‭Child Neglect - Braches Right of Survival and Development (ACT) - 2022‬

‭ ANBERRA WOMAN (42), WAS CHARGED WITH NEGLECT AS THE CONDITIONS OF‬
C
‭HER HOUSE WERE BAD AFTER CALLING IN REPARI SERVICES - 2022‬

‭‬ W
● ‭ oman has 4 children‬
‭●‬ ‭A high chair so filthy it was not fit for a dog, a mould-filled fridge, faeces embedded in the floor‬
‭and benches covered in dishes and old food.‬
‭●‬ ‭Moved to a hotel during the repair‬
‭●‬ ‭both rooms were in a similar condition to the house, with faeces spread on walls, rotting food‬
‭and medication spread on the beds beside children's toys.‬
‭○‬ ‭Child protection workers removed two of the children from the woman's care and police‬
‭charged her with neglect.‬

‭○‬ I‭ nitially, the woman was banned from speaking to her children, but the ACT Magistrates‬
‭Court has reversed that decision, allowing her to see the children by special arrangement‬
‭and under strict supervision.‬

‭Psychological, Sexual and Physical - 2021 ACT, Australian Institue of Sport‬

‭●‬ M ‭ ultiple gymnasts have reported suffering abuse at the AIS, including psychological and sexual‬
‭mistreatment‬
‭○‬ ‭Going back as children in DECADES 90s through to 2000s‬
‭●‬ ‭The AIS funds Gymnastics Australia and provides facilities for coaches and athletes‬
‭●‬ ‭Sports minister Richard Colbeck says he expects an upcoming report to reveal "concerning events‬
‭and practices within gymnastics"‬

‭ xperience - Dr Sophie Vivian‬

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‭Dr Sophie Vivian was just seven years old when she began training at the Institute of Sport after winning‬
‭ACT state gymnastics championships when she was just five.‬

‭"‭T
‬ here was a lot of belittling, a lot of humiliation, a lot of yelling,"‬‭she said.‬

"‭ If you were not able to perform a particular trick, you would be ostracised from the group — the worst‬
‭thing for me was the silent treatment."‬

‭She said the coaches used painful techniques to build strength and flexibility.‬

"‭ You would be strapped to the bar and left to hang for long periods of time, and have to do repetitive‬
‭exercises in that position."‬

‭●‬ ‭Trained through injuries‬

‭Protection at birth - Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) and Skyla [2023] NSWChC 12‬

‭●‬ ‭Skyla was assumed into care shortly after her birth on 12 May 2023.‬

‭●‬ S
‭ kyla’s mother is 34 years old. She is an Aboriginal woman. Skyla’s father has not been identified‬
‭but is of African heritage.‬
‭●‬ S
‭ kyla’s mother was in custody when Skyla was born, and she remains in custody pending sentence‬
‭for offences involving violence and drug use. She is likely to receive a sentence of imprisonment.‬

‭●‬ S
‭ kyla is her mother’s seventh child. Five of Skyla’s siblings have been placed in out of home care‬
‭due to risks of harm posed by their mother’s drug use, use of physical violence, exposure to‬
‭domestic violence, suicidal ideation, inadequate supervision and leaving children with unsafe‬
‭adults. Skyla’s mother has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and takes medication.‬

‭●‬ T
‭ he Department of Family and Community Services (‘The Department’) received a pre-natal‬
‭report in January 2023. The Department consulted staff from the Correctional Centre and met‬
‭Skyla’s mother to discuss plans for the child.‬

‭●‬ S
‭ kyla’s mother acknowledged that she would not be able to care for her child. She nominated her‬
‭friend, Jennifer (a pseudonym), as a future carer and stated that she planned to give the baby to‬
‭Jennifer. She preferred to make this arrangement without the intervention of the Department.‬

‭●‬ I‭ n February, the Department contacted Jennifer who confirmed her willingness to care for the‬
‭baby. Jennifer agreed to undertake a carer’s assessment. The Department arranged for an external‬
‭assessment. In April, the Department was advised that Jennifer was not recommended to provide‬
‭respite or long-term care for the baby.‬

‭●‬ S
‭ kyla’s assumption into care occurred while her mother was in surgery due to complications from‬
‭the birth. Skyla was placed with authorised carers for her half-brother, Jeffrey, one of whom‬
‭identifies as Aboriginal.‬

‭●‬ T
‭ he Secretary filed an application initiating care proceedings on 17 May 2023, seeking a finding‬
‭that Skyla is a child in need of care and protection on grounds 71(1)(a) and 71(1)(d). The Secretary‬
‭seeks final orders allocating parental responsibility to the Minister until Skyla is 18 years old,‬
‭pursuant to s 79(1)(b) of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW)‬
‭(‘the Act’).‬

‭●‬ ‭The mother opposes the Court finding that Skyla was a child in need of care.‬