Port Hedland child safety measures expanded by WA Government

The Western Australian Government has announced a series of new measures to support vulnerable and at-risk children in Port Hedland. Child Protection Minister Jessica Stojkovski and Pilbara Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson met with community Elders and leaders from various agencies, including the Julyardi Aboriginal Corporation and local police, to address safety concerns.

Key initiatives include expanding the Safe Night Space program from three to seven nights per week and establishing a new local coordination group. This group will integrate services from Child Protection, Police, Housing, Education, Health, and Youth Justice to ensure timely interventions. Additionally, a senior coordinator will be appointed to oversee multi-agency responses, and a Western Australian Chief Practitioner will supervise complex child safety investigations and intensive family support cases in the region.

To bolster frontline capacity, the government is deploying four senior specialist child protection staff to the Pilbara. Broader state-wide efforts include the recruitment of 125 new carers, the expansion of the CaLD Community Carers Program, and investments in Family Support Network and Intensive Family Support Services.