ALECOMM

Dear DoCS,

In the short time since my last letter, I’ve had the opportunity to talk to many like-minded people who are aware of the issues you’ve got. In fact, there are definite themes surrounding some of the issues I highlighted in our last letter and some that I’m yet to discuss.

For now, let’s start with transparency.  In discussing the contents of my last letter with followers of Facebook page The Little Girl That Nobody Wanted, it was agreed that there is a major issue with the secrecy you hold so dearly.

Let me ask you this: if wards of the state (that is, foster kids) live through the experiences that you note on your systems, why do you need to restrain information? Using my own experience as an example, I enquired about reading my case file several years ago. I was told that I would not receive a physical copy nor would I be entitled to all the information. I was told that it would take approximately 6-12 weeks to “prepare the documents for viewing” as many parts had to be taken out. Curious, I asked what parts and why. I was told any information that identified anyone other than myself was not available to see. This included foster families, etc.

Now, I would understand any foster parents who rejected me before I even landed on their doorstep.  I’d understand any identifying information of any reports made regarding me. I’d understand any persons that may have an AVO against me. However, I never had any of these, other than homes that rejected me due to different reasons.

Why is it that I can live in someone’s home, be a part of their family for whatever length of time I was there and be a part of their lives yet not be entitled to see the names of those who cared for me nor the addresses of the places I lived in?

In a recent article titled Who are the most secretive agencies in Australia? Alison Sandy mentioned a 17-year-old girl who had been a ward of the state since the age of 5 months. This girl requested her case file and received “a heavily redacted copy”. This lead to the girl being “devastated, teetering on suicidal”. Why are we not given the power to access our own information? Our history is what makes us who we are and holds a large part of our identity.

What is there to hide? How can we trust that you have not blanked out vital information? The process of viewing our casefiles is disgustingly secretive.

Moving on!

In my discussions we addressed many perceived issues. One of them starts at the root of where you become involved: your reporting system.
At present in NSW, your reports are filtered through the report line or online. Online reporting isn’t for urgent reporting, though, so let’s ignore that it even exists for a second. A phone call is made and will either be discarded or sent through to the local office depending on priority and severity. The cases that are deemed worthy of being seen by the local office are then triaged by the triage team. They will further deem what action is necessary. There are agencies such as Brighter Futures which you may refer people to, which can be greatly beneficial to families you work with. Otherwise, you may decide to take it upon yourself to investigate… Or in some cases, take the child first and ask questions later.

Where’s the problem, here? It sounds terrific in theory, doesn’t it? The issue here is the ultimate power-play you have at hand. One office in particular chose to deny any measure of investigation recommended by other professionals in a case of child sexual abuse. This office closed the case “pending priority” and when the mother who made the report became distressed, questioned her mental health. Despite police and medical professionals insisting on investigation, this office chose to ignore the risk of harm to the child. The office made the choice to ignore the advice of several other professionals who had actually done risk assessments. However, the very same office chose to investigate reports later on regarding trivial yet utterly fictitious reports made by the other party.

This is not a stand-alone case and is a persistent issue. You believe you have the power to play God with children’s wellbeing, yet the power has obviously gone to the heads of many of the workers you have.
Others pointed out that some cases where the child is deemed “at risk” and are removed could be easily handled with better assistance and more support. Something that you have the power to do. As one commenter put it, “the money DoCS spends on foster care could be better utilised getting kids into daycare and helping with mums one-on-one mentoring. It might take 12 months or longer but help people. Stop treating them like criminals!”

Complaints like these are common. Complaints that how you handle those in contact with you is inappropriate. You use scare tactics, intimidation, power-play and threats to coerce what you want out of people. This despicable behaviour should be brought to light so as to cleanse the system of those who shouldn’t be in it, don’t you agree? Well, that might be possible if your complaints system wasn’t void. The system in which was petitioned against by Rebekah King, owner of The Little Girl That Nobody Wanted. Rebekah petitioned for change and met with Brad Hazzard, Minister for Family and Community services on June 30, 2015, armed with a petition with 30,000 signatures for an independent complaints body for the foster care system.
In response, Rebekah received a letter from Hazzard which you can view here.

Despite massive community support, Rebekah was told that her concerns were nought as Hazzard is “confident the voices of care leavers and families are respected in Department of Family and Community Services”.

Moving on again, I think it’s important to address the very real weapon you use against wards of the state: lack of information.  It is obvious to anyone who has been in the system that our rights are not deemed important information and our lack of knowledge on them is used against us.  Countless times I personally found out that the actions and threats used against me as a ward went against the Children and Young People’s Act.  I have heard from others who claim the same.

Shouldn’t we be given information on our rights or where the guidelines come from and where to access the information?  I always recommend that wards frequent their libraries and read the Children and Young People’s Act to arm themselves with as much information as possible.  Shouldn’t they be given the same recommendation by the people who supposed are there to care for them?  Even a small pamphlet as a “coming of age” present for those who came into the system very young, or upon their first meeting if they come into the system when they are old enough.  The pamphlets should be available in the waiting rooms of our local offices and non-government agencies and organisations. We are entitled to know our rights.  We are entitled to know who to call if we don’t believe we’re being treated unfairly by our foster carers, respite carers, case workers or case managers. We are entitled to feel like someone will help us when all hope is lost. We are entitled to safety and security – neither of which you provide.

For now, DoCS, we’ll leave it there. I will be back and I will be back with more. Stay tuned because the next one is going to be even better.

Sincerely,

Concerned and Frustrated Citizen

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