Wednesday, 13 November 2024

Child protection

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:01): My question is to the Minister for Children. Minister, confidential guidelines for state residential care home staff inform employees how to supervise children while they inject illegal drugs. Why has the minister turned children’s residential care homes into new drug-injecting rooms?

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:01): I thank Ms Crozier for her question, which reaches a new low. Let me assure –

Members interjecting.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: Sorry, Ms Crozier. You have asked the question. Would you like to hear an answer?

Georgie Crozier interjected.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: Ms Crozier, if you would like me to answer the question, perhaps you would give me the opportunity.

What I can assure the house is that there are program requirements that ensure that community service organisations who partner in the important service delivery of residential care have written policies and procedures in place that all staff should be familiar with, that are readily accessible to all staff and which outline the following: the CSO’s policy on sexuality education, the CSO’s policy on substance abuse, the CSO’s policy on cigarette smoking and also on infection control procedures. CSOs, the community service organisations, which partner with government in the delivery of important residential care services to some of the most vulnerable children and young people in our community, must have policies concerning how to respond to substance abuse, including inhalants, including alcohol and including other drug use, and that response is an important part, as the Premier went to in her response to these questions yesterday.

All children in residential care with substance abuse issues must also be referred to a drug and alcohol treatment service, and CSOs will ensure care teams explore any substance abuse issues and coordinate an appropriate response for each and every child in the best interests of that child and in accordance with the case plan goals for that child. I am also further advised that CSOs, inclusive of those providing residential care, are required to comply with the guidelines for community care for the drug and alcohol sector, which firstly says no illicit drugs are allowed on premises. All children and young people with substance use issues must be referred to drug and alcohol treatment services. Children and young people are not permitted to have any non-prescribed inhalants in their possession or use such inhalants in residential care facilities. Strategies relying on passive observation of clients using such substances are not permitted, and CSOs are expected to do everything reasonable and consistent within safe work practices to stop young people from using those non-prescribed inhalants, to remove inhaling implements as soon as is possible and also to reinforce that using non-prescribed inhalants is not permitted. In situations where children and young people may present, having used such substances, to a residential care facility, which, Ms Crozier, can at times happen, in a substance-affected state, there is a duty of care to ensure that those children and young people are responsibly and appropriately assisted. The Premier went to that in her answer yesterday.

If that is not what you would do, then I would hate to see a situation where those opposite had the responsibility for the care of these children and young people. What I will say is if there is a breach, there are actions that can be taken, Ms Crozier, but I absolutely reject the premise of your question.

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:05): It is a pity the minister continues to refuse to understand what is going on under her watch. Under your watch, vulnerable children in state residential care homes are being allowed to inject illegal drugs in their rooms. That is putting their lives at risk. State residential care home staff feel powerless to intervene. In your answer to the substantive question you said that the children are referred to alcohol and drug rehab treatment services. How many children have been referred to drug and alcohol rehab treatment services as a result of them illegally injecting drugs in state residential care homes?

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:05): Again, at the outset I will say no illicit drugs are allowed on premises. I absolutely reject your premise that –

Georgie Crozier interjected.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: Ms Crozier, I reject your premise that illicit drugs are allowed on site. What I will also acknowledge is that at times children and young people who have substance abuse issues do need to be appropriately and responsibly assisted, and as our guidelines state, children and young people who have substance abuse issues are required to be referred to services. In the best interests of each and every child and in accordance with their case plan goals, those decisions are made to refer those children, as is required because of their conditions or their circumstances, to those services, Ms Crozier. As I have said in this house before, to reduce these conversations to individual questions about individual matters is simply inappropriate.

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:06): I move:

That the minister’s answer be taken into consideration on the next day of sitting.

Motion agreed to.