Victoria Avenue Children’s Centre sent DV victim’s info to abuser

The young mum was left in such a state that she was “vomiting and having panic attacks” after a bungle which saw her personal information sent 13 times to the man who is alleged to have subjected her to domestic violence.

Staff at the Victoria Avenue Childcare Centre, run by the City of Canada Bay Council, had made the mistake. The council later apologised. Picture: Google Maps

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A council-run preschool accidentally handed over a young mum’s personal information more than a dozen times to the man who allegedly subjected her to domestic violence, in a bungle that left the woman “vomiting and having panic attacks”.

The mistake, which occurred in 2018, came to light after the City of Canada Bay Council’s Victoria Avenue Children’s Centre in Concord repeatedly sent invoices containing her address and notices about her daughter’s attendance to her former partner.

This was despite the centre being notified that a Family Court order was in place.

“The breach of confidentiality allowed her ex-husband to continue his psychological, emotional and coercive and controlling abuse towards her,” a report tendered to the tribunal read.

The woman alleged she had been the victim of domestic violence, informing the centre about a Family Court order.

“It is my professional opinion that (the woman) was psychologically harmed by the conduct of the preschool breaching her privacy and inappropriately disclosing information about her to her ex-husband.”

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, sought more than $30,000 in compensation during a Civil and Administrative Tribunal hearing last month but was only awarded $500 after Canada Bay formally apologised for the 2018 breach.

The incident was reviewed by the council at the time. The council then amended its policies in relation to personal information and how it manages details in family separation cases at its centres.

She was seeking the funds after having to take her child out of the preschool in question, which caused her to lose hours at work.

Canada Bay said it takes matters like the bungle “very seriously” and has since apologised tot he woman. Picture: Google Maps

She also claimed the breach caused her emotional distress and led her to seek professional help in the wake of her ex-partner being sent her new address.

The woman had asked that her private information not be exchanged with her ex-husband, who she shared a child with, due to domestic violence allegations in April 2018.

Despite this, the details were sent to the man 13 times.

A friend who gave evidence at the tribunal said the woman was “physically unwell, vomiting and having panic attacks” after learning the man who allegedly subjected her to domestic violence was aware of her new address.

The inside of the preschool, which operates in Concord West. Picture: Google Maps

Senior Member of the Civil and Administrative tribunal Craig Mulvey ordered the council only pay the woman $500 after finding she was in a business relationship with the counsellor who had provided a report to the hearing.

Mr Mulvey concluded the woman had been subjected to psychological harm, but given the relationship between the counsellor, he placed little weight on her claims she was “significantly harmed” by the ordeal.

“We acknowledge that in this case an administrative error was made by a staff member and have apologised to the individual,” A City of Canada Bay spokesman said.

“We take issues such as these very seriously and have put measures in place to ensure that an error such as this will not be able to happen in the future.”

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