Page 3891 - Week 10 - Thursday, 28 August 2008
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early identification of a child at risk;
specific issues related to indigenous parents and children; and
any other relevant matter.
It is interesting to note that there was unanimous agreement in relation to the committee’s finding as set out in paragraph 2.3 of our report, which deals with vulnerable infants. The report states:
The health and wellbeing of a child begins at conception. Adequate nutrition before birth (for the pregnant woman) and after birth (for both the mother and baby) are fundamental to the healthy development of the child. The ingestion of substances such as licit and illicit drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol and tobacco can also have detrimental effects on the pregnant woman and the developing foetus.
As I said, it is interesting to note that there was unanimous agreement that the health and wellbeing of the child begins at conception. I turn to some of the other recommendations. Recommendation 3 on page 21 of our report dealt with families that need support. We were looking at risk assessment tools that may be developed into the future. I think that is a critical thing. As is stated in section 11 of the ACT Human Rights Act:
The family is a natural and basic group unit of society and is entitled to be protected by society.
Obviously, there is a fundamental need here that I think Ms Porter touched on. We have recommended as a committee that:
… ACT Health develop a risk assessment tool, with guidelines and training, to screen for domestic violence for pregnant women who access antenatal services through ACT government institutions.
We know that, sadly, there continues to be an inherent fear on the part of women to speak. There is a fear on the part of women about their future, and they seem to continue to go back to where the problem is. The more that we can have that fact in front of us for debate, the better.
Recommendation 4 talks again about domestic violence. The committee recommends:
… that the ACT government work with the Domestic Violence Crisis Service and women’s refuges in the ACT, to develop mechanisms that would enable women and children to continue to be supported once they leave the care of the refuge and go back in to the community.
That is a critical thing. We often have access points but then the egress becomes difficult when people leave and move on. Once they leave that safety or refuge—that succour and comfort—what happens after that? I think there are many issues, particularly from where I stand as shadow minister for housing. There are issues as to where we place women. Often we place them back into very vulnerable situations
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