SA Government hires specialist workers to keep infants safe and support struggling parents

Hundreds of newborns have been removed from unsafe SA families in the first month of their life as experts warn about the damage early trauma can do to an infant’s mental health.

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More than 330 newborns have been removed from unsafe families in the first month of their life, prompting a warning to all parents about the damage early trauma can do to an infant’s mental health.

Neglect, drug or alcohol addiction and violence are among the most common reasons authorities have had to act, but experts say every carer should be aware of the huge impact their behaviour can have on shaping newborn brains.

Engaging with infants is crucial, while ignoring their needs can have lifelong consequences as research shows babies do remember early experiences.

Data released for the first time by the Child Protection Department shows 87 newborns were removed from unsafe parents within a month of their birth last financial year.

It has surged from 19 in 2012-13.

Over the past seven years a total 335 newborns have needed such immediate protection.

The new figures, released following inquiries from the Sunday Mail, also show there were 1259 reports made to child protection workers about risks posed to unborn babies last financial year - up from 553 in 2012-13.

Some parents were the subject of multiple reports, which could relate to substance abuse, self-harm, mental illness, homelessness or violence, as well as poor parenting skills or an unwillingness to make changes to keep a child safe.

Child Protection Department boss Cathy Taylor said many were also subjected to abuse or neglect earlier in life.

In a bid to address the alarming trend the department is installing high risk infant workers at South Australia’s three birthing hospitals and has hired its first lead psychiatric director, Dr Prue McEvoy, to upskill staff.

Members of the public are now able to lodge concerns about a pregnant mother or unborn baby from 20 week’s gestation, after a 2016 Royal Commission recommended reducing the limit from 34 weeks.

Dr McEvoy said in cases where babies were removed at birth there were almost always repeated and early red flags.

“Work would usually have been done during the pregnancy … nothing has shifted and you actually don’t feel safe sending a tiny baby home to that environment,” she said.

“In an ideal world you’d be trying to get (support) services in early but a parent has to engage with those services.”

Ms Taylor said the department was increasingly focused on intervening “pre-birth” when parents could be “motivated by the pregnancy to address personal difficulties and other lifestyle issues”.

The first high risk infant worker started at the Lyell McEwin Hospital in 2016and another has just begun work at the Flinders Medical Centre.

Recruitment is underway for the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Last week the Government also opened the state’s first purpose-built unit to support pregnant Aboriginal women or those giving birth to Aboriginal children, at the WCH.

Opposition acting child protection spokeswoman Susan Close said the choice to remove a child at birth was “very difficult” but necessary when they were at great risk.

However, it meant the department would face higher costs as it was increasingly required to care for young people for their entire childhood, Dr Close said.

“The Government needs to be aware of and start provisioning for (that increased cost),” she said.

The 2019-20 State Budget allocated an extra $27 million to cover an expected increase in children coming into state care.

BABIES REMOVED WITHIN ONE MONTH OF BIRTH

2018-19 — 87

2017-18 — 67

2016-17 — 70

2015-16 — 46

2014-15 — 27

2013-14 — 19

2012-13 — 19

Source: SA Child Protection Department