Tuesday, 14 November 2023

 Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (12:15): I desire to move, by leave:

That:

this house acknowledges residential care under this Labor government is a dangerous and unsafe place for children and young people, and

notes that children and young people in residential care can continue to be targeted by predators and sexually exploited and abused.

Leave refused.

 Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (12:16): I desire to move, by leave:

That this house notes the Commission for Children and Young People’s data shows that from July 2021 to March 2023, 423 sexual exploitation cases in residential care were reported involving 165 children. Of these, 241 incidents involved sexual exploitation and abuse of children under 16 and 11 incidents involved nine children under 12.

Leave refused.

 Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (12:16): I desire to move, by leave:

That this house notes children in residential care continue to go missing in high numbers because they feel unsafe.

Leave refused.

 Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (12:17): I desire to move, by leave:

That this house notes Victoria Legal Aid data between 2019 and 2022 shows every second young person in residential care is being criminalised and two-thirds of children aged 10 to 14 in residential care will have subsequent contact with the justice system.

Leave refused.

 Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (12:17): I desire to move, by leave:

That this house acknowledges this government’s failure to implement all the recommendations of the Commission for Children and Young People in the commission’s June 2021 report Out of Sight: Systemic Inquiry into Children who are Absent or Missing from Residential Care to address the safety of young people in residential care.

Leave refused.

 Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (12:18): I desire to move, by leave:

That this house notes the Commissioner for Children and Young People’s comments prior to the 2023 state budget that ‘It’s clear that without stronger action, children in residential care remain at extreme risk of harm due to criminal activity’.

Leave refused.

 Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (12:18): I desire to move, by leave:

That this house:

notes the over-representation of Indigenous children in state care, and

notes comments by a social work expert that ‘The contemporary child protection system in Victoria continues to be plagued by systemic racism’.

Leave refused.

 Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (12:18): I desire to move, by leave:

That this house acknowledges this government and its six child protection ministers have failed in their duty to protect vulnerable children in Victoria.

Leave refused.