❓ Hon Nick Goiran questions the Minister for Child Protection regarding the whereabouts of children in care, following up on a previous inaccurate answer. The Minister provides updated information and apologizes for the error.
AnsweredQoN 308Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Children in care—Whereabouts
unknown
308. Hon Nick Goiran to
the minister representing the Minister for
Child Protection:
I refer to the
answer on 12 March 2026 to my question without notice 133.
(1) Have the two children the department
reported to the Western Australia Police Force as missing people been found?
(2) Have the two children recorded as "unaccounted
for, not in contact" been found?
(3) Are the whereabouts of the 12
children recorded as "unaccounted for, in contact", now known?
(4) For how many days were the
whereabouts of the 16 children unknown, and have any reports been received
by senior leadership of the children being victims of crime during this period?
(5) How many children in the care of the
CEO have their whereabouts currently recorded as:
(a) "unaccounted for, in contact";
(b) "unaccounted for, not in contact";
and
(c) missing?
unknown
308. Hon Nick Goiran to
the minister representing the Minister for
Child Protection:
I refer to the
answer on 12 March 2026 to my question without notice 133.
(1) Have the two children the department
reported to the Western Australia Police Force as missing people been found?
(2) Have the two children recorded as "unaccounted
for, not in contact" been found?
(3) Are the whereabouts of the 12
children recorded as "unaccounted for, in contact", now known?
(4) For how many days were the
whereabouts of the 16 children unknown, and have any reports been received
by senior leadership of the children being victims of crime during this period?
(5) How many children in the care of the
CEO have their whereabouts currently recorded as:
(a) "unaccounted for, in contact";
(b) "unaccounted for, not in contact";
and
(c) missing?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the Leader
of the Opposition for some notice of the question. The following response has
been provided by the Minister for Child Protection.
In
response to question without notice 133, the Department of Communities
incorrectly categorised one child as "unaccounted for, in contact".
This child should have been categorised as "unaccounted for, not in
contact". As such, this answer should have reported three children as not
in contact and 11 children as in contact.
As at 5 May 2026:
(1) The whereabouts of two young people
is now known.
(2) The whereabouts of three young people
is now known.
(3) The whereabouts of seven young people
is now known. The whereabouts of the four young people is unknown; however,
they remain in contact.
(4) The periods during which the 16 young
people's whereabouts were unknown range from one day to 88 days. When a child
or young person is located, every effort is made to ensure they are safe and
have the services and supports they require. Any disclosures related to these
16 children will have been managed in accordance with the reporting requirements
of the Child Protection Guide .
(5) There are:
(a) nine;
(b) zero; and
(c) one.
I will table the
corrected response to question without notice 133. I do apologise to the Leader
of the Opposition and to the house.
(See paper 1158.)
of the Opposition for some notice of the question. The following response has
been provided by the Minister for Child Protection.
In
response to question without notice 133, the Department of Communities
incorrectly categorised one child as "unaccounted for, in contact".
This child should have been categorised as "unaccounted for, not in
contact". As such, this answer should have reported three children as not
in contact and 11 children as in contact.
As at 5 May 2026:
(1) The whereabouts of two young people
is now known.
(2) The whereabouts of three young people
is now known.
(3) The whereabouts of seven young people
is now known. The whereabouts of the four young people is unknown; however,
they remain in contact.
(4) The periods during which the 16 young
people's whereabouts were unknown range from one day to 88 days. When a child
or young person is located, every effort is made to ensure they are safe and
have the services and supports they require. Any disclosures related to these
16 children will have been managed in accordance with the reporting requirements
of the Child Protection Guide .
(5) There are:
(a) nine;
(b) zero; and
(c) one.
I will table the
corrected response to question without notice 133. I do apologise to the Leader
of the Opposition and to the house.
(See paper 1158.)
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