At-risk pregnant women - Department of Child Protection policy
2384. Hon Alison Xamon to the Minister for Child Protection
I refer to the article on page 7 of the Sunday Times newspaper on 2 May 2010 entitled, ‘Unborn babies seized’, and ask —
(1) How many pregnant women are currently scrutinised under the new Department of Child Protection (DCP) policy, regarding at risk pregnant mothers described in the article?
(2) How many pregnant women are currently required to provide urine samples to DCP?
(3) How often are they required to provide samples?
(4) What procedure is followed if a pregnant woman refuses to give a urine sample to DCP?
(5) What procedures are followed if a urine sample tests positive for alcohol or drugs?
(6) Is there any avenue of appeal for a woman who believes her test results are incorrect?
(7) What support is given to pregnant women who are considered to be at risk of having their newborn babies removed from them?
(8) If yes to (7) —
(a) please provide details of specific programs and support mechanisms designed to help these women keep their babies;
(b) how often are the women, visited by a DCP caseworker; and
(c) how often are these women required to visit a DCP office?
(9) How many mothers had their babies removed by DCP at, or soon after, birth in —
(a) 2008;
(b) 2009; and
(c) to date this year?
(10) How many women who would otherwise have their babies removed from them, does DCP expect will
be able to keep their babies, as a result of this new policy?
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied:
(1) The Department for Child Protection (the Department) provides a broad range of support to families, including families where there are concerns for unborn children. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between King Edward Memorial Hospital and the Department provides an opportunity for mothers to attend interagency meetings with support from their family, and other agencies, prior to the birth of their child. The pre-birth meetings are part of Department practice, but are one of many supports and programs offered to parents in order to assist them to provide a safe environment for their children.
The Department is not recording electronically the number of mothers it is working with at any one
time.
(2) The Department is committed to working with parents to build a safe environment for their children. Where concerns exist for the safety of a child as a result of parental drug or alcohol use, the Department works with the family in many ways to build safety for the child and that may, on occasions, include a request for the parent to undertake urinalysis.
The Department collects this data on the mother's personal file; it is not collected on the Department's electronic recording system.
(3) The frequency for women to provide urine samples is made on a case by case basis where it is considered that a child may be at risk as the result of parental drug or alcohol use. It will vary from random to three times per week.
(4) The decision of a parent to refuse a request for urinalysis would be considered, along with other factors, in determining what intervention the Department may take to ensure a safe environment for the child.
(5) Parental drug or alcohol use is a concern to the Department if it impacts on the ability of a parent to provide safety for their child. A positive urine test would be considered, with other factors, in determining what intervention the Department may take to ensure a safe environment for the child.
(6) The Department is committed to working collaboratively with parents to build safety for children. A collaborative approach allows for parents to express their concerns about any issue directly with their case worker, and parents are informed of options and procedures available to them for dispute resolution including a disputed urine result.
(7) The Department provides a broad range of support to pregnant women who are considered to be at risk of having their newborn babies removed. The pre-birth interagency meetings are a means to provide this support. The meetings are conducted in a supportive environment, with the pregnant woman being invited to attend with her support network (which can also include legal representation) to openly discuss the concerns, and work in a collaborative way with the Department to identify strategies that can be implemented prior to delivery.
(8) (a) The Department is committed to maintaining the family unit wherever it is safe for the child to do so. All programs and support mechanisms are designed to maximise a parent's capacity to provide safety for their child. Programs such as Best Beginnings and Parent Support, in addition to the pre-birth interagency meetings, are examples of programs provided by the Department. Drug and alcohol treatment and mental health intervention are examples of support that may be provided by other agencies.
(b)-(c) These arrangements are negotiated with the parent as part of the individual safety plan.
(9) (a) 54
(b) 66
(c) 9 (to end of February 2010).
(10) Although it is not possible to predict the outcomes of future meetings, the recent (December 2009) evaluation of the pilot program demonstrated the positive benefits to families who participated in the pre-birth interagency meetings, including:
- Of the 25 cases where the baby had been born, 14 (56%) resulted in no statutory action, and 11 (44%) resulted in statutory action.
- Of the cases where statutory action was taken, the baby went home with the mother in seven cases (64%). In the remaining four cases (36%) the baby was placed in other care.