Qld Health lacked systems, staff training to protect children from further abuse, report finds
An investigation into the abuse and neglect of two severely disabled Queensland siblings over a 20-year period has found healthcare staff were inadequately trained to report and raise concerns of child abuse, while ineffective government systems exposed vulnerable children to further harm.
Report, Third in a series by the Queensland Ombudsman The inquiry, which examined the ability of public sector agencies to prevent harm to disabled children, was commissioned in response to a case of serious abuse and neglect involving two Queensland children referred to as Kaleb and Jonathon.
The siblings, who live with significant global developmental delay, intellectual disability and autism and have limited verbal communication, were found malnourished and naked in a bare room with door handles removed in May 2020 after emergency services were called to the home where they lived with their father. He was found dead.
The case was the subject of a public hearing as part of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability in 2023, and the Queensland Ombudsman was subsequently tasked with investigating public sector bodies that interacted with Kaleb and Jonathon.
The report, released on Tuesday, focused on the brothers’ interactions with Queensland Health between 2000 and 2020.
Although Queensland Health has developed protocols to help staff detect and respond to child abuse and neglect, it became clear that staff needed clearer guidance and consistent information on how to report child protection concerns.
Changes to information management systems were also recommended to allow staff to easily cross-check concerns; regular inspections to identify at-risk children who do not attend health appointments; and the possibility of requiring the use of Child Safety. Child Protection Guide.
Kaleb and Jonathon were born at Queensland Health hospitals in 2000 and 2003 respectively.
Concerns for Kaleb’s safety and welfare were reported to Child Safety shortly after his birth, and he was placed in foster care for “significant periods” during the first three years of his life.
Staff issued similar reports about both children after Jonathon’s birth in 2003.
The boys were diagnosed with developmental delay and intellectual disability at an early age, and had “significant daily care and support needs” and occasional specialist healthcare throughout their teenage years.
In 2005, Queensland Health staff reported concerns about both children missing many health appointments and expressed fears that the siblings may be being neglected. These turned out to be “proven.”
Over the next 10 years the siblings missed multiple specialist medical appointments, which were not followed up by Queensland Health despite previous concerns about their health. No further notification was made to Child Safety.
Their failure to attend medical appointments was part of a body of evidence that they had suffered chronic neglect in their father’s care, the royal commission was told.
Another issue identified by the Ombudsman was Queensland Health’s use of both electronic and paper-based files, which it said prevented staff from identifying patterns of harm.
“Effective information sharing between Child Safety and agencies such as Queensland Health is critical to identifying and supporting children in need of protection,” wrote Queensland Ombudsman Anthony Reilly.
Queensland Health chief executive Dr. David Rosengren said most ombudsman recommendations will be evaluated through “established policy and procedure review cycles,” while work is underway to digitize health records and audit at-risk children who miss scheduled outpatient appointments.
“Queensland Health will continue to work closely with Child Safety and other partners to strengthen responses to the health needs of vulnerable children, young people and families engaged with Queensland’s child protection and public health systems,” Rosengren said.
In 2023, Queensland’s child safety minister apologized to Kaleb and Jonathon for the decades of violence, abuse and neglect they suffered under their father’s care.
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