NSW: NSW Housing confirms it was working with newborn's family=2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2007
NSW: NSW Housing confirms it was working with newborn's family=2

DoCS director-general Neil Shepherd said the two departments had discussed the family's
situation on Monday evening, before the baby was found.

He said the family had not previously been known to DoCS and the only contact they
had was when the family called the department's helpline seeking accommodation on Monday.

He said caseworkers tried to contact the family several times on a provided number
but were told the family had gone shopping.

"We were seeking accommodation for this family. The family did not contact us back,"

Mr Shepherd told Southern Cross Broadcasting today.

"Housing had found accommodation for them Friday, Saturday and Sunday as I understand it.

"The baby's death is not related to anything that either the Department of Community
Services or the department of housing has or has not done in this case."

Dr Shepherd said it was difficult to comment on the circumstances of the case while
the police investigation was under way.

"There are no reports in relation to this baby and we knew nothing about the pregnancy
of this mother," he told ABC Radio.

He said there were interagency guidelines to improve the way departments worked together,
but there were gaps in the system.

The system would never be perfect because departments often didn't know they were holding
information relevant to other bodies, Dr Shepherd said.

"The key is for those families that are most vulnerable to make sure that that information
is transferable," he said.

"There's also some difficulties around the privacy legislation and around the rules
of information sharing in relation to child protection ... we are seeking to address those."

The baby's mother is in Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital and has yet to be questioned.

Police could not say when they would interview her, saying it depended on her condition.

AAP kd/was/jt/jlw

KEYWORD: NEWBORN D/L 2 SYDNEY

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