309. Hon ALISON XAMON to the minister representing the Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to young people held in Banksia Hill Detention Centre.
(1) Are parents required to be advised if their child —
(a) self-harms;
(b) attempts suicide;
(c) is injured; or
(d) is involved in any other serious incident?
(2) If yes to (1), is this advice to be provided within a specific time frame?
(3) If yes to (2), when?
(4) If no to (1)(a) to (d), why not?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The following information has been provided by the Minister for Corrective Services. The Department of Justice advises —
(1) (a)–(b) On 19 April 2018, superintendent’s notice 14/2018 directed staff as follows —
Where a detainee threatens, attempts or commits an actual self-harm, staff are to ensure that this is recorded on total office management software via an incident report and an ambulatory referral management system referral submitted. In all cases, staff are to ensure that the detainee’s parents and/or caregivers are informed as soon as practicable, and this is noted in the minutes of the report.
When the parent or parents and/or caregivers cannot be contacted at the time of the incident, all subsequent efforts to notify them shall be recorded on TOMS notes, detailing the staff member making the call, the parent or caregiver being contacted, the date and time and any response made by the parents and/or caregiver
(c) Staff will generally notify parents or caregivers if a detainee sustains an injury that requires medical attention or external hospitalisation or is involved in an incident that is determined to be serious or critical, as outlined in standing order 3(a). Although this a discretionary action, a superintendent’s notice will be broadcast to reinforce staff’s requirements in these instances.
(d) Refer to (c).
(2) Parents and/or caregivers are to be informed as soon as practicable.
(3) As above.
(4) Not applicable.