A new report by HRW, authored by Annabel Hennesy, has brought some startling numbers to light. These numbers paint a picture of the increasingly alarming trend to remove children from their families in Western Australia (WA). Indeed, domestic violence is the leading cause of children entering foster care. This report features stories told by 54 parents and grandparents who experienced these removals at the hands of WA’s Department of Communities. Those findings point to a deeply unsettling pattern, especially in its impact on Indigenous peoples.
The rate of Indigenous children in out-of-home care in WA has been rising rapidly over the past two decades. Indigenous children now make up nearly 60 percent of all children in care—3,178 total. This is shocking, especially as they only account for seven percent of the state’s total child population. This figure is a shocking indicator of WA’s current status as the state with the highest number of Aboriginal children in out of home care. No other Aussie state or territory comes close.
Government Spending and Initiatives
Insecure Families, Stable Nation, the report highlights inequities in local, state and federal investments in community support services that families need. Yet WA spends under five percent of its child protection budget on family support services. This is in sharp contrast to the national average, which is 15 percent. The Productivity Commission have found that WA spends the least on family support services per capita compared to other states.
Despite these figures, the WA government and the Department of Communities assert that record funding has been directed towards early intervention and family support services. At the same time, they point out that much more is needed to stop the over-representation of Aboriginal families in the child protection system. WA recently released a national 10-year plan. This new initiative helps us to improve outcomes for children with the most vulnerable children at risk of abuse and neglect.
Commissioner for Children and Young People WA, Jacqueline McGowan-Jones Director, Supporting and protecting children across all sectors, early intervention is critical.
"But we also need to fund early intervention, early supports, wraparound supports and a holistic child and family wellbeing strategy, so that what we do is reduce the numbers of kids in out-of-home care," she explained.
Impact on Indigenous Families
The Human Rights Watch report continues to focused on that truth, emphasizing the deep emotional toll these policies take on Indigenous families. Indigenous women often come out of these criminal justice experiences feeling punished for situations they cannot control like being unhoused. Briana’s story illustrates this difficulty. Even though she struggled desperately to secure permanent housing for herself and her newborn, her inability to meet the standards ultimately led to CPS taking custody of her child.
"They never had an issue with my parenting until I didn't have a roof over my head," Briana shared.
"Just because someone's homeless we shouldn't be taking the child off them. You should be offering them more help, if anything," she added.
Molly's story further highlights this issue. After being hospitalized after an attack by her partner, Molly endured the loss of her child.
"Because of the assaults from my second partner, the father of my son, I went to the hospital and then the hospital got involved in and called the Department of Communities," Molly recounted.
Guest blogger Annabel Hennesy discusses the punitive measures taken against domestic violence survivors and their impact.
"They've been victim survivors of domestic violence, and then they're being punished again by authorities who, instead of helping them, have removed their children," she stated.
Calls for Reform
The report calls for comprehensive and systemic reform, arguing that poverty cannot be used as a reason to remove a child from their family. Annabel Hennesy, an EQUALS international fellow, explains that under international law, separating a child from their parents should always be a measure of last resort.
"Under international law, removing a child from their parents is always meant to be an option of last resort, and what we found is that is really not the case," Hennesy emphasized.
She continues to make the case for early intervention approaches that prioritize support over monitoring.
"If there's early support, early intervention, that is genuinely about helping, not policing, that can make a real difference," she suggested.
McGowan-Jones, who recognizes that there are kids who require removal for their own safety, says it’s about establishing equilibrium.
"There are a lot of children who need to be removed for their safety and wellbeing," she stated.
