In short:
A review into the NT child protection department's dealings with Kumanjayi Little Baby's family before her alleged murder has revealed extensive failings.
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review → allege → failings
The report showed a long history of violence in the five-year-old's family, and identifies a number of issues concerning the timeliness of the Department of Children and Families' responses.
The report made 45 recommendations, which have been accepted in full.
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which → show → recommendations
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the image of an Indigenous person who has died, used with the permission of her family.
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who → advise → family
An independent review into the Northern Territory child protection department's conduct surrounding Kumanjayi Little Baby before her alleged murder has revealed extensive failings, with a final report calling for a "system-wide reset" of the department's function.
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report → surround → function
Former New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb and long-time senior NT public servant Greg Shanahan conducted the three-month review, tabling their final report with 45 recommendations in NT parliament this morning.
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Webb → conduct → parliament
The review was commissioned by NT Child Protection Minister Robyn Cahill in April, weeks after five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby was allegedly abducted and murdered by Jefferson Lewis, 47.
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Baby → commission → Lewis
The report says Kumanjayi Little Baby's family had been known to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) since her mother was pregnant with her, receiving repeated notifications over several years about the little girl's exposure to domestic and family violence.
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mother → say → violence
They "predominantly" involved Kumanjayi Little Baby's father, the report says, covering verbal and physical violence, breaches of domestic violence orders and coercive and controlling behaviour against her mother.
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report → involve → mother
In tabling the report in parliament this morning, Ms Cahill, who was wearing Kumanjayi Little Baby's favourite colour, pink, said the report's findings were "confronting" and "heartbreaking".
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findings → table → colour
She said the department rated Kumanjayi Little Baby's safety as two out of a score of 10, and found "no signs of safety" following an incident in August 2022 where her mother was assaulted and then 16-month-old Kumanjayi Little Baby was struck to the head.
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Baby → say → head
"For 229 days the case remained open with no tangible improved outcome for Kumanjayi Little Baby, in spite of a further assessment done in January, 2023, which noted her vulnerability and an increasing level of concern," Ms Cahill said.
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Cahill → remain → concern
She told parliament that no domestic and family violence risk assessment was carried out despite "the escalating pattern of violence that she was being exposed to".
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she → tell → that
"In short, the system in place did not support recognition of the risk this placed Kumanjayi Little Baby in," Ms Cahill said.
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Cahill → support → Baby
"Of greatest concern … her mother was left, in the review's words, effectively responsible for protecting her children while experiencing violence herself."
The report identified several issues concerning DCF's responses to the notifications.
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report → leave → notifications
"The notification history demonstrates that DCF had repeated opportunities over a number of years to consider the child's circumstances in the context of an ongoing pattern of domestic and family violence," the report reads.
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report → demonstrate → violence
"The chronology also identifies a number of issues concerning the timeliness of DCF's responses.
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chronology → identify → responses
In particular, the period between notification and substantive assessment or finalisation was sometimes lengthy, even where the records identified significant concerns.
"
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records → identify → concerns
In several instances, the records identified significant or escalating concerns while the subsequent progression of the matter took considerably longer than the initial response priority might suggest."
The review also found there was a lack of due diligence from DCF around family members relied on to protect Kumanjayi Little Baby's mother and her two children.
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members → identify → mother
An adult residing at a Yuendumu house which her mother used for safety had a long criminal history of violence including five counts of threaten to kill, the report says.
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report → reside → counts
"DCF ... advised that it does not routinely undertake formal checks, such as police history or intelligence checks, on people nominated by families to form part of the natural network," the report reads.
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report → advise → network
Failings widespread across DCF
The reports states DCF's failings regarding Kumanjayi Little Baby are emblematic of widespread issues across the department, saying her circumstances "cannot be considered solely as an individual case management failure".
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circumstances → state → failure
"The issues identified by the review point to a number of broader and interconnected shortcomings in the child protection system," the report reads.
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report → identify → system
"These include shortcomings in operational practice, the assessment and management of risk where domestic and family violence is present, information sharing and collaboration, workforce capacity and capability, the operating and organisational model, timeliness and, ultimately, governance and leadership."
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violence → include → risk
Ms Webb and Mr Shanahan also said their review did not find evidence "of a sufficiently clear, consistent and effective child protection framework operating across DCF".
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review → say → DCF
"While DCF has policies, procedures and practice frameworks in place, there is limited evidence that these collectively provide a coherent and fit-for-purpose framework for the exercise of statutory child protection functions," the report reads.
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report → have → functions
The reviewers call for a "system-wide reset" of DCF, saying its leaders need to lead a transition away from a "predominantly reactive model of responding to notifications of harm."
Ms Cahill tabled the report in NT parliament today and accepted all 45 recommendations in full.
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Cahill → call → recommendations
The Aporia
