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September 2nd, 2011 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda
AAP
Failures by Queensland’s child safety services were directly linked to the suicide of a teenage girl in Maryborough, a review has found.
The Queensland Department of Child Safety has released five reports into the suicide deaths of two teenagers, both 16, who were friends, in separate suicide incidents in 2009.
Both had been in state care, and one had complained to authorities about being abused.
The Child Death Case Review Committee found that in one case, child safety services had numerous opportunities to protect one of the teenagers from harm.
But the services “did not respond appropriately or in the best interests of the subject child,” the review found.
“… the lack of service delivery provided to the subject child by multiple agencies within the service system, in particular inaction of Child Safety Services in responding to the subject child’s disclosures of abuse and requests for support, was directly linked to (the) death,” one report found.
In the second death, systemic failings were identified but none were found to be directly linked to the teenager’s death.
In the most serious case, where failings were directly linked to the death of one of the teens, three officers were disciplined over their handling of the case.
One had subsequently resigned, two others were removed from front line services.
Child Safety Minister Phil Reeves said the release of the reports was in the public interest.
“The death of any young person is a tragedy, and I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family,” the minister said in a statement.
“I accept that valid, rational and reasoned criticism of Queensland’s child protection system must occur within the community.
“Deficiencies in achieving the highest standards of child protection should be the subject of community debate.”
* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Opposition child safety spokeswoman Tracy Davis said the release of the reports showed little had changed in the years since Labor ran to an election in 2004 seeking a mandate to protect Queensland children.
The reports not only revealed the system failed, but a culture of secrecy, she said.
“The release of the reports is an admission from Mr Reeves that he’s been trying to cover the matter up,” Ms Davis said.
“His claims of privacy as a reason to refuse to answer questions in parliament have been blown out of the water.”
Problems within Child Safety included workload and staffing, information sharing with police, failure to record information appropriately and delays in safety assessments, Ms Davis said.
“These are issues that persist today, there’s been no effort by Mr Reeves to improve the system,” she said.
“Labor’s entrenched culture of secrecy and cover-ups in child safety must be dismantled.
“We need a child protection system that’s open and accountable and gives children a voice.”
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