Care and Protection Part A: Articles and Essay

1. Abuse and neglect putting children on path to crime (accessed 19/05/15):
There are many cases that get heard in a courtroom, however "the judge doesn't hear about the abuse an offender has suffered as a child". Jason Arthur West, on 5th April was a convicted armed robber, he was denied opportunities as a child that most children or young adults were given in the community because the way he was brought up as a child. Mr. Wests home environment was described "putrid and the necessities of life were not always available". Because of Mr. West lifestyle as a child was very poor this had led him to steal "in order to get food".
Society is starting to realise the devastating lengths and effects of child abuse can have on a child with the sentencing of Kristi Anne Abrahams for the murder of her 6-year-old child Kiesha. As a child, Kristi Abrahams was "repeatedly abused in a physical nature by her alcoholic father and moved to 1 inappropriate home to another”. According to this article ‘Abuse and neglect putting children on path to crime’ is said that if a child is exposed to violence at a young age that is the way ‘they perceive behaviour in society, which is violence is ‘normal’. A person that is experiencing violence or experienced violence can turn to drugs and alcohol to self-medication for the emotional pain.
Some people in society believe that the system is failing because of the lack in the effectiveness to address the initial abuse and the consequences formed by it. “We aren’t doing as much in the care system as we could, for example having kids attending children’s court without anyone with them”. Dr. Cashmore states” funding needs to be directed into prevention programs and not just crisis measure provided by the Department of Community Services”. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/abuse-and-neglect-putting -children-on-path-to-crime- 20130719-2q9p6.html
2. Northern Territory department records 117 allegations of sexual abuse of children in care in six months (accessed 24/05/15):
The definition of sexual exploitation includes the sexual abuse of a child, involving the child as a participant or spectator in a sexual act, prostitution and or pornographic performances. It is stated that “145 allegations of sexual abuse of children in care from July 1st, 2004 to July 1st, 2014. And then from august 2014 to January 31st recorded 117 allegations of sexual exploitations”. Before January 2014 allegations about children in care were missed as they didn’t always meet the definition in the care and protection Act.
According the Children’s Commissioner she said “she was concerned about some of the allegations that were missed and believe that every complaint that is made about the welfare of a child should be looked over or have some sort of quality assurance in terms of that were responded correctly”. The commissioner believes that the department should have checked that they hadn’t missed any complaints and should have been appropriately dealt with.
With the change in legislations, this has led to a change in the department's processes to create more standardised accurate read on the reports and more universal. And with the new policy and new technology concerns about children cannot be ‘screened out’, the Department of Family and Community Services will record the concerns and information collected for future use and the family may be referred to other service providers for support. https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/27410486/northern-territory-department-records-117-allegations-of-sexual-abuse-of-children-in-care-in-six-months/ 3. Toddler’s death ignites debate over foster care systems (accessed 24/05/15):
A 22-month-old child, Braxton Slager-Lewin drowned in a western Sydney pool where he was placed by the community organisations ‘Life without Barriers’. Life without Barriers was a temporary care for the child while Johnny Slager wanted to receive help to withdraw from