The father of a pregnant 12-year-old is frustrated the youngster is again living with her mentally ill mother and may not be receiving adequate care, his local MP says.
The Department of Community Services (DoCS) on Tuesday admitted it failed to act in the case where the girl, then aged 11, fell pregnant to her 15-year-old live-in boyfriend.
DoCS deputy director-general Annette Gallard said her department could not make direct contact with the family, despite serious concerns being raised by the girl's father prior to the pregnancy.
"We did receive some reports from the father and we obviously should have investigated those reports more fully. But the allegations could not be confirmed," Ms Gallard told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.
Member for Dubbo, Dawn Fardell said the girl's father spoke to her in March this year after his daughter began living with him because her mother was admitted to a mental health unit.
It was then that he discovered the girl was pregnant, and unsatisfied with DoCS response to his concerns in the past, Ms Fardell said he took the matter to her.
She raised the issue with police and also in parliament on June 3.
"The girl was interviewed by police in the company of her father. However, she declined to cooperate with the investigation," police said.
Following that interview in early April, police determined no charges would be laid as both the girl and her boyfriend were "underage".
Minister for Community Services Linda Burney on Tuesday admitted the girl's case had been overlooked by a "stretched" department.
"It is true, in my view, that DoCS should have intervened more strenuously than what they did," Ms Burney said.
The case drew criticism from the state opposition which said DoCS should not take such an arm's length approach to cases, and needed to engage community organisations.
"If you are a local community group you know your local organisations that can help, you can ring the local school, you can ring the local doctor, you know who will be able to assist and reach that girl," opposition community services spokeswoman Pru Goward said.
The government says the $750 million investment announced in Tuesday's state budget should ease pressure on DoCS operations.
"The important thing now is that we care properly for this young girl who is going through a major event in her life at an especially young age," Ms Fardell told AAP.
"I found out today she has actually moved back in with her mother. She wants to be with her mother.
"That's frustrated her father because he still questions what care she is getting, but children still love their parents no matter what."
The girl, who is believed to be attending school, is understood to be living with older siblings, her mother and the mother's partner.
aap 16 Jun 2009
Another EPIC FAILURE on behalf of the legal system.
If the same were to happen under HIS care then there would be all sorts of accusations, maybe even rape on his behalf...
Irrespectively, it would be the last time he would see his child again.
These laws are discriminatory AGAINST the male.
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