State Government to spend extra $232 million on SA child protection system in response to Nyland Royal Commission findings

EXCLUSIVE: The State Government will funnel an extra $232 million into SA’s beleaguered child protection system, but the Premier has conceded it will take years to fix the culture that left children at risk.

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THE State Government will funnel an extra $232 million into the state’s beleaguered child protection system, but Premier Jay Weatherill has conceded it will take years to fix the culture that has left children at risk.

Mr Weatherill will today outline the Government’s full response to the Nyland Royal Commission and release a draft new Children’s Protection Act for consultation.

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It comes as authorities struggle to regain public confidence in the wake of yet another child protection scandal.

The Sunday Mail revealed earlier this month that a male carer was allowed to return to working with children after being “red-flagged’’ during a major internal review conducted by former police commissioner Mal Hyde.

The Barossa Valley man, aged in his thirties, has been charged with multiple sex offences.

Mr Weatherill will announce the commitment of an extra $232 million for the state’s child protection system, in addition to $200 million pledged when former Supreme Court Justice Margaret Nyland delivered her report in early August.

Child Development Minister Susan Close with child protection chief executive speak to media about the arrest of a Families SA carer on child-sex charges. Picture: Calum Robertson

The Premier told The Advertiser the Government’s response would focus heavily on early intervention to prevent future abuse.

“We know that intervening early is the best way to prevent children being harmed and our response will have a strong focus on this,” he said.

“The massive shift in culture required will take some years to deliver, but the Nyland Royal Commission has given us a way forward. Today we take further steps in that direction.”

The state’s child protection agency has come under repeated fire for an ingrained culture that has allowed predators to infiltrate it and left children at risk.

Ms Nyland’s report called for a shake-up of senior staff to lead “a major reform of organisational culture”.

Coroner Mark Johns last year highlighted a “culture of mediocrity” in his findings from an inquiry into the 2012 death of four-year-old Chloe Valentine.

Minister Child Development Susan Close, Premier Jay Weatherill and Minister for Child Protection Reform and Attorney-General John Rau speak to media about the Nyland report..

A parliamentary committee report as far back as 2007 warned of a “pervasive and rotten culture” within the agency.

The committee handed down 16 recommendations, one of which was that the minister responsible take steps to address the rotten culture.

Mr Weatherill said there had been “some significant steps taken” to improve the system, including establishing a stand-alone Child Protection Department with a new chief executive.

“The dedication of additional resources is, of course, an important part of our response and this new investment of $432 million will help deliver the fresh start that is required for the department,” he said.

The Government has already accepted at least 38 of Ms Nyland’s 260 recommendations and MPs have passed laws to establish a Children’s Commissioner and tighten background screenings for those working or volunteering with children.

Ms Nyland made a series of recommendations about early intervention for at-risk families, including calls for “immediate” extra funding to help young and first-time parents and those who grew up in state care and now have children of their own.

The royal commission was sparked by the horrendous crimes of government carer Shannon McCoole, who has been convicted of sexually abusing young children in his care.

Latest data published by the new department shows there are 3321 young people in state care, including 189 children who were living in emergency accommodation, such as a hotel room, on the night of October 31.

The average waiting time to make a report to the Child Abuse Report Line has fallen from about an hour and six minutes in September to about 41 minutes last month.

The Government had been working on a plan to reduce waiting times by hiring non-social workers to take calls. However, the trial was abandoned at the urging of Ms Nyland.

Her 800-plus page report delivered a damning assessment of a system in “disarray”, overwhelmed by demand and in need of near-total reform if it is to keep children safe.

She had given the Government until the end of the year to provide an initial response to her recommendations and has asked for annual progress reports for the next five years.

AnglicareSA CEO Peter Sandeman said he hoped the new legislation, to be released today, would give priority to the best interests of children “which to date has not always been the case”.

“I want a child protection system that always protects our children. It must be clear, effectively managed and understood, and support the foster carers on which we all depend,” he said.

“We must all work together towards a better future for our children and move beyond what has happened in the past to build a system which ensures we are protecting children. Today should mark the start of this new system.”