Throwing more money at a system which is flaw is stupid. As a former District Officer I find it hard to believe that the present system still exists.

We are asking the impossible of child protection workers in NSW. The system asks them to be both investigators and welfare workers at the same time. Taking matters to court, while working with the family to improve their welfare.

The present system needs to be dismantled. What is needed is a smaller independent investigative and policing body that works with the police. This body only role is to police and protect.

Many of the present roles of the department need to be given to other departments such as health, housing and education.

What is left over is the is the every day welfare support of children in need. This includes fostering and family support. The role of enforcing orders of the courts should be their major role.

Doc's would now be free to promote and support family education and protection role.

No court order should be allowed to be changed by the Department. All changes should be endorsed by the court. This does not happen as far as I know today. Many children are removed by court actions, only to be returned to the department shortly after. This needs investigating.

I am firmly of the belief that the only way we can bring change is to begin again. This department destroys too many, workers, children and families.

All government departments must have children as their first responsibility. Children's welfare must play a role in any decisions made.

Children are the greatest asset this counrtry has to offer the nation and if we don't make every effort to protect them from dangerous situations, like addictive parents, then we will lose them and their contribution to our society forever.

I don't care what culture or religion you come from, children at risk should be removed and not used by the parents to stay sober or out of jail for various offensives. Personally in the case of Indigenous people I would rather see a child in danger go to a non - Indigenous family than an Indigenous one where poverty and the lack of space could have a detrimental effect on the child.

Sadly this is the case in Victoria and as a result of this policy Indigenous children are the ones paying the price for this misguided approach to saving the children. Some with lost opportunties and problems in the future adjusting to society and others unfortunatly with their lives.

I agree with the author, and with the comments. However, we should focus mainly on the underlying issues that leads to a child being in danger in the first place and fix that instead. If a parent is not capable for one reason or another, taking away the child does not stop them from giving birth to another child and having to do it again. This is an enormous cost to society and to the child as they become an adult and potentially repeating the abuse cycle. Fixing the issues the parent has can stop the cycle, and returns the child to where they should be - with a parent (or guardian for that matter).

I don't believe there is a magic bullet, but I do think there are social issues that can be worked on, and the community as a whole needs to take responsibility for. We should be ashamed as a developed nation a child was able to starve to death. Who was helping the parents? Who is now going to help the next parents going down the same track?

Parenting should not be considered a right, is should be considered a privilege granted to those who will take a responsibility for the child and what is produced in adulthood. Throwing money at a problem instead of preventing it is the wrong approach. Prevention is better cure.

I don't really know but my intuitive feeling is that feminist nepotism has a great deal to do with the ineffectiveness of child protection. Women get degrees and jobs despite their inadequacies for political/ideological reasons and small children suffer for it.
maybe I am wrong, but think about it. universities and government departments are extremely politicised arenas.