http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24765231-2682,00.html

December 08, 2008 12:01am

FAMILIES SA has been accused of ignoring warnings of a looming tragedy at a drug-riddled Adelaide Hills home, where a baby boy died a fortnight ago.

Two sources have told The Advertiser they made repeated phone calls to the child abuse hotline alleging the mother was neglecting her older son.

It is understood last month's tragedy occurred after the baby's mother, 21, put her three-month-old son to sleep one evening about 7pm. But about 18 hours later, when she checked on him, the baby was dead.

Detectives visited the home on November 23 and are preparing a report for the Coroner.

Families and Communities Minister Jennifer Rankine has ordered her department to examine why the complaints relating to the older child were ignored amid "concerns about the mother's health".

She says Families SA received only two notifications 14 months ago.

Ms Rankine also says in the days following the baby's birth, the mother declined a voluntary universal home visit but a midwifery service made three home visits.

"I am advised the only contact between government and this mother was in the days following the birth of the child on August 17 this year," she said.

Both sources who spoke to The Advertiser have alleged the older boy was extremely skinny and underfed, without nappies and slept in a bed covered in faeces.

"They told me they would send someone out (but when they hadn't) I called them back again they said because the abuse wasn't sexual it wasn't important enough to investigate," a woman, who did not wish to be identified, said.

"Because it was neglect and emotional abuse it wasn't serious. I'm absolutely disgusted."

A second source close to the family also reported the young mother amid concerns about drug and alcohol abuse at the Housing Trust home.

Before the baby was born, he made three complaints to a Families SA office, which is a division of the Department Families and Communities whose primary area of concern is the protection of children, about drugs at the home and the older son being outside in winter in few clothes and no shoes.

"We tried bringing this to someone's attention and it's not been acted on and someone's now died, it's terrible," the source said. "I said: 'I suppose someone will have to die before you do something about it' and basically my prophecy has come true. I just find it so bloody frustrating."

The latest incident has again focused attention on the troubled Department of Families and Communities, which has been at the centre of intense scrutiny over its handling of child abuse cases.

Last month, social workers repeated their long-standing prediction that children would die because a severe staff shortage meant cases were slipping through the dysfunctional Families SA agency.

This week, it was revealed that the Government's much-lauded $190 million injection into the child welfare sector had been delayed by six months. The Government also admitted that thousands of reports of suspected child abuse are not being investigated because of the chronic social worker shortage.

The case that focused most attention on the department occurred in June after a northern suburbs police raid resulted in children requiring hospital treatment for alleged malnutrition.

Six people have since been charged with endangering lives and criminal neglect of up to 21 children. At the time, former department head Sue Vardon infamously declared the child welfare system should be "celebrated", which sparked a reprimand from former Minister Jay Weatherill.

Opposition Families spokesman Iain Evans said the Government had to explain the lack of action in the wake of numerous pleas for help in the latest case.

"There are people in the community who care enough to report and nothing happens," he said. "The people who lodge complaints expect the Government to take some action so the minister needs to explain why they did nothing."


WELL THIS IS JUST ANOTHER ONE FROM FAMILIES SA..... THEY PREY ON FAMILIES THAT ARE NOT IN AN ABUSIVE SITUATION AND IGNORE THE PLEA'S FROM PEOPLE WHO NEED THE HELP.....AND WHO SAYS THEY ARENT CORRUPT!!!!!

Inquiry into handling of alleged neglect case


Families Minister Jennifer Rankine has ordered an inquiry into her department's handling of an alleged neglect case. (ABC News)


The Families and Communities Minister, Jennifer Rankine, has ordered an inquiry into her department's handling of an alleged neglect case.

The recent death of a baby boy has raised questions about an Adelaide Hills family which has been in contact with Families SA for more than a year.

Ms Rankine says a complaint was made against the family in October last year but not acted on.

She says the baby's death appears to be accidental, but she is asking the department to explain its handling of the case.

"I'm asking them the reasons behind decisions in relation to contact with this family," she said.

"Of course this death will be reviewed by the serious injury review committee and as a result of the police investigation, the report will be provided to the Coroner.

"We had one report in October 2007 around this family, around another sibling, and as I said we've had a midwife visiting this family on numerous occasions since the birth of this child and no further notifications were made as a result."

This tragic case highlights a system in crisis.In this instance there were warnings - many of them - which makes the baby's death even more shocking.

The Advertiser has spoken with two people "disgusted" with the attitude of Families SA. One was told that child neglect wasn't serious enough to warrant investigation.

In frustration, the other asked Families SA if a child had to die before something was done.

It turned out to be a chilling prophesy.

Over the past year, numerous Families SA social workers have lamented to The Advertiser that children were falling through the cracks.

All predicted a child's death that could have been prevented.

The concern is so great about a staff shortage, workers at the Department of Families and Communities instituted work bans earlier this year.

They estimate a 4 per cent Government salary savings push has resulted in 58 full-time vacant child protection positions across the across the state.

And to top it off the Government's much-lauded $190 million injection into child welfare has been delayed by six months.

The Opposition claims the Government is at war with its workers.

The union says meetings with new Minister Jennifer Rankine and chief executive Joslene Mazel have proved fruitless.

While there has been a greater strain on child protection services all across Australia over the past few years, there is no excuse for ignoring the repeated pleas of genuinely concened people.

Too many children are slipping through the cracks. The Government has a responsibility to the most vunerable in our community.

It cannot continue to disregard their calls for help.