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Mum's Distress: Boy with Disabilities Placed on Child Protection Register
10 Sep
Summary
- A mother is shaken after her son with autism was placed on the Child Protection Register.
- The family sought more respite care, leading to a dispute with social services.
- Experts suggest the register is increasingly used inappropriately for disabled children.
A mother reported feeling intimidated and shaken after her six-year-old son, who has autism and severe learning disabilities, was placed on the Child Protection Register (CPR). Danielle McQuillan stated she had been seeking additional overnight respite care to better manage her son Zac's complex needs and to dedicate more time to her daughters.
Her organization increasingly encounters situations where the CPR is utilized for children with significant disabilities and additional needs, even when they are not genuinely at risk. This practice, according to a senior lawyer at the Children's Law Centre, often stems from families experiencing extreme pressure due to a lack of adequate services and support.
McQuillan described the unannounced visits by social workers following the registration as intimidating, as she remains unclear about the specific reasons for Zac's placement. The Children's Law Centre has called for a review of the registration process, deeming it outdated and unfit for its intended purpose.
