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| South Australia is having an overhaul of its Child Protection Laws. The inquiry is led by Ms Robyn Layton QC. MAKO put a SUBMISSION into this review in June 02. Parliment will consider the nearly 900 page Layton report with over 200 recommendations once completed(within a month).. Premier Mike Rann said,"We need to better identify,track and moniter sex offenders in order to prevent them from offending again". 18/2/03 |
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SA PAEDOPHILE REGISTER: JUSTICE SYSTEM FAILING CHILD ABUSE VICTIMS THE state's criminal justice system fails children while government child protection services are struggling to cope with demand, a new report says. Commissioned by the State Government and written by Robyn Layton, QC, the report calls for more funding for child protection in South Australia and major reforms - including a register of pedophiles. Family and Youth Services, within the Department of Human Services, is ill-equipped to cope with child abuse in SA as the number of reported cases in the past six years has jumped 60 per cent, the report saya. Ms Layton said yesterday FAYS funding allocation constituted just 6.3 per cent of the department's budget. "You can see a very small amount of money is spent on one of the most vital bodies that we have to assist in child protection," she said. Meanwhile, just 17 per cent of reported, child sexual abuse cases had led to prosecution in 2000-01. Ms Layton says welfare Of children in SA is compromised by a system which fails to advocate for them. "It is quite clear that the criminal justice system has not worked for children," Ms Layton said. FAYS had been undersourced for some years "and they are struggling to do what they already do, and they need more money to do what they do, but also another way of approaching it", In her report, Our Best Investment - a state plan to protect and advance the interests of ctuldren, Ms Layton makes more than 200 recommendations in a 400- plus page review of child protection. Included in her key recommendations are: THE appointment of a commissioner and a guardian for children. ESTABLISHING a panel to investigate child, deaths and serious injury, and a child protection board. SETTING up a treatment program for child-sex offenders within the prison system, based at Port Lincoln jail. A NEW offence to be introduced to target suspicious deaths of babies. Ms Layton also calls for a move to allow child victims to give evidence without having to appear in court. She also wants more options for dealing with child sex offenders, including civil proceedings where the burden of proof would be based on balance of proto abilities and more easily proved. The report also calls for an SA police-administered register of child sex offenders. Employers in child-related areas including schools, sporting and religious groups could use the register to check on staff and volunteer workers. Premier Mike Rann told State Parliament yesterday the Government supported the register. "Pedophiles should be hunted down, prosecuted and locked away," be said. "I am pleased that the Layton Report has recommended the establishment of a register where pedophiles and others who pose a risk will he deemed unsuitable to work with children and therefore listed on the register." Mr Rann said the "most extensive review of child protection ever undertaken in this state's history" would now be considered by Cabinet. Social Justice Minister Stephanie Key admitted taking up the recommendations would require significant government funding. ' "It will have resource implications for the State Government, we understand that," she said. "It will also mean in many in- stances that we need to realign our resources." SA Council of Social Service said the report showed "clear evidence of neglect in child and family welfare services". The Public Service Association called on the Government to commit more funding to Family and Youth Services urgently in light of the report's findings. .
By Political Reporter
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MAKO's submission
to SA child protection review(Layton report)
(RANNS LAW) Jail Terms to Increase Weeding out Adults who Can't be Trusted Paedophile Register To be a National Model |
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