Child Protection Department orders 1500 drug and alcohol tests of parents putting children at risk

CHILD protection authorities are ordering almost 1500 drug and alcohol tests a year of parents putting their children at risk.

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CHILD protection authorities are ordering almost 1500 drug and alcohol tests each year for parents suspected of putting children at risk through substance abuse.

But the Government still will not say how many return positive results, which drugs parents are taking or what consequences they may face.

Following requests from The Advertiser, the Child Protection Department has revealed there were 1479 tests ordered last financial year, and 563 done between July and December last year.

It is not known how many individuals have undergone tests, but it is likely that many parents are subjected to multiple tests.

Efforts to detect drug abuse or alcohol dependence among parents have increased significantly since 2013-14, when fewer than 190 tests were conducted. The latest figures come after The Advertiser revealed yesterday that at least one baby a week is born showing symptoms of drug withdrawal in SA hospitals. That data was only released following Freedom of Information requests by Liberal MP Rachel Sanderson.

Child protection authorities are ordering almost 1500 drug and alcohol tests a year of parents putting their children at risk through substance abuse.

The Child Protection Department says individual case managers are aware of parents’ test results but the information would be “extremely time-consuming” to collate centrally.

“Our case managers and social workers work closely with children and families to keep them safe from harm and neglect,” department chief executive Cathy Taylor, above, said. “This includes compelling parents to undergo drug and alcohol orders where appro-priate, and following up on this at a local level on a case-by-case basis.”

However, Ms Sanderson said the department should have information about the outcomes of the tests readily available to inform policy.

She also questioned how many parents avoided or failed to show up for scheduled tests.

In the 2016 royal commission into the state’s child protection system, former judge Margaret Nyland highlighted the inadequacy of the department’s IT system to track data such as drug test results and urged a review. Ms Taylor said work had begun on a review.

To help families struggling with drug dependence, Centacare Catholic Family Services runs the Kids in Focus program visiting about 18 homes in northern Adelaide. Three workers help parents and children for one to two years.

At least 90 per cent of participating families involve a parent, often the sole carer, who is using methamphetamines. Almost all parents misuse other drugs or alcohol and are unemployed.

About 60 per cent of the parents have experienced domestic violence while at least 90 per cent have been sexually abused as children.