May 31, 2013 - Phoenix Sinclair Inquiry

B.D. MCKENZIE - DR.EX. (OLSON) MAY 31, 2013
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several aspects of the way education can influence what
happens in the child welfare system. First of all, schools
can be a source of many of the kinds of programs, or a base
for many of the kinds of programs that could be helpful to
children and families to prevent children from coming into
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care.
There are some jurisdictions, as well, that
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actually, in larger communities at least, have a reporting
system set up in schools that allow them to pre-screen
families that need particular services and refer those
families to services that are needed and determine which
need to be referred on to child welfare agencies for
further investigation and, and, and service. So there's --
they can, they can help both at the front end and the back
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end, if, if I can use that term.
And of course, the issue
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of special needs children, one-third of which are served by
the child welfare system, is also an important aspect of
service for the school system. Those are --
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THE COMMISSIONER:
Where, where is that kind of
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referral system you just referred to working today?
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THE WITNESS:
One example is Child Wellbeing
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Centres that are set up in New South Wales, Australia,
where they have these centres in the education system, the
health system and the police, and they do pre-screening of
families through those services.
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