THREE years after the shocking Little Children Are Sacred report, a new inquiry has found that almost 1000 children who are at risk of abuse or neglect in the Northern Territory are not receiving government help.
The inquiry concluded there was a "tsunami of need", and that immediate action was required to remedy the "overwhelming failure" of the child protection system in the NT.
Inquiry co-chairwoman Muriel Bamblett, releasing the report yesterday, called on the NT government to act urgently to deal with a huge backlog of cases. "If one of those children dies, that is something the government should be ashamed of," Professor Bamblett said.
The inquiry found the system had been swamped by children in need over the past two years. Between January and July this year, an average of 797 cases each month were not being investigated. Some child protection workers were dealing with 80 cases each three times the norm while the needs of 1000 children considered at risk were not being attended to at all.
Many more children whose cases remained unreported were also believed to be at risk.
The inquiry found many basic needs of children were not being met. Causes of neglect included chronic gambling, illicit drug use and poor supervision.
Within hours of receiving the report, NT Chief Minister Paul Henderson promised immediate reforms, backed by a $130 million funding injection over five years.
He said a committee would oversee implementation of the most urgent of 142 recommendations, and make a detailed assessment of the others.
Ten interstate and overseas child protection workers would begin work immediately to tackle the backlog of cases, he said. An additional 42 professional child protection workers would be recruited, on top of 76 front-line and support workers announced earlier this year.
Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin linked the findings of the report in part to increased reporting of child abuse, which she said had grown with extra police on the ground in Aboriginal communities.
She said the 2007 government intervention in 73 remote NT communities had improved community safety. "Of course there is much more to be done and we are committed to continuing to progress much needed change on the ground," she said in a joint statement with Indigenous Health Minister Warren Snowdon.
Ms Macklin announced tougher income management rules to target abusive parents in Aboriginal communities while committing an extra $34 million for child protection.
It is believed Canberra will also monitor closely NT spending on child protection following claims of underspending and misdirection of funds.
Criticising the 2007 intervention, which was prompted by the Little Children Are Sacred report, Professor Bamblett said Aboriginal people felt disempowered and "their capacity to parent their children has been taken away." Men in particular "don't feel they have to be parents any more", she said.
Professor Bamblett said the NT child protection system was simply not working. "Children aren't being parented," she said.
"There are no support services like parenting programs. You have an absence of parents in communities looking after children. You have a government that has to step in to be the public parent. It can't. It can't replace the role of families and parents in communities."
Howard Bath, who co-chaired the inquiry, urged the NT and federal governments to fund programs that focus equally on prevention of child neglect and abuse as well those dealing with reported cases.
The inquiry was set up 18 months ago after a series of scandals, including the death of a 12-year-old girl who lay in the dirt in her foster carer's backyard for eight hours.
The current system was "completely overwhelmed", the inquiry found, with the workload dangerously degrading the system's capacity to respond to children in need.
But the inquiry defended child protection staff who are "unable to cope with limited resources".
It found workers were being forced to work across areas that should be the responsibility of other staff.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
What did the Northern Territory child protection inquiry find about children at risk?
The inquiry found a 'tsunami of need' in the Northern Territory: almost 1,000 children considered at risk were not receiving government help, and between January and July an average of 797 cases each month were not being investigated.
Why was the NT child protection system described as 'overwhelmed'?
Investigators found the system swamped by demand, with some child protection workers handling up to 80 cases—about three times the norm—workloads degrading the system's ability to respond and staff being forced to cover responsibilities beyond their roles.
What immediate reforms and funding did the NT government promise after the inquiry?
NT Chief Minister Paul Henderson promised immediate reforms backed by a $130 million funding injection over five years, creation of a committee to oversee the most urgent of 142 recommendations, and immediate recruitment of additional child protection staff including ten interstate/overseas workers and 42 more professional workers (on top of 76 front-line/support staff already announced).
How did federal ministers respond and will Canberra monitor NT spending?
Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin supported some findings, announced tougher income management rules targeting abusive parents and an extra $34 million for child protection, and it’s reported that Canberra will closely monitor NT spending amid claims of underspending and misdirected funds.
What root causes of child neglect and abuse did the inquiry identify?
The inquiry highlighted several causes of neglect including chronic gambling, illicit drug use and poor supervision, and noted that increased reporting—partly due to extra police in Aboriginal communities—has contributed to the rise in logged cases.
What broader changes did inquiry leaders recommend for prevention and support?
Co-chair Howard Bath and others urged funding for programs that balance prevention of child neglect and abuse with services that respond to reported cases, and the report called for more parenting and community support services rather than relying solely on the state to act as a public parent.
What community impacts did the report highlight, especially for Aboriginal communities?
The report noted that some Aboriginal people feel disempowered by past interventions—Professor Muriel Bamblett said the 2007 intervention left people feeling their capacity to parent had been taken away—and stressed the need to restore community parenting capacity and culturally appropriate supports.
As an everyday investor, what should I watch regarding the NT child protection findings and government response?
Watch how the NT implements the $130 million package and the 142 recommendations, transparency and accountability around spending (Canberra has signalled it will monitor NT expenditure), and progress on workforce recruitment and prevention programs—these factors indicate how effectively public funds are being managed and risks around governance and service delivery are being addressed.
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