Seven more girls found to be pregnant in state care in South Australia

A worrying number of girls living under the care of the state government have fallen pregnant in just six months.

Another seven girls living under the care of the state government have fallen pregnant, The Advertiser can reveal.

Between seven and 13 pregnancies have been reported in each of the past three financial years involving children or teens who were removed from unsafe homes and placed in state care.

New figures released following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by the Opposition show another seven pregnancies have been reported to the Department for Child Protection (DCP) so far in 2024-25.

Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard said girls in care who become pregnant “are fully supported by the department and other service providers during their pregnancy and after giving birth”.

Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard in parliament. Picture: NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

Ms Hildyard has not revealed the ages of the girls, prompting calls for greater transparency from Opposition MLC Laura Henderson.

“The government must address these failures urgently and take immediate action to protect the

most vulnerable children in our community,” said Ms Henderson, who lodged the FOI.

In July last year it was revealed that two pregnancies in 2022 were the result of sexual offences against children in state care.

Responding to questions about the latest seven cases, Ms Hildyard said she was “advised that none of the pregnancies were the result of an alleged offence”.

Opposition MLC Laura Henderson on the steps of Parliament House. Picture: Supplied

Rules governing the reporting of pregnancies in care were changed in 2022 following revelations former Liberal minister Rachel Sanderson did not know about two pregnant 13-year-olds in care, which were made public via court cases.

In 2020 Matthew James McIntyre was jailed for abusing and impregnating a girl he groomed on a dating app.

In the same year Philip Edwin McIntosh was jailed for maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a girl who was pregnant when they met.

The cases prompted a review which found DCP reporting procedures at the time were “a mess” and did not specifically address pregnancies.

Ms Hildyard said when she became minister, following the March 2022 election, she “instituted a range of changes to require that I am always made aware of particular issues, including pregnancies”.

She said SA Health data showed “no significant difference in pregnancy rates between young women in care and those not in care”.

There are more than 4800 children living in state care.

Originally published as Seven more girls found to be pregnant in state care in South Australia