SA boy took his own life after being shuffled around 18 foster homes

Zhane was just three months old when authorities were contacted about his welfare with his biological family, and he was removed six months later... life only got worse from there.

A teenage boy who spent the majority of his life in foster care was shuffled around to 18 different homes before taking his own life, a report has revealed.

Zhane Chilcott, 13, died in 2016 after he was failed multiple times by those in charge of his care, State Coroner David Whittle said.

One of Zayne’s foster families were later hit with criminal charges for an alleged assault while he was in their care.

However, these charges were dropped shortly after Zhane’s death.

Zhane Chilcott died in 2016, aged 13, after taking his own life due to being shuffled around 18 foster homes.

Mr Whittle said there were missed opportunities for early intervention before he went into care along with others that could have dealt with past traumas.

These traumas related to having so many placements in quick succession and other opportunities to address Zayne’s psychiatric issues.

“An analysis of those missed opportunities does not lead with certainty to the conclusion that Zhane’s death by suicide was preventable,” the coroner said.

“I do find, however, that there were a number of missed opportunities in Zhane’s case to moderate the chances of death by suicide.

“The cumulative effect of all those failings was to increase his risk of suicide.

“Had those failings not occurred, it can only be said that the risk of Zhane taking his own life must have been reduced."

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Zhane was just three months old when authorities were told about his welfare with his biological family and he was removed six months later.

Zhane Chilcott took own life after 18 foster home failings

Zhane was just three months old when the first report was made to authorities about his welfare with his biological family and was removed six months later.

He later spent six years with an Adelaide family, an arrangement which was ended after reports of physical and sexual assault.

A later foster care placement in the state’s mid-north resulted in Zayne finally thriving but this was ended when authorities had refused to provide extra money.

After this, Zayne was placed in a residential facility which cost more than his carer had requested.

Mr Whittle’s findings recommended that a register be started for children in SA’s state care that would record all self-harm incidents or threats.

He also said foster families’ payments should be reviewed in order to increase the number of people willing to take children in.