeframeisspecifiedintheNationalStandardsforOoHCandisalsoreflectedinTerritoryFamiliespolicy.

Standard13oftheNationalStandardsforOoHCrequiresyoungpeopleincarewhoare15andoldertohaveaplaninplaceinpreparationfortransitionoutofcare.Itisimportanttransitionplanningisinitiatedbytheyoungperson’scasemanageratthisageinordertoallowadequatetimetorespondtothechallengesofsourcingsuitableaccommodation,supportnetworks,reconnectingwithnaturalfamily,applyingforandsecuringCentrelinkbenefitsand/oremploymentopportunitiesandapplyingforadultguardianshipordersforyoungpeoplewithsignificantdisabilities.

Thetransitionoutofcare,andtheplanninginvolvedinthisprocess,hasbeenofconcernbothlocallyandnationallyforsometime.IntheNorthernTerritory,thecomparativelysmallnumbersofyoungpeopletransitioningoutofthecareprovideslittleexcuseforwhyahigherstandardofcoordinatedandholisticsupportisnotbeingprovidedtoeachandeveryyoungpersontransitioningtoindependentliving.

Review process

Asampleof45cases(25percentofallyoungpeopleincareaged15to17yearsasat30June2017)wasrandomlygeneratedforthisreview.Twoofthe45caseswereexcluded;asparentalresponsibilityhadbeengrantedtothechild’sfamilyrelinquishingtheneedforTerritoryFamiliestoprovidecasemanagement.

Analysisofthekeyaspectsofayoungperson’stransitionsupportwereexaminedusingonlythecasesinwhichtherewasaspecificleavingcareplan.Thiswas20(47percent)ofthe43cases.

Young people leaving OoHC are particularity vulnerable to poverty

and homelessness


45 YOUNG PEOPLE

AGE

15 Years old 10 (22%) Female 19 (42%)

16 Years old 22 (49%) Male 26 (58%)

17 Years old 13 (29%) Indigenous 39 (87%)

Non-Indigenous 6 (13%)

Characteristics of Sampled Young People


Findings

AsshowninFigure23,47percent(20)ofthesamplehadnospecificleavingcareplan.Althoughthisisasubstantialimprovementfrom2015-16,inwhich73percentdidnotaleavingcareplan,itstillindicatesthatsignificantworkremainstobedoneinthisarea.

Ofthe20youngpeoplewithoutaleavingcareplan,9merelyhadanacknowledgementthataleavingcareplanwasrequiredand8havenothadacareplanatallduringthereviewperiod.

Incontrastto2015-16(46percent),23percent(10)ofthe43casesreviewedwereaged15.Ofthese,only20percent(2)hadaspecificleavingcareplan.

AsshowninFigure23,40percentofyoungpeopleaged15andoverhadparticipatedinthetransitionprocess.Thishassignificantlyincreasedfrom(4)2015-16.

Figure 23:NumberandPercentageof YoungPeoplewithSpecificLeavingCarePlansandParticipationLevels,asat30June2017

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

23 20

17 13

Is there a specific

Leaving Care Plan?

Has the young person

participated in the transition

process?

NoYes Unknown

13

samplehadnospecificleavingcareplan

47%


AsshowninFigure24,ofthe23caseswithaspecificleavingcareplan,thereweremixedlevelsoflinkagewithresourcesandservices.Thehighestratingelementsarelinkstoeducationandtraining,naturalfamily,adulthealthservicesandCREATE.

The2015-16reviewraisedconcernregardingaccommodationsupportandarrangements.Thishasincreasedto43percentin2016-17.Althoughtheincreaseispositive,TerritoryFamiliesmustcontinuetomakeaconcertedeffortforsustainedimprovementsinthisarea.

Anareaofnotedconcernfor2016-17wasthatonly17percent(4)ofcaseshadreferralstoAnglicareNT’sMoving OnprogramandanawarenessofTILA.TheOCCrecognisedtheassociationbetweenMoving OnreferralsandanawarenessofTILA;onlythoseyoungpeoplewhohadbeenreferredtoMoving OnhadanexplicitreferencetobeingmadeofTILAintheircareplan.

Figure 24:NumberofYoungPeopleLinkedtoResources andServicesforTransition,asat30June2016

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Yes No/Unknown

20 3Support to maintain/

re-establish links with natural family?

4 19Made aware of TILA?

4 19Linked with Anglicare NT Moving On program?

18 5Linked with CREATE?

21 2Linked into educational and training opportunities?

9 14Access to an income?

5Linked with adult health services?

12 11Referred to appropriate services for future needs?

10 13Appropriate accommodation arrangements made?

18


Thisreviewexaminedtheevidenceofyoungpeoplepossessingcopiesoftheirbirthcertificate,Medicarecardandcourtorders.Thereviewencompassedall45casesofyoungpeopleaged15orolder.

AsshowninFigure25,36percent(16)possessedacopyoftheirMedicarecardwiththeremaining64percent markedasunknown.Fifty-threepercent(24youngpeople)hadacopyoftheirbirthcertificate.Fifty one percent(23)hadacopyoftheircourtorderwiththeremainder(30youngpeople)reviewedasunknown.Thesestatisticsrepresentasignificantdecreasefrom100percentin2015-16andwarrantsattentionfromTerritory Families.

TheOCCcommendsTerritoryFamiliesCasuarinaandKatherineofficesforrecordingonfileforyoungpeopleaged15yearsandolderallbirthcertificatesandcourtorders.Duringthereviews,theOCCbecomeawareofdifferentprocessesineachTerritoryFamilyofficeforstorageoflegaldocuments,suchasbirthcertificatesandcourtorders.

TheOCCrecommendsthatifTerritoryFamiliesdonotintendtokeepsuchdocumentsonthechild’sfilethatarecordofthedocumentsexistenceandwhereaboutsbeplacedinthechild’sfiletosatisfycompliancerequirementsfor2017-18.


Figure 25: Percentagesofyoungpeopleinpossessionofidentitydocuments,asat30June2017

0% 20% 40%

36%

Birth certificate

Medicare card

Yes

60% 80% 100%

Unknown No

64%

53% 45% 2%

51%Court order 49%


Summary

In2016-17,therecontinuestobesignificantlylownumbersofyoungpeoplewithleavingcareplansandlowparticipationinthetransitionoutofcareprocess.Itremainsaconcernthatasignificantnumberofyoungpeople(54percent)aged15yearsdonothavespecificleavingcareplans.Furthermore,only40percentofyoungpeopleparticipatedinthetransitionprocessin2016-17.

Eightypercentof15yearoldsinthesamplehadnospecificleavingcareplan.Itisacknowledgedthesampleofyoungpeoplemayincludesomethathavejustturned15yearsofage,however,itisreasonabletoexpectallyoungpeopleshouldhave

aleavingcareplansixmonthsaftertheyturn15years,theresultsindicatethisisnotoccurring.Substantialeffortisrequiredoverthe2017-18periodtoincreasetheoveralllevelsofsupportandplanningforyoungpeopletransitioningoutofcare.


Review of Leaving Care Plans for 17 year olds

Aspreviouslystated,inadditiontothegeneralleavingcareplanreview,theOCCreviewedtheleavingcareplansofallyoungpeople17andolderduringthereviewperiod.ThisisanewdataanalysisactivityfortheOCCin2016-17.

Giventhis,theOCCanalysisfocusedonyoungpeople17yearsandolderasitisacriticalyearfortransitioningtoindependentlivingby18yearsofage.Thisisthepointintimewhentheyoungperson’sexitfromcareisfastapproaching.Thiscanbeastressfulperiodforayoungperson,compoundedbychallengesthatmayincludehousingaccessibility,applyingforandsecuringCentrelinkbenefitsorpursuingemploymentandfurthereducationandtrainingopportunities.

Inaddition,researchsuggestsyoungpeopleoftenreturntobiologicalfamilyafterleavingcareandassuchshouldbesupportedtoengageandconnectwithfamilyduringthetransitionprocess.

Review Process

Thesameprocessoutlinedinthegeneralleavingcareplanreviewwasused.

Asampleof45cases(allyoungpeopleincareaged17orolderinthecareoftheCEO)wasgeneratedforthisreview.Twoofthecaseswereexcludedforsimilarreasonsaspreviouslystated,parentalresponsibilityhadbeengrantedtothechild’sfamilyrelinquishingtheneedforTerritoryFamiliestoprovidecasemanagement.

Forthisreportingperiodfurtheranalysisofthekeyaspectsoftheyoungpeoples’transitionsupportwasexaminedusingonlythecasesinwhichtherewasaspecificleavingcareplan.

45 YOUNG PEOPLE

AGE

Female 28 (62%)

Male 17 (38%)

Indigenous 37 (82%)

Non-Indigenous 8 (18%)

Characteristics of Sampled Young People


Findings

AsshowninFigure26,79percent(34)aged17hadaspecificleavingcareplan.Twoyoungpeoplemerelyhadanacknowledgementoftheneedforacareplan,andafurther7youngpeopledidnotevenhaveanapprovedcareplaninthereviewperiod.

Ofthe7youngpeopleaged17yearsintheKatherineregion,onlyonehadaspecificleavingcareplan.Ofparticularconcernwas1oftheseyoungpeopletransitionedoutofcarewithoutanyleavingcareplanning,demonstratingafailureonthebehalfofTerritoryFamiliestosupportthetransitiontoindependentliving.

AsshowninFigure26,56percent(24)participatedinthetransitionprocess.

Figure 26:NumberandPercentageof17YearOldswithSpecificLeavingCarePlans andParticipationLevels,asat30June2017

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

34 9

24 12

Is there a specific Leaving Care Plan?

Has the young person participated in the transition process?

NoYes Unknown

7

youngpeopleaged17yearsandoverdidnothaveaspecificleavingcareplan

7


AsshowninFigure27,ofthe34caseswithaspecificleavingcareplan,thereappearstobeaveragelevelsoflinkagewithresourcesandservicesforyoungpeoplethroughoutthetransitionprocess.Thehighestratingelementsarelinkstonaturalfamily,educationandtraining,CREATEandadulthealthservices.

Thirty-eightpercent(13)hadbeenreferredtoAnglicareNT’sMoving On Programwithonly4youngpeople’scareplanreferencingawarenessofTILA.

Fortyfourpercent(15)hadappropriateaccommodationarrangementsandsupportplanningfortheirtransitionoutofcare.

TheOCChasbecomeawarethroughdiscussionswithhomelessnessserviceprovidersofanumberofyoungpeoplewhohaveaccessedtheirservicesaftertransitioningfromcare.TerritoryFamiliesshouldbemakingaconcertedefforttoensureyoungpeoplearenottransitioningtohomelessnessorsubsequentlyenduphomelessshortlyaftertransitioning.

Figure 27:Numberof17YearOldsLinkedtoResourcesand ServicesforTransition,asat30June2016

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Yes No/Unknown

31 3Support to maintain/

re-establish links with natural family?

4 30Made aware of TILA?

13 21Linked with Anglicare NT Moving On program?

23 11Linked with CREATE?

27 7Linked into educational and training opportunities?

14 20Access to an income?

13Linked with adult health services?

19 15Referred to appropriate services for future needs?

15 19Appropriate accommodation arrangements made?

21


Anexaminationoftheevidenceof17yearoldspossessingcopiesoftheirbirthcertificates,Medicarecardandcourtorderswasundertaken.Inlinewiththegeneralcareplanreview,theexaminationwasdeemedasindependentofachildhavingacareplanorleavingcareplanandthereforeencompassedall45casesofyoungpeopleaged17years.Apositivedeterminationwasgivenwhendocumentationexplicitlymentionedtheyoungpersonhadacopyorwhenthecopywasonthechild’shard-copyfileasthesedocumentsaretobegiventoyoungpeopleoncetheyturn18years,ifnotbefore.

AsshowninFigure28,36percent(16)possessedacopyoftheirMedicarecard.Sixty-sevenpercent(30)hadacopyoftheirbirthcertificate.Seventythreepercent(33youngpeople)hadacopyoftheircourtorder.

TheOCCnotedthatall17yearoldyoungpeoplemanagedbytheEastArnhemandBarklyregionshadacopyofabirthcertificateandcourtorderseitheronfileorindocumentation.Inaddition,93percent(13)inAliceSpringshadacopyoftheircourtorder.Palmerstonwasidentifiedasaregionrequiringimprovement,particularlywithregardstoMedicarecardsasonly15percent(3)hadacopy.


Figure 28: Percentagesof17yearoldsinpossessionofidentitydocuments,asat30June2017

0% 20% 40%

36%

Birth certificate

Medicare card

Yes

60% 80% 100%

Unknown No

64%

67% 31% 2%

73%Court order 27%


Summary

ThisisthefirstyeartheOCChasreviewedtheleavingcareplansofall17yearolds.

Giventheresponsibilityandexpectationplacedupontheseyoungpeopletomovetoindependentlivingat18yearsofage,itwasdisappointingthatonly56percent ofyoungpeopleaged17yearsappearedtohaveparticipatedinthetransitionprocessandonly44percenthadappropriateaccommodationarrangementsinplaceforleavingcare.

GiventheconcernidentifiedthroughtheAnglicareMoving Onprogramofyoungpeopleatriskoftransitioningtohomelessnessorsubsequentlyendinguphomelessshortlyaftertransitioningthisisanarearequiringattention.

SubstantialreformisrequiredbyTerritoryFamiliesin2017-18toincreasetheoveralllevelsofsupportandplanningforyoungpeopletransitioningoutofcare,particularlyinthecriticalperiodonceayoungpersonturns17years.

youngpeopleaged17appeartohaveparticipatedinthetransitionprocess

56%


Review of Self-placing

Thisyear,theOCCreviewedthecircumstancesaroundchildrenandyoungpeopleself-placingandtheactionstakenbyTerritoryFamilies.Self-placingisatermusedtosignifyachildhasmadeanindependentdecisiontoresidesomewhereotherthantheirapprovedOoHCplacement,thiscanincludefamily,sometimestheveryfamilymemberthechildwasremovedfrom,butultimatelyisanywherethatthechilddeterminestoreside.

Concernshavebeenraised,asdemonstratedintheRoyalCommission,regardingthelackofformalassessmentsurroundingthesuitabilityofsuchplacements.Inparticular,whetherthechildisdeemedtobesafefromharmwithintheenvironmenttheyhaveself-placed.

Thedecisiontoreviewself-placingin2016-17arosefromagrowingconcernregardingthesafetyandwellbeingofchildrenandyoungpeoplethatleavetheirapprovedOoHCplacementtolivewithfamilyand,theaccompanyingresponsesfromTerritoryFamilies.Thisisnotanewissueandwasidentifiedinthepreviousreportingperiod.

Childrenandyoungpeoplewhoareself-placingarestillsubjecttochildprotectionorders,andhencestillinthecareoftheCEOofTerritoryFamilieswhohasaresponsibilitytoensurethesechildrenandyoungpeoplearesafe.

Review Process

Thereviewprocessforself-placingwasconductedthroughoutalllevelsofthesample.Inordertoestablishwhetherachildwasself-placing,theOCCreliedonallinformationonCCIS.Ifitwasestablishedachildwasself-placing,thereviewersexamined:

• whateffortsweremadetoengagethechildtoreturntoanapprovedplacement

• whethertheeffortsweresuccessful/notsuccessful

• subsequentactiontakenifeffortswerenotsuccessful

• thelevelofsupportprovidedforthechildand/orfamilywhileself-placing.


Findings

Twenty-eightyoungpeoplefromthecasesamplereviewwereidentifiedasself-placingin2016-17.AsshowninFigure29,inonly10percentofcasesthereweredemonstratedeffortstoreturnthechildtoanapprovedplacementthatweresuccessful.

In53percent(15)ofcases,therewasnoevidencetodemonstrateTerritoryFamilieshavingtakenreasonableactiontoreturnthechildtoanapprovedplacement.

Inonly25percent(7)werefamilymembersthechildwasself-placingwithassessedbyTerritoryFamiliestodeterminesuitabilitytobecomeacarerand/orforTerritoryFamiliestoenterintoaplacementarrangementwith.

Therewereaparticularlyhighnumberofcases86percent(24)ofyoungpeoplewhowerenotreceivinganyfinancialsupportfromTerritoryFamilies.Thisisofaconcernbecauseofthestrainitcanplaceonafamilythechildisplacingwithtoprovideforthatchildorotherchildrenthatmaybeinthehousehold.TerritoryFamilieshasparentalresponsibilityforthechildsoconsequentlyfamiliesinthesecircumstancesareunabletoobtainfamilysupportpaymentsfromCentrelink.

Manyofthesechildrenwerenotedasbeingthesubjectofachildprotectionnotificationsandsubsequentinvestigationregardingtheircircumstances.

Thenumberofyoungpeopleself-placingandresultsofthe2016-17reviewhaspromptedtheCommissionertoinvestigatethecircumstancesmorethoroughlybywayofanOwnInitiativeInvestigationtobecommencedin2017-18.

youngpeople self-placingnotreceivinganyfinancialsupportfrom

TerritoryFamlies.

86%


Figure 29: PercentagesofMeasuresofAdequacyofCarePlansforYoungPeopleSelf-placing2011-12to2016-17

Were there demonstrated efforts to return the child to an approved

placement?

36%

53%

11% 10%

90%

25%

64%

7% 7%

86%

7%

Yes No Unknown

If there were demonstrated efforts to return the child to an approved placement were

these efforts successful?

Was there any assessment of the family member the child is

self-placing with to determine if the placement could be authorised?

Were the young people receiving any financial support from

Territory Families?


Review of Case Manager Contact with Children in Care

Monitoring Face-to-Face Contact with Children in Care

TheOCCreviewedthefrequencyofface-to-facecontactbetweenTerritoryFamiliescasemanagersandchildrenincare.WhenachildisinthecareoftheCEOofTerritoryFamilies,theDepartmentisresponsibleforensuringtheirsafetyandwellbeing.Thisisachieved,inpart,bysettingminimumstandardsforcasemanagercontactwithchildrenincare.

TerritoryFamiliespolicyprescribescaseworkersface-to-facecontactwitheachchildincareatleastonceamonth,atminimum.ThispolicydirectionaroseoutofapreviousNTcoronialinquest(InquestintothedeathofDeborahLeanneMelville-Lothian)recommendationforallchildrenincaretobesightedatleastonceeverytwomonths.

IfacasemanagerorTerritoryFamiliesrepresentativecannothavecontactwithachildmonthly,theymustarrangeforathird-partytodoso.Ifthird-partyface-to-facecontactoccursinlieuofface-to-facecontactwiththecasemanager,thenextmonthlycontactmustinvolvethecasemanager.

Therearesomeexceptionalcircumstances,suchasinterstateplacements,wherecasemanagerswillbeunabletomeettheseminimumstandardsandotherstrategiesaregenerallyputinplacetomonitorachild’ssafetyandwellbeing,suchasface-to-facevisitsbyinterstatechildprotectionrepresentatives.

Review Process

ItisTerritoryFamiliespolicythatallcontactarrangementstomonitorthesafetyandwellbeingofthechild,whetherthroughthechild’scasemanagerorathird-party,aredocumentedinthechild’scareplanandrecordedasaserviceeventinCCIS.

Thesampleof98filesrandomlygeneratedforthecareplanreview(10%ofallchildreninOoHCasatthereviewdateof30June2017),wasusedtoassessthefrequencyofface-to-facecontactwithchildreninthecareoftheCEOofTerritoryFamilies.

Thereviewprocessinvolvedassessingthenumberofchildrenthathadface-to-facecontactwiththeirTerritoryFamiliescasemanagerinJuneandMay2017.


Findings

AsFigure30shows,thefiguresfor30June2017haveimprovedforvisitswithin1monthfrom65percentto68percent.Inaddition,visitswithin2monthshaveincreasedsubstantiallyfrom65percentto79percent.

Figure 30: PercentagesofFace-to-FaceContactofChildreninCarebyTerritoryFamilies CaseManagers,within1and2months,30June2013to30June2017

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

52%

Within 1 Month Within 2 Months

30-Jun-13

65%

57%

65% 68% 69%76%

70%65%

79%

30-Jun-14 30-Jun-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-17


Review of Temporary Placement Arrangement

Temporary Placement Arrangement Guidelines

TheOCCagainreviewedcompliancewithTerritoryFamiliesguidelinesforTemporaryPlacementArrangements(TPAs).UndertheCAPCA,aTPAisavoluntaryagreementbetweenparent/sandtheCEOofTerritoryFamiliestotransferdailycareandcontrolofachildwhoisresidingwiththeirparent/stotheCEOforashortperiodoftime.Unlikeotherformsofcareandprotectionorders,TPAsallowachildtobetakenintoOoHCwithoutgoingthroughacourtprocess.SimilararrangementsexistinotherAustralianjurisdictions.

ThepurposeofTPAsistosafeguardachild’swellbeing.Thisarrangementisintendedtobeashort-termoptionandshouldonlybeusedwhenreunificationwiththeparent/sat,orbeforetheexpirydateoftheTPA,isthegoal.TPAscanbeenteredintoforaperiodofuptotwomonthsatatimeandsubsequentlyextendedforuptosixmonthsintotal.

Review process

Toensurecompliancewithstatutory,policyandproceduralguidelines,theOCCreviewedtheelectronicandhard-copyfilesofallchildrenwhowerethesubjectofTPAsbetween1July2016and30June2017,assessingbothcomplianceandappropriateness.

Findings

ThereviewfoundTerritoryFamilieshadenteredintoatotalof41TPAsrelatingto33children.

Table6showsthemajorityofchildren(80percent)hadoneTPAduringthe2016-17period.AsshowninTable7,themajorityofchildren(58.5percent)wereonaTPAforlessthanonemonth.In2016-17,noTPAsexceededthe2monthstatutoryperiod.Ofthe5childrensubjecttoconsecutiveTPAs,noneofthesechildrenwereonTPAsforlongerthan4months.Thisdemonstratescompliancewithstatutory,policyandproceduralguidelines.

33 CHILDREN

AGE

0-4 Years old 13 (39.5%) Female 17 (51.5%)

5-9 Years old 3 (9%) Male 16 (49.5%)

10-14 Years old 13 (39.5%) Aboriginal 25 (76%)

15-17 Years old 4 (12%) Non-Aboriginal 8 (24%)

Characteristics of Sampled Children


Table 6: NumberofTPAsbyNumberofChildren2016-17

Number of TPAs

1 2 3

Number and % of Children 27 (82%) 4 (12%) 2 (6%)

Table 7: LengthofTPAsbyTotal NumberofTPAs2016-17

Length of TPAs in Months

<1 1 to 2

Number and % of Children 24 (58.5%) 17 (41.5%)


Residential Care – Monitoring TheOCChasundertakenareviewofresidentialcarefacilitiesbycompleting57sitevisitsacrosstheNorthernTerritory.

WithintheNorthernTerritorythereare7Non-GovernmentOrganisationsprovidingresidentialcare,inadditiontoTerritoryFamilies.Facilitiesarespreadacrossthe4maincentresoftheTerritory;Darwin,AliceSprings,KatherineandTennantCreek,witheachareahavingatleast2separateprovidersprovidingresidentialcareservices.


Figure 31: NorthernTerritoryResidentialCareHomes

917

12

26

11

38

8

29

4

15

1 4 5

17

38

Provider 1

Provider 2

Provider 3

Provider 4

Provider 5

Provider 6

Provider 7

Provider 8

Homes

Children (capacity)

The monitoring tool used by the OCC during these site visits was developed based on the National Standards for Out-of-Home-Care 2009 – 2020. It takes into account the stability and security of the child, opportunity to be included in decision making, the standard of care and wellbeing provided to the child, connection to family, training and professional development, and the quality of the home environment. The site visits included observations, discussions with carers and program managers as well as children in these placements where appropriate, and if they were present.


Professional Development and Support for Carers

TheOCCidentifiedsignificantdifferencesbetweenthequalityofcare,thetrainingtostaffandtheoutcomesoccurringforchildrenbetweenthevariousresidentialcareserviceproviders.AlthoughallprovidersidentifyTherapeuticCrisisIntervention(TCI)asamandatorytrainingcourseonly2oftheproviderswereabletodemonstratepositiveandtherapeuticoutcomesbeingachievedforthechildrenintheircare.Thesetwoprovidersweresignificantlybetterequippedtounderstandandmeettheneedsoftraumatisedchildreninatherapeuticcareenvironment.Oneserviceprovider,informedthattheywereworkingwithchildreninlinewithTCIapproachhowevertheywerecontinuingtousemetaldetectorsonthechildrenintheircareeachtimetheyenteredthehome.Thisdemonstratesalackofunderstandingoftherapeuticcareforchildren.

ThisconcernwasraisedwithTerritoryFamilieswhoimmediatelyactedtoensuretheprocesswasceased.However,thishighlightstheneedforgreateraccountabilityandtighterframeworksregardinghowserviceprovidersinresidentialcareacrosstheNorthernTerritoryworkwithtraumatisedchildren.

ForthehomeswheretheProgramManagerormanagementoftheserviceactivelyvisitedtheirresidentialcarefacilitiesandformedtheirownrelationshipswiththechildren,therewasgreateraccountabilityinternallyforthehouseco-ordinatorsandgeneralstaff,thisresultedinahigherqualityofcareforthechildren.

Children reported that the carers that

took the time to know them, listen to them and value them were the ones they got along with the

most.

Although Therapeutic Crisis Intervention training is provided

by all service providers to their

staff it is important procedures and

frameworks are in place to insure the principles behind Therapeutic Crisis Intervention are implemented.


Relationship between TF and Service Providers ServiceprovidersconsistentlyreportedthatoveralltheybelievetheyhaveagoodworkingrelationshipwithTerritoryFamilies.Itwasidentifiedthatoftenthelevelofcareplanning,connectiontofamilyandoutcomesforchildrenandyoungpeoplewithinthesameplacementswasinconsistent.Thiswasasaresultofchildrenandyoungpeoplewithinthesamehomeshavingdifferentcasemanagers.Thenumberofchildrenandyoungpeopleincareplanningpossessingacurrentcareplanwassignificantlylow.Mostserviceprovidersadvisedthatchildrenandyoungpeopledidnothaveacurrentcareplan.Forthemajorityofyoungpeopleinresidentialcarewhoweretransitioningoutofcare,i.e.leavingcare,careplanswerenotcompletedandtheserviceproviderfeltthattheleavingcaretasksandplanninghadbeenlefttothecarerstomanageandprioritise.

Voice of the ChildSomeconsistentthemesemergedfromspeakingwithchildrenintheirplacements.Formanyofthemtheyreportedalevelofsatisfactionwiththeirplacement,butwishedtheycouldbewithorseetheirfamiliesmore.Manyofthechildrenreportedthatthereweresomecarerstheylikedandotherstheydidnot.Whenthiswasexplored,thepositiverapportwithcarerswasduetothebondandtheextraeffortthecarershadforgedwiththechildoryoungperson.Veryfewchildrenknewwhatacareplanwas,andforthosewhohadheardofone,theywereunabletoarticulatewhatitspurposewasandwhatitmeantforthem.Mostchildrenhoweverwereabletonametheircasemanagerandreportedseeingthemregularly,withafewadvisingtheywouldliketoseetheircasemanagermore.


Stability of Care

TheCommissionercontinuestopromotetheneedforstableandconsistentplacementsforchildrenandyoupeopleinOoHC.Residentialcareisnottheappropriateoptionformostchildren.Transitions(shouldamoresuitableplacementbefound)canbedoneinasuitablewaytomakeitasafeandnon-traumatic.

Forchildrenwhosecareplanidentifiedtheirresidentialplacementasongoingandlongterm,theirtheplacementconditionswereofahighstandard.Forproviderswhowerereceivingnumerousrequeststoextendchildrenforlessthan6to12months,longertermplanning,stabilityandconsistencywereharderorimpossibletoachieve.Staffemploymentinsecurityalsocontributedtoinstabilityinanenvironmentwherethisisimportantforpositiveoutcomesforchildrenthroughattachment,stabilityandconsistency.


QUALITY OF SERVICE PROVISION

ForfosterandkinshipcarersthereisaWhoPaysGuideoutliningwhattheyarerequiredtopayforutilisingtheircarerpayments,andwhatTerritoryFamiliescover.ItwasevidentfromthevisitstheOCCconductedthatresidentialcareprovidersdonothavethesamelevelofguidance.Itwasevidentthat2serviceprovidersensuredthequalityoftheirhomeswasaprioritywithcleanandfreshenvironments,personaliseditemsofartworkandphotosdisplayed,toysandstimulatingequipmentprovidedtothechildren.Inaddition,these2serviceprovidershadtakenanumber

ofchildrenintheircareonholidaysatnocosttoTerritoryFamilies.ConcernswereraisedwithTerritoryFamiliesregardingaspecificprovider,wheretheessentialaspectsofcareprovisionwasnotoccurring.

GiventheplantotransitionOoHCtotheNon-Governmentsectorwithinthenext7years,itisvitalthataframeworkforresidentialcareisdeveloped,ensuringthatconsistencyacrosstrainingandprofessionaldevelopment,stabilityofcare,thequalityofhomesusedtoplacechildreninandwhatserviceproviders

arerequiredtoprovideaspartoftheircarearrangementsisclear.TheseshouldalignwiththeNationalStandardsforOoHCwithfurtherconsiderationgiventotheNorthernTerritorycontextandthedemographicsofchildrenandyoungpeopleinrequiringOoHCplacements.Whilstthistransitionisoccurring,theOCCwillworkwithTerritoryFamiliestoensureeffectivemonitoringisinplaceforserviceproviders.


TheRoyal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territorywilldeliveritsfinalreporton17 November 2017.TheinterimreportreleasedinMarch2017acknowledgedtherehavebeenupto50previousreportsandinquiriesintotheissuesidentifiedintheRoyalCommission’sTermsofReference.

InthepastdecadetwosignificantinquireshavebeenundertakenspecifictotheNorthernTerritory,theAmpe Akelernemane Meke Mekarle – Little Children are Sacred reportandtheBoard of Inquiry into the Child Protection System in the Northern Territory.Despitethosereports,theNorthernTerritorycontinuestoseetoomanychildrensubjecttoharm,removedfromfamilyandenteringtheyouthjusticesystem.

ItisimperativeweasacommunitytaketheopportunitiespresentedbythereleaseofthereportoftheRoyalCommissiontoensurethatweaffectrealreformtocommencethechangerequired.

Thebestinterestofthechildmustbeatthecentreofanygovernmentresponse.ItisanticipatedthattheRoyalCommissionwillrecommendtheimplementationofprogramsandservicesthatarelocalisedandplacedbasedtoeffectivelyaddressthegeographicalandvaryingsocio-culturaldynamicsthatexistacrosstheNorthernTerritory.

Looking Ahead


EvidencebeforetheRoyalCommissionwasemphaticthatearlyinterventionandpreventioniscriticalinreducingthenumbersofchildrenandyoungpeopleinvolvedinthechildprotectionandyouthjusticesystems.Nationalandinternationalresearch,isalsoclearthatfocusandinvestmentinearlyinterventionandpreventionnotonlyresultsinbetteroutcomesforyoungpeople,italsoresultsinsignificantcostsavingsforgovernment.

TheNorthernTerritorycurrentlyhasalimitedscopeofearlyinterventionandpreventionprogramsavailabletovulnerablechildrenwhoareatriskofenteringthechildprotectionandyouthjusticesystemsandinvestmentnowinthesechildrenandtheirfamilieswillyieldsocialandeconomicbenefitsinyearstocome.

Early intervention and prevention is critical in reducing

the numbers of children and young people involving in child protection and youth

justice systems.


Localised Solutions

ResponsibilityfortheNorthernTerritory’svulnerablechildrendoesnotrestsolelywithTerritoryFamilies.Itisimportantthatgovernmentagenciesworkwiththecommunityandnon-governmentagenciescollaborativelytoaddresstheneedsofTerritorychildren.Sharedservicedeliveryandcollaborationisimportantifthereistobebetteroutcomes,particularlyforAboriginalchildren.Aboriginalcommunitycontrolledorganisationsarecritical,andrequiresupportbygovernmenttobuildcapacitytoincreaseservicestovulnerablechildrenandtheirfamilies.

TheprogramscreatedbyandfortheWarlpiripeopleofCentralAustraliathroughtheWarlpiriYouthDevelopmentAboriginalCorporation(WYDAC)isoneexampleofanAboriginalcommunityrespondingtotheneedsofyoungpeopleanddeliveringexcellentoutcomes.Arecentanalysisofthoseprogramsfoundthatforevery$1.00investedincommunitieswereWYDACoperate,between$3.48and$4.56ofvalueiscreated.Theprogramsreportedly“resultedinimprovedhealthoutcomesandself-esteem,greaterengagementwitheducationandtrainingandincreasedschool

attendanceandliteracy”.ThesuccessofprogramssuchasthoserunbyWYDACillustratethatsharedservicedeliveryandcollaborationcanachievepositiveoutcomesforchildrenandyoungpeople,anddeliversignificantcostsavingstogovernment.


A Culturally Appropriate Response Needed

Overthereportingperiod,TerritoryFamiliesreceived22,313childprotectionnotifications.Ofconcernisthesignificantover-representationofAboriginalchildrenthroughoutnotifications,investigationsandsubstantiations.Aboriginalchildrenwerethesubjectofthevastmajorityofnotifications,79percent,and89percentofsubstantiatednotifications).Offurtherconcernistheover-representationofAboriginalchildreninOoHC.Asat30June2017atotal1,049childrenwereinOoHC,89percentwereAboriginal.Furthermore,Aboriginalchildrenandyoungpeopleequateforapproximately95percentofthedailyNorthernTerritoryyouthdetentioncentrepopulation.

ThereisacontinuedoverrepresentationofAboriginalchildrenacrossallfacetsoftheNorthernTerritorychildprotectionandyouthjusticesystemswhichneedstobeaddressed.Aboriginalpeople,communitiesandAboriginalcontrolledcommunityorganisationsplayanintegralroleinaddressingtheneedsoftheirchildrenandcommunities.AdministrativeandlegislativeresponsestotheRoyalCommission’srecommendationsmustrecognisethecontextinwhichgovernmentandnon-governmentorganisationsprovideservicestovulnerablechildrenintheNorthernTerritory.

TheFamilyMattersCampaign,ledbytheSecretariatofNationalAboriginalandIslanderChildCare,providesaframeworkthroughwhichthehighlevelsofAboriginalchildreninOoHCcanbereversedovertime.TheFamilyMattersCampaignadvocates,amongstotherthings,forAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderpeopletoparticipateinandhavecontroloverthedecisionsthataffecttheirchildrenandtopursueevidencebasedbestpracticeresponsestothegrossoverrepresentationofAboriginalchildreninOoHC.Responsibilityforchildrenshouldultimatelyrestwiththechild’sfamilyandcommunityandtheinterventionofstatutorychildprotectionagenciesshouldonlybealastresort.

Onesuccessfulandculturallyappropriateandresponsiveprogramimplementedtoaddresschildprotectionandyouthjusticeconcernshasbeenfamilygroupconferencing(alsoreferredtoasfamilydecisionmakingorfamilyleddecisionmaking).

There is a continued over representation of Aboriginal children across all facets of the Northern Territory child

protection and youth justice systems.


Familygroupconferencingisaprovensuccessfulmodelofengagingfamiliesandchildreninproblemsolvingandplacingtheresponsibilityforaddressingtheneedsofavulnerablechildren,firstandforemost,withthechild’sfamilyandcommunity.Suchanapproachnotonlyrecognisesthekeyroleofthefamilywiththechild,butalsoreflectstheprimaryrolethefamilyhasforachildundertheCAPCA.Familygroupconferencingseekstoempowerfamiliesbyengagingtheminstrategiestofindsolutionstotheirownproblems.Itisthechild’sfamilyandcommunitythatidentifyhowtheycanaddressconcernsandthebestwaytoimplementsolutions.

Programevaluationslocally,interstateandinternationallyhaveidentifiedincreasedfeelingsofempowermentamongstparticipatingfamilieswheretheyhavebeenincludedindecisionmakingregardingtheirchildren,resultinginpositiveoutcomes

forchildren.Empoweringfamiliesandcommunitiestotakecareoftheirownchildrenisconsistentwithensuringthebestinterestsofthechildareatthecentreofanyresponsetochildprotectionandyouthjusticeconcerns.Itismorelikelytoleadtolongertermsustainablepositiveoutcomesforchildrenandyoungpeopleandisconsistentwiththeprinciplesofself-determination.IntheNorthernTerritoryafamilygroupconferencingtrialwasimplementedinAliceSpringsover2011and2012andreportedsuccessfuloutcomes.Despitethesuccessofthetrial,anditsparticularrelevancetoNorthernTerritory,theprogramwasnotfurtherfunded.Familygroupconferencingisonlyoneexampleofinnovativeandculturallyappropriateresponsesthatareproventoleadtomorepositiveoutcomesforchildren,youngpeopleandthecommunitygenerally.

Empowering families and communities to

take care of their own children is consistent

with ensuring the best interests of the child.


Youth Justice Engagement

CommunityconcernsinrelationtoyouthcrimeintheNorthernTerritoryhavebeenthesubjectofsignificantpublicattentionrecently,andarejustified.YouthcrimesarenotvictimlesscrimesandtheOCCrecognisestheimpactofyouthoffendingonthecommunity.However,theextensiveresearchundertakenintoyouthcrimeidentifiesclearandconsistentevidenceacrossalljurisdictionsthatremandandincarcerationforchildrenandyoungpeoplesupportsanincreaseinthepatternsandbehavioursthatleadyouthtooffend.Harshandpunitivemeasuresdirectedatchildrenandyoungpeoplewhoengageinnegativeandanti-socialbehaviourshasnotworkedinthepastandwillnotworkinthefuture.FortheNorthernTerritorytoseeareductioninyouthcrime,asignificantinvestmentinearlyinterventionandpreventionisimperative.Suchaninvestmentwillresultingreateroutcomesandprovidecostssavingsforgovernment.

TheOCChasconsidereddatarelatingtochildrenandyoungpeople’sinteractionwiththecriminaljusticesysteminDarwinandAliceSprings.IncomparisonwithDarwin,AliceSpringshasapopulationsignificantlysmallerthanDarwin(includingthePalmerstonregion).Despitethat,dataprovidedfromNorthernTerritoryPoliceandtheDepartmentofAttorney-GeneralandJusticeshowedthatfortheperiod1January2017to30June2017therewere:

• 21percentmorearrestsofachildinAliceSpringscomparedtoDarwin

• 61percentmoreoffencesforwhichchildrenwerearrestedforinAliceSpringscomparedtoDarwin

• 24percentmorechildrenbeingheldunderpowersofarrestintheAliceSpringpolicewatchhousecomparedtoDarwin

• 231percentmorebreachofbailmattersfiledintheAliceSpringsYouthCourt(192)comparedtoDarwin(58).


DuringthesameperiodAliceSpringshadsignificantlylesstotalincidentsofcrimethanDarwin.

DataprovidedbytheDepartmentofAttorney-GeneralandJusticeshowsthattherewere1,052matterslodgedintheAliceSpringsYouthJusticeCourtcomparedto918inDarwinin2017-18.

DarwinhashadthebenefitofaspecialistChildren’sCourtsinceearly2016. Children’sCourtsarepresidedoverbyjudgeswithspecialisttrainingandexperienceindealingwithchildren,andwhoarewellplacedtoconsideralternativestodetentionasameansofaddressingtheunderlyingissuesthatresultinchildrencomingbeforethecourts.GiventhenumbersofchildrenappearingbeforeAliceSpringsCourts,aspecialistChildren’sCourtinAliceSpringsisjustified.

Figure 32: YouthJusticeCourtMattersLodged1July2016-30June2017

Darwin Alice Springs

918

1052


Better Options for Child Offenders

IntheNorthernTerritorytheageatwhichapersonmaybechargedandfoundguiltyofanoffenceis10years.Aboriginalchildreninparticulararedisproportionatelyaffectedbyalowageofcriminalresponsibility.Nationally,64%ofall10to11yearoldsindetentioninAustralianwereAboriginal(AmnestyInternational,2016).

TheUnitedNationsandAmnestyInternationalAustraliahavecalledfortheageofcriminalresponsibilitytobeliftedfrom10to12yearsacrossallAustralianjurisdictions.ThisisapositionsupportedbytheChildren’sCommissioner.Historically,therehavebeentimeswhendetentionhasbeenusedasade-factoplacementoptionforchildrenincarewhorepeatedlyabscondfromachildprotectionresidentialcareplacement.ANorthernTerritorySupremeCourtjudgerecentlydescribedyouthdetentioncentresas“dumpinggrounds”forvulnerablechildren,andatthetimeofdraftingthisreporttheOCCisawareofan11yearolddetainedattheDonDaleDetentionCentreinDarwin.

Thebehavioursthatleadtochildrenaged10and11beingchargedwithcriminaloffencesarebestaddressedthroughdirectingresourcestoaddressingbehaviours,withagoalofceasingfutureoffendingandanti-socialbehaviour.Inthosecountrieswheresupportandeducationhasbeenprovidedtochildrenwhoareundertheageofcriminalresponsibilitythosemeasureshavebeenshowntoreducethelikelihoodoffurtherreoffendinginlateryears(NoveticSolutions,2010).Involvementwiththeyouthjusticesystemfora10or11yearoldchildwillnotaddressunderlyingbehaviours.WithanexpectedfocusonearlyinterventionandpreventiontofollowthehandingdownofthefindingsoftheRoyalCommission,nowpresentsanidealopportunityforgovernmenttoconsiderraisingtheageofcriminalresponsibilityintheNorthernTerritoryto12yearsofage.


Engaging with Young People

Finally,effectivereformandimprovementcannotbeachievedwithouthearingandincorporatingtheperspectivesofthosewhothestatutoryservicesystemaffects,thatischildrenandyoungpeoplethemselves.ThroughongoingconsultationsoverthereportingperiodchildrenandyoungpeopleconsistentlyadvisedtheOCCthattheyareconcernedwiththebroadernegativepublicperceptionaboutthem,particularlyyoungpeoplethathavehadacareexperienceorhavebeeninvolvedintheyouthjusticesystem.Furtherconcernsincludethegeneralisationsmadeinrelationtoyouthcrimeinthemedia,whichisnotsupportedbyevidence.

The2017-18periodwillseetheOCCplayanincreasedroleincommunityeducationabouttheissuesaffectingvulnerablechildrenandyoungpeople.TheOCC’sownSeeUs.HearUs.KnowUsprojecthasbeendevelopedinconsultationwithyoungpeopleandisfocusedonhearingtheirvoicesabouttheissuesthatareimportanttothem.Eachelementoftheprojecthasactivitiesassociatedwithit.

Thekeyobjectiveisforchildrenandyoungpeopletotelltheirstoriestoprovidethewiderpublicwiththeopportunitytogettoknowthem.OCCseekstocreateaninformedandeducatedpublicdiscussionabouttheissuesthataffectvulnerablechildrenandyoungpeople,self-ledanddriven,andlooksforwardtocontinuingtoworkwiththeTerritory’schildrenandyoungpeopletoachievethecampaignobjectives.

See Us willconsistofthe‘Showustherealyou!’photocompetitionwherechildrenandyoungpeopleunder25yearssubmitphotosthattrulyrepresentthemandtheirinterests.

Hear Us will include Territory wideconsultations with children and youngpeople to get a clear picture of theirperceptionsoftheircommunities.

TheOCCisalsoaimingtosetupaYouthAdvisory Committee in 2018 that willprovide feedback and information totheChildren’sCommissioner about theissues that affect children and youngpeopleintheTerritory.

Know Us is a story telling activity thatwill consist of young people sharingtheir personal experiences and passionsthroughmedia.Youngpeoplewillhavetheopportunity to host the OCC Facebookpage to give insight into their journey,withaparticularfocusonatopicthattheyare passionate about.TheOCCwill alsowork in collaborationwithyoungpeopletotelltheirstoriesinamediumtheyfeelcomfortablewithe.g.video,poetry,art.


ReferencesABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (2014). Experimental estimates and projections, Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander Australians,SeriesBCat.No3238.0,Canberra.

Australian Institute of Family Studies (2014) https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/understanding-child-neglectaccessedon5October2017

AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2017) Child protection Australia 2015-16,ChildWelfareseriesNo66.Cat.No.CWS61.

Amnesty International (2016) https://www.amnesty.org.au/report-heads-held-high/accessedon19October2017.

Australian Government Department of Social Services (2011) An outline of National Standards for Out-of-Home Care: A Priority Project under the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009 – 2020.https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/pac_national_standard.pdfaccessedon15September2017.

Novotec Solutions (2010) http://www.juvenile.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Juvenile%20Justice%20Effective%20Practice%20Review%20FINAL.pdfaccessedon18October2017.

Territory Families (2017) SpecificrequesteddatafromTerritoryFamilies.NorthernTerritoryGovernment,Darwin.

Walpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation (2017) http://wydac.org.au/home/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/The-impact-of-youth-programs-in-remote-central-Australia-a-Social-Return-on-Investment-SROI-analysis.pdfaccessedon23October2017.


Figure 1 Complaint Management Process 25

Figure 2 How the Commissioner Determined to Deal with the Complaints Received 2016-17 28

Figure 3 Domestic Circumstances of Vulnerable Children who were whe Subject of a Complaint in 2016-17 29

Figure 4 Number of Notifications, 2012-13 to 2016-17 37

Figure 5 Number of Notifications by Abuse/Neglect Type, 2012 – 13 to 2016-17. 40

Figure 6 Number of Notifications by Age, 2012-13 to 2016-17 41

Figure 7 Number of Notifications by Aboriginality, 2012 – 13 to 2016-17 42

Figure 8 Percentage of Completed Investigations Within the 28 Days and 62 Days, 2012-13 to 2016-17 44

Figure 9 Number of Notifications, Investigations and Substantiations of Abuse/Neglect, 2012-13 47

Figure 10 Substantiations by Type of Abuse/Neglect, 2012-13 to 2016-17 (Percentages) 49

Figure 11 Number of Authority Types by Region, 2016-17 54

Figure 12 Length of Time Continually on a Child Protection Order at the Time of Discharge from Order in the Northern Territory by Aboriginality and Compared with National Average 2015-16 (as a Percentage of Total) 56

Figure 13 Number and Percentage Mix of Open Cases by Type of Activity and by Regional Office, as at 30 June 2017 57

Figure 14 Number and Percentage of Children in Care by Aboriginality, Gender, Region and Age as at 30 June 2017 58

Figure 15 Number and Percentage of Aboriginal Children in OoHC According to Placement Type, 30 June 2017 61

Figure 16 Places of Care by Aboriginal and Carer Type 62

Figure 17 Number of Children in OoHC with a Disability by Disability Type, 30 June 2017 63

Figures


Figure 18 Number of Harm of Exploitation in Care Cases by Abuse Type and Aboriginality, 2016-17 66

Figure 19 Number of Harm or Exploitation Cases by Placement Type, 2015-16 69

Figure 20 Percentage of Measures of Adequacy of Care Plans 2011-12 to 2016-17 79

Figure 21 Percentage of Care Plans Provided to Relevant Parties 81

Figure 22 Percentage of Genograms Present 82

Figure 23 Number and Percentage of Young People with Specific Leaving Care Plans and Participation Levels, as at 30 June 2017 86

Figure 24 Number of Young People Linked to Resources and Services for Transition, as at 30 June 2016 87

Figure 25 Percentages of Young People in Possession of Identity Documents, as at 30 June 2017 89

Figure 26 Number and Percentage of 17 Year Olds with Specific Leaving Care Plans, and Participation Levels, as at 30 June 2017 92

Figure 27 Number of 17 Year Olds Linked to Resources and Services for Transition, as at 30 June 2016 93

Figure 28 Percentage of 17 Years Olds in Possession of Identity Documents, as at 30 June 2017 95

Figure 29 Percentage of Measures of Adequacy of Care Plans 2011-12 to 2016-17 99

Figure 30 Percentages of Face-To-Face Contact of Children in Care by Territory Families Case Managers, Within 1 and 2 Months 30 June 2013 to 30 June 2017 101

Figure 31 Northern Territory Residential Care Homes 105

Figure 32 Youth Justice Court Matters Lodged 1 July 2016 – 30 June 2017 116


Table 1 Number of Notifiers by Category, 2016-17 39

Table 2 Percentage of Investigations Commenced with the Required Time-Frame, 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017. 44

Table 3 Number of Children Experiencing Repeat Substantiations after being Substantiated in 2015-16. 51

Table 4 Length of Time Continually on a Child Protection Order at the time of Discharge from Order by State/Territory, 2015-16 (as a percentage of total) 55

Table 5 Analysis of Care Plan Quality 80

Table 6 Number of TPAs by Number of Children in 2016-17 103

Table 7 Length of TPAs by Total Number of TPAs 2016-17 103

Tables


2016 - 2017 · I am pleased to present the 2016-17Annual Report prepared pursuant to section 43(1)...

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Transcript of 2016 - 2017 · I am pleased to present the 2016-17Annual Report prepared pursuant to section 43(1)...