Care worker failings identified in child death review

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 04:32 · Archive

A review of Australia's Northern Territory child protection department found extensive failings in the case of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby, whose body was found in April.

Kumanjayi Little Baby's body was found five days after she was allegedly abducted from Alice Springs' Old Timers camp in April. Jefferson Lewis, 47, has been charged with her murder and is awaiting trial.

The Northern Territory government commissioned an independent review of its child protection department, led by former NSW police commissioner Karen Webb and longtime public servant Greg Shanahan. The review found child protection officers repeatedly failed to adequately assess safety threats to Kumanjayi Little Baby and her family.

Ms Webb told reporters in Darwin that the missed calls for help in the case stood out, and there was 'the lack of appreciation for the increasing risk to the child in that family situation'. She said domestic and family violence needed to be better understood as a risk to children, whether they witnessed violence or were directly involved. She noted the department was heavily reliant on experienced child protection workers but this expertise was not evenly spread across the Northern Territory.

The NT government has accepted all 45 recommendations in full to 'reset' the department.

How it is being reported

• Ex-top cop points to care worker failings in girl deathA former state police chief who reviewed a child protection department is confident her recommendations will be acted on to better protect vulnerable children.The West Australian · 21 Oct, 04:21
• Ex-top cop points to care worker failings in girl deathA former state police chief who reviewed a child protection department is confident her recommendations will be acted on to better protect vulnerable children.Perth Now · 21 Oct, 04:20

In this story: Kumanjayi Little Baby · Jefferson Lewis · Karen Webb · Northern Territory · Alice Springs

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem