Hundreds of psychological tests on Families SA child-care workers are being audited in a sweeping review of practices and procedures, Premier Jay Weatherill says.
There has also been an increase in the number of random checks conducted at state-run residential care sites.
“Out of an abundance of caution we are reviewing all of our processes; we’re questioning our process, all of our assumptions,” the Premier told ABC Radio today.
“There’s an audit of all of the (psychological) tests that have been undertaken and we’re bringing in an independent body to do that.
“I don’t have the numbers; the numbers would be in the hundreds.”
Weatherill returned from an overseas business trip on the weekend to re-encounter the growing political storm around Families SA.
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When he left for the week-long trip to Europe, Families SA was reeling from the sudden resignation of its head, David Waterford.
Waterford fell on his sword after misleading Education and Child Development Minister Jennifer Rankine over the latest Families SA sex abuse scandal.
The former agency head had provided verbal briefings to Minister Rankine relating to the charging of a 32-year-old man with sexually abusing seven pre-school children in state care and producing child pornography.
He said he had omitted key information in the briefings that caused the Minister to mislead the public.
Just days after that storm hit, a male private hire-car driver who transports vulnerable children in state care was charged by police with rape.
“These are always very distressing matters,” Weatherill said today.
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“The urgent matter here is the police investigation, to bring alleged offenders to justice.
“In the meantime, there will be an independent review of processes and practices.”
The Premier said the alleged offender in the latest case worked for a “chauffeur hire firm”.
“We require that anyone driving children is an accredited driver; that’s a requirement of our contracts.
“We’re going to review how we approve these matters as well.”
The Premier confirmed that Minister Rankine had taken sick leave midway through last week, but added “it wasn’t stress-related”, it was a “personal medical matter”.
He said he would be visiting Families SA staff this week to reinforce support for their work – “… to tell them that I strongly value their work”.
“They are honest, hard-working dedicated professionals and they are as stressed as anyone about this.
“They feel they’ve been betrayed by these [alleged] offenders.”
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