“Myself, the Premier and Cathy Taylor – the chief executive of the Department for Child Protection – met early this morning and at that meeting we firmly resolved to accept and implement all of the recommendations that the Deputy Coroner has made in his report.”
Hildyard said the government would “expeditiously” appoint an independent reviewer to conduct a review of the coronial and other recommendations relating to child protection in South Australia.
She said the goverxjmtzywnment would cast its mind to who it would appoint this afternoon and over the weekend.
“It’s been terrible to reflect on the failures of child protection over a number of years,” she said.
“We want this review to be expeditious, but thorough.
“We anticipate that the process of reviewing and then receiving any report and beginning a plan for any implementation of change would all happen this year.”
Hildyard did not directly answer repeated questions asking if she would sack any department heads, including Taylor, in light of Schapel’s findings, saying she instead accepted that there had been “failings from governments of all persuasions in child protection”.
“I will work to review systems, to review policies and procedures, to review staffing levels, to make sure they are as effective as possible in making the change that’s needed,” she said.
“What I’ve said is I’m focussed on change – on positive change.”
The Child Protection Minister said she would work with the department to address staffing gaps “as soon as we can”, but was unable to confirm how many extra staff would be recruited.
