Advocates say child protection system 'destroys families and communities' in northern WA

Advocates say children and families are being separated in the Kimberley with little hope of reunification. (ABC Kimberley: Andrew Seabourne)

The combination of ballooning waiting lists for public housing and mismanagement of the state's child protection system is destroying children and families in Western Australia's remote north, advocates say.

Kimberley organisations have previously reported housing waiting lists have reached 235 weeks — a figure the government contests.

But with stable housing a key factor in any potential reunification between children in care and parents, legal advocates say mismanagement of the system is creating a vicious cycle.

As of June last year, WA government figures showed 387 Kimberley children were in care with the region the only one in the state where every child in care was Indigenous.

Challenges facing families can include domestic violence, homelessness, and alcohol or drug abuse.

While the welfare of the children involved remained the paramount consideration, Aboriginal Family Legal Services (AFLS) acting chief executive Gail Dodd said the situation in the Kimberley meant many requirements were near impossible to meet.

"If a parent is having housing concerns, part of the reason for the children not coming back is because of that," Ms Dodd said.

"Yet there is no prospect of finding suitable housing that falls into the department's landscape of what that housing should look like."

With child protection matters a key focus area for AFLS, Ms Dodd said her staff walked through the system alongside clients.

"Clients are expected to jump through unrealistic hoops to have their children returned to their care," Ms Dodd said.

"They've got to try and navigate the process and make changes without the appropriate tools and resources to do it."

She said significant parts of the Kimberley had little to no access to the programs that parents needed to access to regain their children with initiatives focused on areas like domestic violence visiting some communities twice a year or not at all.

Auditor General Caroline Spencer has also questioned the effectiveness of the state's approach to child protection.

In a report released on Thursday, Ms Spencer said while the Department of Communities delivered a range of valuable services, it was struggling to determine whether its early intervention strategies were working.

"Demand for services often exceeds availability, and access to some services depends on where a family lives," Ms Spencer said.

"Despite this, the department does not monitor how long families are waiting to receive support and does not have a clear understanding of whether as many vulnerable children are being helped as possible."

Advocates representing child protection staff have previously said the department itself is under-resourced in the Kimberley, leaving 170 children without a dedicated case worker.

Destroying families and communities

Catherine Liddle, chief executive at SNAICC, the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and family services, said the absence of any chance at reunification was traumatic for communities.

"It is built to do what it does at this point in time — it destroys families and it destroys communities," Ms Liddle said.

But Ms Liddle said the government was yet to finalise its 10-year road map following recommendations handed to the state government by SNAICC in 2023.

"We're seeing the bulk of dollars that are supposed to be there to protect children going into removing children when all the evidence shows that when you remove children, you harm children," Ms Liddle said.

"Put the investment into early supports and adequate services into the things that families and children need, regardless of where their community is.

"Your postcode in the Kimberley shouldn't determine how likely you are to turn up in a child protection system."

Child protection workforce government priority

A Department of Communities spokesperson said the government recognised the over-representation of Aboriginal children in care as a significant issue.

The spokesperson highlighted the introduction of the Aboriginal Representative Organisations Pilot Program in the Kimberley.

"The program has seen the introduction of five new ACCOs [Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations] across WA delivering out-of-home care services, including in the Kimberley," the spokesperson said.

"The intent of the reform includes providing more culturally responsive care arrangements to Aboriginal children with more opportunities for early reunification."

They said the Department procured ACCOs to deliver culturally safe programs, including early intervention and family support services, Family Domestic Violence services, and youth at risk services.

“Any decision to bring a child into care is made as a last resort and only occurs when it is not possible for a child to remain at home safely with their family.”