Independent review system in place for child deaths

New Child Safety Minister Desley Boyle today said that Queensland has the most comprehensive independent review system for child deaths in Australia.

“If the Department has had any involvement with a child in the three years prior to their death there is a two pronged, thorough, independent investigation.

“Firstly, the Department does a mandatory review conducted by outside experts.

“That review is then looked at by the Child Death Case Review Committee which is chaired by the Commission for Children and Young People and which includes the Police Commissioner and senior health experts.

“The Child Death Case Review Committee then makes recommendations for improvements to the system and whether any action should be taken against staff.

“These recommendations will be implemented in full,” Ms Boyle said.

The Minister said that between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2006 51 children and young people known to the Department had died.

"The death of any child is a tragedy and demands full investigation. At the same time it is important to remember that many of these children died as the result of accidents or illness.

Of the 51 deaths:

• 18 died from natural causes (this includes deaths resulting from significant disabilities and/or long-term illnesses).
• 12 died from external causes (eight transport accidents and four drowning)

• 10 deaths resulted from non-accidental trauma (four of which were due to suicide)
• 3 infants died from SIDS and undetermined causes
• 1 additional child over the age of one year died from undetermined causes.
• 7 deaths have cause of death pending.

“The annual report of the Child Death Case Review Committee is due next month. We will act on any recommendations for improvement to our child protection system.

“We already have had the most extensive and well funded reforms of any child protection system in Australia.

“One hundred and three of the CMC’s 110 recommendations are now in place and the rest will be in place soon,” Ms Boyle said.

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