An excellent article. But what he says applies outside Victoria as well. There are no easy answers. But the following may help. Firstly, we need to treat foster carers much better, then we'd have more and that'd give child protection workers some options they currently haven't got. Some foster carers are treated appallingly by the Department. Secondly, we need to recognise, in the way child protection actually works, that drug-stuffed parents are incapable of providing adequate care long term. The idea that a drug addict can simply promise to get clean and then get his or her children back is a nonsense. The poor child then has the "revolving door", all too often all the way through to their 18th birthday, and all because of some claim about the parent's "rights". Every drug-stuffed parent should be given a chance, but not forever. There has to come a point where the welfare of the child demands a permanent break. Thirdly, the Family Court must take a different approach to child abuse. Again, not easy and mistakes will always be made, but issuing orders that a child must have an ongoing relationship with a parent that has (either definitely or on the balance of probability) seriously abused the child is a further abuse of the same child. Perhaps if the Family Court routinely appointed a child rep in cases where there are allegations of child abuse, it may reduce some of the crazy and dangerous orders that are, occasionally, made. Anyway, keep batting, Ray. For the children.

DOCS in all states are also severely understaffed. They need more qualified staff and a move away from the mantra of keeping the children with biological parents at all costs - except in the extreme of cases.

By all means provide better support for parents to enable them to better care for their children but in the end it is quality and loving parenting that counts not genes.

We do not need foster carers for teens we need more boarding schools.

Boarding schools with reasonable staffing able to provide care appropriate for teens, ensure teens working towards academic or technical educations, in groups where peers can assist in care and control of each other.

Boarding schools provide teens with a degree of the independance they seek.

Boarding schools enable teens to return home for weekends and holidays, or to visit friends.

Boarding schools also are able to support teens and their families to develop working relationships far better than foster families...

We need more boarding schools...

The system does not work because it is set up wrong. Its set up has created corruption, deceit, lies and family break ups.

Most people would not know for example(QLD) that Child Safety can accuse a parent of anything they like without having to show proof. They can write anything in your file without showing proof. They are not held to the same high standards of evidence required of police. Child Safety only have to believe a child is 'at risk'.

Can you imagine police holding these powers? You could then be listed as a murderer without showing evidence, let alone going to court.

The other issue is that these women, typically with issues they have not seen a shrink for, aim their concentration at smacks on the bum. I have met parents who have lost their children because of matters including; child as ADHD or, even better, a child was stabbed in the foot at school so the parent made a complaint only to lose her children for it.

The system is highly corrupt and must be abolished with only police having these powers.

The system is beyond corrupt,the child protective services have proved time and time again how they deal with family issues,insabordination at its best...For years I begged child protective services to look into my mothers and other family members abuse,manipulation,scapegoating and brainwashing of my children,ten years ago they ignored my concerns and cries for help,when one of my daughters' was encouraged to lie, and as a result she was sexually abused by the same animal who abused me more than 20 years before. I guess it would be improper if I acused Doc's of being responsible for handing a child over to a pedofile...

They helped destroy my life,my childrens lives,and the lives of future generations to come, they lack professionalism,education and knowledge,it's insulting and out right cruel when these workers knocked on your door, still in nappies themselves no children of their own, tell me I cannot ask them to do house work, or ground them if they did wrong. In addition say I cannot stop them from walking out the door age 12,we have no rights as parents just an ignorant system that has no empathy,compassion, morals or values...