either child over the ensuing three days over which Jenisha must have visibly deteriorated. At the time with this Inquest was concerned a number of procedures and guidelines that related to the processing and investigation of notifications of alleged child abuse had been in place. In particular I refer to the Interagency Code of Practice that was annexed to the affidavit of Mary Ann Carver. Ms Carver is the Manager, Policy and Strategy, Child Protection Directorate, Familles SA, Department for Families and Communities. Families SA is the current manifestation of CYFS. The document stressed the need for agency collaboration in any investigation or assessment of an allegation of child abuse. The document specifically identifies: 'The need for coordination and a collaborative approach between each agency involved is of vital importance in helping to ensure that actions and decisions are made in the best interests of the child.' One of the relevant agencies was, and still is, the Child Protection Services. This organisation is a Government funded entity that comprises two services in South Australia that are designed to assess and treat infants, children and adolescents up to the age of 18 years when it has been alleged that a child has been physically, sexually and/or emotionally abused or neglected. The services were located in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the Flinders Medical Centre and were available at the time with which this Inquest is concerned. The evidence suggested that not only does Child Protection Services provide such treatment and assessment, but provides an the clock’ advisory service staffed by experienced medical practitioners that ‘around is available to members of other agencies concerned in the assessment of an allegation of child abuse including general medical practitioners. The service as I understand it would have been available to Dr Ibrahim if he had chosen to avail himself of the service and had sought advice. The document also envisages that in Tier 1 cases, as this was, a discussion’ ‘strategy that involved police and Child Protection Services would be called immediately and would usually involve the CYFS supervisor and the allocated caseworker, in this case and Ms Grainger respectively. The strategy discussion is said in the document to be corner-stone of planning the initial interagency response’. The purpose of the ‘the strategy discussion is, in general terms, to coordinate a multi-agency approach to the child protection and criminal investigation and will consider such matters including
either child over the ensuing three days over which Jenisha must have visibly deteriorated. At the time with this Inquest was concerned a number of procedures and guidelines that related to the processing and investigation of notifications of alleged child abuse had been in place. In particular I refer to the Interagency Code of Practice that was annexed to the affidavit of Mary Ann Carver. Ms Carver is the Manager, Policy and Strategy, Child Protection Directorate, Familles SA, Department for Families and Communities. Families SA is the current manifestation of CYFS. The document stressed the need for agency collaboration in any investigation or assessment of an allegation of child abuse. The document specifically identifies: 'The need for coordination and a collaborative approach between each agency involved is of vital importance in helping to ensure that actions and decisions are made in the best interests of the child.' One of the relevant agencies was, and still is, the Child Protection Services. This organisation is a Government funded entity that comprises two services in South Australia that are designed to assess and treat infants, children and adolescents up to the age of 18 years when it has been alleged that a child has been physically, sexually and/or emotionally abused or neglected. The services were located in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the Flinders Medical Centre and were available at the time with which this Inquest is concerned. The evidence suggested that not only does Child Protection Services provide such treatment and assessment, but provides an ‘around the clock’ advisory service staffed by experienced medical practitioners that is available to members of other agencies concerned in the assessment of an allegation of child abuse including general medical practitioners. The service as I understand it would have been available to Dr Ibrahim if he had chosen to avail himself of the service and had sought advice. The document also envisages that in Tier 1 cases, as this was, a ‘strategy discussion’ that involved police and Child Protection Services would be called immediately and would usually involve the CYFS supervisor and the allocated caseworker, in this case and Ms Grainger respectively. The strategy discussion is said in the document to be ‘the corner-stone of planning the initial interagency response’. The purpose of the strategy discussion is, in general terms, to coordinate a multi-agency approach to the child protection and criminal investigation and will consider such matters including
PARROTT%20Jenisha%20Diandra%20(aka%20White).docx