Shadow Minister for Community Services Gladys Berejiklian said today the State Government urgently needed an independent inquiry into foster care following revelations of systemic failure by the Department of Community Services.
“Cases have come to my attention involving sexual abuse, injuries, neglect and suppression of a foster child’s history. These cases are either not investigated, or when investigated, the findings are withheld from the foster parents involved,” Ms Berejiklian said.
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“I am calling for a full inquiry into foster care to be undertaken by an eminent person who is not connected with the State Government or the Labor Party.
“Foster care groups and foster parents say DOCS’ refusal to provide the medical and family history of foster children to carers is putting children and carers at risk.
“Too many children and families are suffering at the hands of a DOCS foster care system that is in need of major overhaul. We have to find out exactly why the system is failing, then take action to turn it around,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Examples of foster care failure include:
• Foster parents not being told of foster child's sexual abuse. That abused child then abuses the foster parent’s grandchild (June 2006);
• Foster parents not being told of foster child's sexual abuse. That abused child then abuses another child in the foster parent’s care (June 2006);
• Foster parents not advised of foster child behavioural issues (June 2006);
• Foster child returns from access visit with head injuries and needs to be hospitalised (June 2003);
• Foster child returns from long access visit without a single nappy change (July 2002);
• Foster child returns from access visit with severe bruising (May 2003);
• Foster child returns from access visit without having been fed (December 2002); and,
• Foster child returns from access visit with Coca-cola instead of milk in the feeding bottle (September 2002).
“The State Government and Minister for Community Services continue to suppress recommendations handed down by the NSW Ombudsman or the Administrative Disputes Tribunal in relation to necessary improvements to the current system.
“Not only does DOCS remain unaccountable but in many instances there is evidence foster parents are wrongly accused of not providing adequate care – simply to cover up inadequacies within DOCS.
“An independent inquiry into foster care will ensure the spotlight is finally turned on the massive inadequacies within DOCS.
“DOCS is not coping with managing the safety of children in out-of-home care and there needs to be a massive cultural shift in how foster parents are treated within the system,” Ms Berejiklian said.
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