Questions & Answers Paper No. 158 - Parliament of New South ...

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LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2009
7648 SCHOOL LEAGUE TABLES—Mr Peter Debnam to ask the Premier, and Minister for the Arts—
7649 DET FUNDING—Mr Victor Dominello to ask the Minister for Education and Training, and Minister for
Women—
7650 UNPAID HOSPITAL BILLS—Mr Victor Dominello to ask the Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate
Change and the Environment, and Minister for Commerce representing the Attorney General, Minister
for Industrial Relations, Minister for Health, Minister for the Central Coast, Vice President of the
Executive Council—
7651 WEST RYDE DEVELOPMENT—Mr Victor Dominello to ask the Minister for Housing, and Minister
for Western Sydney—
7652 WOOD SUPPLY AGREEMENTS—Mr Andrew Fraser to ask the Minister for Education and Training,
and Minister for Women representing the Minister for Primary Industries, Minister for Energy, Minister
for Mineral Resources, Minister for State Development—
7653 SUSTAINABLE YIELD OF BLACKBUTT—Mr Andrew Fraser to ask the Minister for Education and
Training, and Minister for Women representing the Minister for Primary Industries, Minister for Energy,
Minister for Mineral Resources, Minister for State Development—
*7654 CARER ASSESSMENTS—Ms Pru Goward asked the Minister for Community Services—
(1) (a) Does the Department of Community Services complete carer assessments on all carers prior to
the finalisation of a child's placement?
(b) If not, why not?
(2) In how many instances was there a failure to conduct a carer assessment before a child's placement
was finalised in:
(a) 2007;
(b) 2008;
(c) year to date?
Answer—
(1) (a) Community Services conducts assessments on authorised foster carers and relative ⁄ kinship
carers prior to finalising a child's placement with them.
(b) In an emergency, a child or young person may be placed with a relative or another person
identified by the child, young person or their family who is not an authorised carer or who has not
yet completed assessment as a relative ⁄ kinship carer. In these circumstances:
• A check of the Community Services' database is conducted for references to the prospective
carer
• Information is obtained from Police with regard to criminal record information as well as any
additional information about the person being a "person of interest" to police for reasons
relating to the safety, welfare and well being of a child or young person.
• A Placement Needs Assessment is undertaken as soon as practical to determine the best
course of action for the child or young person.
(2) There is no aggregated level data available which examines this issue.
*7655 CHILD WELL-BEING UNITS—Ms Pru Goward asked the Minister for Community Services—
(1) How many child well-being units have been established and were operating as at 31 August 2009?
(2) What arrangements have been made to enable the child well-being units to exchange information
relating to reports of harm?
(3) How many Regional Referral Centres have been established, with what staff and cost?
Answer—
(1) None - Child Wellbeing Units (CWUs) are scheduled to commence a trial and testing period in
October 2009.
(2) New provision in the Children Legislation Amendment (Wood Inquiry Recommendations) Act 2009
will enable prescribed bodies, including agencies with Child Wellbeing Units to share information to
assist with service delivery for the safety, welfare and wellbeing of a particular child or young
person. Under Chapter 16A, one prescribed body may provide information relating to the safety,
welfare or wellbeing of a child⁄young person to another if the information would assist with making a
decision, assessment, investigation or service delivery. An agency may also provide information on
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