The Ombudsman Western Australia is responsible for reviewing 'investigable' child deaths and recommending actions to prevent future deaths. A child death is investigable if it is within two years of the wellbeing of the child (or a child relative of the child) coming to the attention of child welfare authorities, or if the child is a relative of a child in the care of child welfare authorities. The Ombudsman took over this review role from the Child Death Review Committee in 2009. The Ombudsman also investigates the actions of all State authorities, and has a complaint-resolution function.
Sources used to compile this entry: Annual Report 2008-09 [Ombudsman Western Australia], Ombudsman Western Australia, Ombudsman Western Australia, 2009, http://www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au/Publications/Documents/annualreports/Ombudsman-WA-Annual-Report-2008-09.pdf. p.67.; 'Child Death and Family and Domestic Violence Fatality Review', in Ombudsman Western Australia, Ombudsman Western Australia, 2009, https://www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au/Reviews/review_of_certain_deaths.htm; Ombudsman Western Australia, Ombudsman Western Australia, 2009, http://www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au/.
Prepared by: Debra Rosser
Created: 14 May 2013, Last modified: 20 June 2017