Jane Searle: Child Matters CEO on the inquiry into Tom Phillips' time on the run with his children

A youth protection advocate says it's entirely appropriate to look deeper into Tom Phillips' children's four years on the run. 

The saga ended when he died in a Police shootout in September. 

The Government will explore whether agencies did everything possible for the children's safety and welfare. 

Child Matters Chief Executive Jane Searle told Ryan Bridge she’s hopeful it will be a constructive process. 

She says they want is the system to be strengthened as a result of the review. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So we're getting a public inquiry into the Tom Phillips case,
just as Simon Moore case will run it it's behind
closed doors. They're going to look at agencies, including the police,
did they do everything they could to protect those children.
Jane Seal, Child Matters Chief Executive with me this morning. Jane,
good morning, Good morning, Ryan. Now, the fact that it's private,
you know that it's behind closed doors, good thing.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
It is a good thing. I think it's entirely appropriate
that we have this review. It's quite wide reaching, it's
got a practical focus, but most importantly it has been
done to protect the rights of those involved. So I'm
hopeful it's going to be a constructive process.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
What are we actually hoping to change here or achieve?

Speaker 2 (00:39):
Well, you know, the tragedy of this case doesn't hide
the fact that we still have learnings to get from it,
and if we can improve the system, whatever recommendations come
out of this is not as important as if they
are actually implemented, because there's many recommendations from reviews that
are never implemented. So what we want is strengthening the
system that we can learn from it.

Speaker 1 (00:59):
This is such a ordering a Tambadikian agencies like that.
It's between a rock and a hard place, aren't they
Because you go in and you take children away and
people say, oh, you're taking you know, you count and
steal children from from families, and then you don't, and
then you're criticized if you don't. It's a hard place
to be, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (01:17):
Absolutely, and it's very easy for the public and media
to judge without having all the facts. I'm very pleased
to see that this review has a practical focus and
that word was used because I think it's important to
understand that people make decisions and those agencies on the
information they have at the time.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
Jane, appreciate your time this morning. Thank you. Jane steal
Child met a CEO.

Speaker 2 (01:38):
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