Wellers and Whitehead Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 I couldn't resist, I live in a nice part of Sydney, cronulla, and always hear kids who are totally unaware of others around them, no awareness of appropriate conversation. I've was just on the train when a girl and her friend (both about 17 ish) were having a conversion, my life is so boring said one, all I do is eat, sleep, work. Then went onto say (all the train could hear) about how she suffers depression at the time of the month, how she hates her Mum and they are always fighting, discussing bullying people and how she enjoys it, her friend gave her 'permission' to punch pinocchio (girl she doesn't like) as she is too judgemental and wears braces!!! 'i don't need your permission, ill just punch her!'she said. She went onto say how anger issues run in her family! A few months back, 2 young lads, about 12/13 got on the train, un beknown to me at the time, weed on the seats of the train, came thro to the carriage I was in and started talking to his friend about how his step dad beats him, then the other boy was saying everybody is saying i'm not gay, do u think I am? I can't write on her what he said but I've been a children a social worker/child protection social worker for over 5 years and I was so disturbed to hear what his friends do to him and vice versa. His friend looked at me, as he had a little awareness and seemed a little shocked himself. they got off the train, talking about they can't go a certain way home or they would get beaten up. What is the world coming too? In my current role I come across alot of nasty assaults on children, by children. Don't know why i'm writing this, but just find it so sad. The threshold for abuse is so high in Oz, hence so many kids continue to be abused. 44 child abuse deaths in nsw alone last year! And 10,000 reports of harm were not looked into by docs (social services) as not enough staff/staff cuts! mental! Don't get me started on the employers that employ people they know are a risk to working with children! Mental! Rant over!..and breath! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the bottler Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 I really admire anyone who works with abused children ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 What worries me these days is that Kids don't fight with their fists, pulling hair, biting, nipping these days it's knives and more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 What worries me these days is that Kids don't fight with their fists, pulling hair, biting, nipping these days it's knives and more. I know! unfortunetly its often learnt behaviour..aggression..fighting etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Sounds shocking- though I have to say I have never come across anything quite like that. Usually when a child dies as a result of child abuse it makes headline news, and hits all the talk back radio shows. If there has been 44 deaths this year in NSW and you personally know of them I think it is something you should be contacting your MP about. It is just not acceptable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 I do find that child abuse is kept hush hush here. I have been here 9 months and not seen one death on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 God my last post sounds awful, what i'm trying to say is.. Alot goes on 'behind the scenes'that isn't always documented on the news etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 We haven't even started talking about the 'private' schools yet.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 fkeabo..what do u mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 an you expand unpon that please? We haven't even started talking about the 'private' schools yet.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 We haven't even started talking about the 'private' schools yet.... If your taking the piss..i'm afraid its not funny..child abuse/children at risk of harm, is not funny! If your comment is relevant please explain what you mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttercup Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 God, that's awful and very grim. I worked in Mental Health when I was over there, and yeah child abuse appeared to be more prevelant. I also felt there was a more sinister undercurrant to many of the patients I saw, and some of the crimes committed (just the ones that get in the news). It's quite deeply disturbing to put it mildly. Animal cruelty is also a a common feature in child abuse (as I'm sure your aware), and I was shocked to also discover they are streets behind the UK in terms of highlighting this, i.e sending all those poor sheep on those horrendeous long journeys to the middle east only to be killed in a very barbaric way. I was shocked to see you can still buy puppies in the mall too. Says it all really.... As Gahdhi once said 'A nation should be judged on how they treat their animals'! Know I have gone off on a bit of a tangent here, but my point is no living creature should be treated like this. Very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 Yeh buttercup, it def is a major concern how behind the times it is. The children that are left within the home after serious physical abuse (threshold so high), and the ones that are removed often put into 'foster care' that is no safer, in some cases worse!! It amazes me that docs put children in the care of foster carers/kinship carers (relatives) that they know pose a risk, in some cases serious risk to the child. Its frightening! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaneym Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 I have just left the uk as a child protection lead for a mental health trust covering 3 london boroughs it was mentally exhausting and i have take a job thats more in education here.. I feel your pain and rant and strangely part of leaving the job was how much more could I take on in the Uk of exactly what you described...I am going to move to cronulla fingers crossed in the next couple of weeks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttercup Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 God, what a worry. You wonder aswell, that the dice has already been thrown for these poor kids? If the so called authorities can't protect them then there's not much hope. Have you seen the film Snowtown? It's a true story set in Adelaide (happened not that long ago). It encapsulates most of the things associated with the above. Awful. It's the only film I have ever walked out of the cinema for. Really made my stomach churn... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 I have just left the uk as a child protection lead for a mental health trust covering 3 london boroughs it was mentally exhausting and i have take a job thats more in education here.. I feel your pain and rant and strangely part of leaving the job was how much more could I take on in the Uk of exactly what you described...I am going to move to cronulla fingers crossed in the next couple of weeks first of all.. That's great your moving to cronulla, will met up if you want!? Do you have a job in education side if things here or looking for one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaneym Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 first of all.. That's great your moving to cronulla, will met up if you want!? Do you have a job in education side if things here or looking for one? that would be fab! i am viewing a unit on tuesday so fingers crossed i be there in a couple of weeks. i have been in australia a week now staying with friends in the countryside way away! I have a clinical nurse educator 9 mental health job) I start on 15th October. I really do feel what you are saying I have left behind a public inquest that maybe I will have to attend a court here to give evidence... The fact i have left my grown up sons behind makes me wonder what the world will be like when they have children.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 God, what a worry. You wonder aswell, that the dice has already been thrown for these poor kids? If the so called authorities can't protect them then there's not much hope. Have you seen the film Snowtown? It's a true story set in Adelaide (happened not that long ago). It encapsulates most of the things associated with the above. Awful. It's the only film I have ever walked out of the cinema for. Really made my stomach churn... One if the things that would make me go back to the UK is my work that I loved. Not seen the film, but seeing this stuff daily, and the shocking practices annoys and angers me. The people that are working with children that are a risk I don't understand either. It us up to employers if they employ somebody that poses a significant risk to children, and they do!!! wHY??? Why would you?? I just don't get it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaneym Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 One if the things that would make me go back to the UK is my work that I loved. Not seen the film, but seeing this stuff daily, and the shocking practices annoys and angers me. The people that are working with children that are a risk I don't understand either. It us up to employers if they employ somebody that poses a significant risk to children, and they do!!! wHY??? Why would you?? I just don't get it!! I never got it ever.. the strange thing is in the Uk they do the checks and shred them after a period of time and quite often it isnt the managing team that are aware of what was on the crb check.. to get in this country I did a police check which wasnt wanted just a self declaration to say im not a criminal.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 At least in the UK u got cleared or not.. It is changing in Sydney to be more like that, its mental that even tho peoples working with children check comes back as significant risk, the employer in some cases still employs them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaneym Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 we had staff that weren't cleared and got jobs, senior staff from all aspects of proffesional jobs involved in child protection but you are right they were not allowed to continue working for us.. i cant say that another trust didnt employ them or that they worked agency.. sounds like sydney has a way to go.. part of my remit is to raise awareness.. feels like i will be starting from the beginning where i started years ago in UK..scary thought... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttercup Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Sounds like your both going to have your work cut out... However, I know it sounds cheesy, but you might be able to start making some changes? Unbelievable that in a so called 'western' country, all these horrid things still happen - even when they are on the professional radar and supposed to be safe. Terrible really and shockingly unacceptable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 My son secondary teacher sees a lot of problems with families. Living in the country a lot of families move there for the cheaper housing, he says the number of children who come through and stay for just months and then move on is staggering. They had to start a breakfast programme at the school and being a high school this is not usual. So many broken families these days, I lay the blame on us as people, everyone wants it now, they want a baby, but not a child who is demanding, naughty and interferes with what we want. A friend of mine working in child care said that some mums drop them off in the morning in the same nappy they went home from the child care centre the night before, that they may work part time but still have the babe in full time care. Its mind boggling. We have to stop making having children is a right and think about what type of life we want to lead before having them. I know that all marriages are not made in heaven but if it breaks down and people meet another don't move in or move them in a month later. One of my daughters friends has 3 children divorced and so has had quite a few live in partners since and this is so sad for the children. We are the adults we have to take responsibility, sorry but once children are on the scene its all about them as far as I am concerned and our social life has to take them into consideration first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Far from it. If you are in the business I recommend a bit of research e.g. Wood's Royal Commission (mid-90's), abuse cases at some local private schools in NSW, and the Catholic church. I am not saying it is any worse or better than the UK. The Orkney case springs to mind, for example. If your taking the piss..i'm afraid its not funny..child abuse/children at risk of harm, is not funny! If your comment is relevant please explain what you mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 we had staff that weren't cleared and got jobs, senior staff from all aspects of proffesional jobs involved in child protection but you are right they were not allowed to continue working for us.. i cant say that another trust didnt employ them or that they worked agency.. sounds like sydney has a way to go.. part of my remit is to raise awareness.. feels like i will be starting from the beginning where i started years ago in UK..scary thought... Far from it. If you are in the business I recommend a bit of research e.g. Wood's Royal Commission (mid-90's), abuse cases at some local private schools in NSW, and the Catholic church. I am not saying it is any worse or better than the UK. The Orkney case springs to mind, for example. I will def look at those reports, thanks! Yeh, know about catholic churches, heard on Fri 620 cases of child abuse in 16 years!! Mental! Covered up most of it..until now! From my experience in UK child protection/kids in care for 5 years, and 9 months in Oz, it is def worse here, but I believe that is due to extremely poor legislation, policies, procedures, government changes, lack of professional trained staff and the attitude to child protection.. You can't believe a Child (in Oz) because they do not make good witnesses..mental! Because of the lack of early intervention to medium /low level cases to nip it in the bud, it builds and get out of control, children suffering for longer, learnt behaviour of their parents and the damage is often irreversible to a child (emotionally). I never used to be so passionate about child protection, just got on with my job, but spend my days in Oz, saying 'is that allowed? What's wrong with people? (staff/professionals and parents) how can that happen? Blah blah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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