Deaths of four infants and children stabbed, shaken, beaten and burnt alive between 2016-17 probed by State Coroner

A coroner’s probe into child homicides has found serious failings in Victoria’s child protection system, and a resistance to reform policies which could save innocent lives.

Five of eleven child deaths investigated between 2015 – 2019 were at the hands of their mother’s new partner.

An investigation into a series of child homicides has identified serious failings in the state’s child protection system and resistance by the Victorian government to reform policies which could save innocent young lives.

The deaths of four infants and children stabbed, shaken, beaten and burnt alive between 2016-17 were probed by State Coroner Judge John Cain who declared he has deep concerns with multiple aspects of the system Victorian children rely upon to keep them safe.

He found the state government was unwilling to review policies to enable greater oversight and safety screening of new partners who have access to vulnerable children.

The revelation comes amid a record high number of child protection investigations in Victoria, with 40, 761 child abuse inquiries conducted statewide in the year to June.

Two of the children involved in the inquest were murdered by their mother’s partners, with the stepfather of a third child acquitted of murder at trial.

Child protection authorities are not obliged to inquire or conduct risk assessments when a parent enters a new relationship.

A review by the Commission for Children and Young People found five of eleven child deaths investigated between 2015 – 2019 were at the hands of their mother’s new partner.

Victorian child protection authorities are not obliged to inquire or conduct risk assessments when a parent enters a new relationship, the inquest found.

In one case, child protection workers knew for months the male partner later charged over the killing of a little girl had a violent criminal history but did not act.

Liana Buchanan, Commissioner for Children and Young People, recommended partner checks were made mandatory, saying concerns that “prying” questions could impact practitioners’ rapport with a parent were less important than protecting lives.

“[I don’t] think it can be a reason to resile from asking questions especially where there’s some possibility that a new person in the parent’s life and the child’s life might pose a risk to the children,” she said.

Judge Cain said he was “concerned” about the willingness of child protection staff to engage with a parent about a possible new partner or any other person regularly in the house.

“The evidence in this inquest did identify examples where inquiries and follow up were less than optimal,” he said.

Child abuse generic thumbnail only. Design: Eliza Barr

Judge Cain recommended the SAFER Framework – a child protection risk assessment tool – be reviewed to assess its effectiveness in identifying and managing risks arising from a parent entering a relationship.

“The evidence heard throughout the inquest has demonstrated that there are significant and systemic issues that have and continue to have an impact on Child Protection’s capacity to protect and uphold the safety and wellbeing of children in Victoria,” Judge Cain said.

“My duty is to give a voice to the four children who lost their lives in tragic circumstances.”

Judge Cain also took aim at significant staffing shortfalls which remain unresolved.

The inquest heard practitioners are assigned unachievably high caseloads with reduced supervision meaning red flags can be missed and children fall through the cracks.

Judge Cain recommended an industry-wide staffing boost and wage review to help stem high staff losses.

The Victorian government will consider the recommendations.

“The safety of children is our top priority – there have been significant changes to the Child Protection and Family Services system since these tragedies, and we will carefully consider the coroner’s recommendations,” a government spokesperson said.