Child agency ignored threats: [1 - All-round Country Edition]
Michael McKinnon * FOI editor, Christine Jackman, John Stapleton. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 28 June 2003: 1.
Abstract
The agency received 184 suicide threats, 320 client-to-client threats, 48 bomb threats, with four bomb incidents, and 453 harassment calls between 1996-97 and 2001-02. But security incident reports reveal the police were called in fewer than half a dozen of these cases.
A CSA spokeswoman said no records had been kept of police referrals before July 2001 and no records of counselling referrals had ever been kept. But in the financial year to June 25, 2003, the CSA had received 111 suicide threats, 81 client-to-client threats, 74 threats to staff and seven bomb threats.
In the two years since July 2001, 59 client-to-client threats and 46 suicide threats had been referred to police.
HUNDREDS of threats of assault, murder and suicide by angry parents have been mishandled or ignored by the Child Support Agency, an investigation by The Weekend Australian has revealed.
Federal Children and Youth Affairs Minister Larry Anthony yesterday ordered the agency to explain itself after it was revealed he had been misled by a CSA briefing on its safety procedures.
The CSA calculates and monitors child support payments for more than 1.2million separated or divorced parents.
Documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws reveal Mr Anthony was advised in September 2000 that any "possible murder or suicide" threat from CSA clients would be referred to police.
The agency claimed staff were also trained to refer on to qualified counsellors "distraught" parents who "occasionally" contacted it.
"A few of these threaten to harm themselves or others," the CSA brief noted.
But internal documents obtained during a six-month investigation by The Weekend Australian show the CSA fields hundreds of threats to harm ex-partners and children, use bombs or commit suicide each year.
The agency received 184 suicide threats, 320 client-to-client threats, 48 bomb threats, with four bomb incidents, and 453 harassment calls between 1996-97 and 2001-02. But security incident reports reveal the police were called in fewer than half a dozen of these cases.
In one incident in western Sydney, a client who had threatened suicide was instead sent a "letter requesting (he/she) call the agency".
This is despite the CSA ministerial briefing stating that "when indicators of self harm are recognised, CSA staff refer parents to a community agency skilled in counselling in the parent's local area."
No records of client referrals to counselling were kept, although staff were often given in-house counselling after aggressive encounters.
Prime Minister John Howard announced a government inquiry this week into child custody arrangements, including controversial formulas applied by the CSA to calculate parents' support payments. But the inquiry will not address administrative or security procedures within the agency.
Mr Anthony said he had never seen data about threats or other security incidents.
He admitted to writing on the CSA's briefing paper that it was "an understatement" for the agency to claim distressed parents only "occasionally" contacted the service.
But Mr Anthony said he had been led to believe all "extreme threats" were referred to police.
A CSA spokeswoman said no records had been kept of police referrals before July 2001 and no records of counselling referrals had ever been kept. But in the financial year to June 25, 2003, the CSA had received 111 suicide threats, 81 client-to-client threats, 74 threats to staff and seven bomb threats.
In the two years since July 2001, 59 client-to-client threats and 46 suicide threats had been referred to police.
Asked to explain why these figures did not match those provided under Freedom of Information laws, she said incident reporting and record-keeping had been updated during that time.
More reports -- Page 2
The Australian
28 June 2003, Page 1
Child agency 'ignored' threats
By Michael McKinnon, Christine Jackman and John Stapleton
Hundreds of threats of assault, murder and suicide by angry parents
have been mishandled or ignored by the Child Support Agency, an
investigation by The Weekend Australian has revealed.
Federal Children and Youth Affairs Minister Larry Anthony yesterday
ordered the agency to explain itself after it was revealed he had been
misled by a CSA briefing on its safety procedures.
The CSA calculates and monitors child support payments for more than
1.2 million separated or divorced parents.
Documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws reveal Mr Anthony
was advised in September 2000 that any "possible murder or suicide"
threat from CSA clients would be referred to police.
The agency claimed staff were also trained to refer on to qualified
counsellors "distraught" parents who "occasionally" contacted it.
"A few of these threaten to harm themselves or others," the CSA brief
noted.
But internal documents obtained during a six-month investigation by The
Weekend Australian show the CSA fields hundreds of threats to harm ex-
partners and children, use bombs or commit suicide each year.
The agency received 184 suicide threats, 320 client-to-client threats,
48 bomb threats, with four bomb incidents, and 453 harassment calls
between 1996-97 and 2001-02. But security incident reports reveal the police
were called in fewer than half a dozen of these cases.
In one incident in western Sydney, a client who had threatened suicide
was instead sent a "letter requesting (he/she) call the agency".
This is despite the CSA ministerial briefing stating that "when
indicators of self harm are recognised, CSA staff refer parents to a
community agency skilled in counselling in the parent's local area".
No records of client referrals to counselling were kept, although staff
were often given in-house counselling after aggressive encounters.
Prime Minister John Howard announced a government inquiry this week
into child custody arrangements, including controversial formulas applied by
the CSA to calculate parents' support payments. But the inquiry will
not address administrative or security procedures within the agency.
Mr Anthony said he had never seen data about threats or other security
incidents.
He admitted to writing on the CSA's briefing paper that it was "an
understatement" for the agency to claim distressed parents
only "occasionally" contacted the service.
But Mr Anthony said he had been led to believe all "extreme threats"
were referred to police.
A CSA spokeswoman said no records had been kept of police referrals
before July 2001 and no records of counselling referrals had ever been
kept.
But in the financial year to June 25, 2003, the CSA had received 111
suicide threats, 81 client-to-client threats, 74 threats to staff and seven
bomb threats.
In the two years since July 2001, 59 client-to-client threats and 46
suicide threats had been referred to police.
Asked to explain why these figures did not match those provided under
Freedom of Information laws, she said incident reporting and record-
keeping had been updated during that time.
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