Potential residential childcare workers subjected to criminal record checks in the wake of sexual assaults at Wundarra Services

ANYONE seeking jobs at residential care facilities for vulnerable children will be subjected to criminal ­record checks, in wake of Wundarra sex assaults.

The Offices and public toilets at the building housing Wundarra Services. An urgent investigation has been ordered into a government-funded service for troubled youth after its juvenile residents were involved in more than 500 incidents involving police culminating in the shocking rape of a seven-year-old girl. The girl was sexually assaulted in public toilets in Moonee Beach in January allegedly by a 14-year-old who was under the care of Coffs Harbour-based Wundarra Services, a non-government agency operating in the Coffs Harbour in the Mid North Coast of NSW providing support and assistance for children, young people and families requiring intensive support. Picture: Frank Redward x+- The Offices and public toilets at the building housing Wundarra Services. An urgent investigation has been ordered into a government-funded service for troubled youth after its juvenile residents were involved in more than 500 incidents involving police culminating in the shocking rape of a seven-year-old girl. The girl was sexually assaulted in public toilets in Moonee Beach in January allegedly by a 14-year-old who was under the care of Coffs Harbour-based Wundarra Services, a non-government agency operating in the Coffs Harbour in the Mid North Coast of NSW providing support and assistance for children, young people and families requiring intensive support.

• WUNDARRA WORKER CHARGED WITH RAPE OF 13yo
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PEOPLE seeking employment at residential care facilities for vulnerable children will now be subjected to full criminal ­record checks after an urgent intervention from Family and Community Services Minister Brad Hazzard last night.

The move, which will also be applied to current workers, was prompted after The Daily Telegraph revealed 41-year-old former rugby league scout Dennis Kelly is facing rape charges in Coffs Harbour after he allegedly sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl at a children’s home where he worked.

The young girl was living in a north coast care facility run by the troubled Wundarra ­Services — a government-funded body that was paying Kelly $2200 a fortnight — at the time of the alleged ­attack.

Alleged rapist Dennis Kelly.

Kelly has a lengthy criminal record, which Wundarra ­management had not been ­legally required to check. He had only been required to ­undergo a Working With Children check.

“While the minister is awaiting the review of Wundarra Services by the Children’s Guardian, following discussions with the Children’s Guardian it is the minister’s opinion that mandatory ­national police checks should be conducted by residential care employers for staff who have the responsibility to care for children and young ­people,” Mr Hazzard’s spokeswoman said.

“The Children’s Guardian has been asked to bring this into operation as soon as possible. This will bring residential care workers into line with authorised foster carers, who are currently required to have a national police check.”

The minister’s office ­confirmed the checks would apply to both current and ­future workers.

There are 506 vulnerable children living in the care of FACS at 27 residential service providers across NSW. Carers at the facilities, until now, have only been ­required to ­undergo Working With ­Children checks and not criminal history checks.

Coffs Harbour state MP Andrew Fraser yesterday used a speech under privilege in parliament to outline further worrying claims about Wundarra, including that the ­service had employed two ­outlaw motorcycle gang ­members as carers. NSW Police confirmed at least one Lone Wolf bikie associate has been hired to work as a carer at the organisation.

When the claims were put to Wundarra owner Ernie Lovelock, he said: “That’s the first I’ve heard about it.”

Dennis Kelly will next face court on April 12.