DOCS knew children were at risk
A STAGGERING 152 children who died in 2007 had all been known by the Department of Community Services (DOCS), police or health services to be at risk.
Even more alarming – more than half were less than a year old.
The gruesome statistics contained in a NSW Ombudsman’s report revealed an increase of almost 25 per cent in the number of reviewable child deaths on the previous year – 2006.
It was established that 43 children had died of abuse, neglect or in suspicious circumstances.
DOCS has again been forced to shoulder part of the blame, with accusations that repeated warnings about its incompetence have been ignored by the Government.
“These are not new problems,” NSW Ombudsman Bruce Barbour told The Daily Telegraph.
“We have raised these repeatedly in past reports.”
Releasing his report into reviewable child deaths, Mr Barbour said it had been established that between 2003 and 2007, 180 children died in NSW as a direct result of abuse or neglect.
The appallingly high figures for 2007 mark it as one of the worst years on record for child deaths.
Read more on this story at The Daily Telegraph.
