Call for public education campaign to ease pressure on child abuse hotline

SOUTH Australia’s shiny new hospital opened and almost immediately its emergency department was swamped.
                                               

Amid a bad flu season which is stressing hospitals statewide, the desire for a stickybeak at the new RAH attracted some with complaints as minor as a stubbed toe or overactive bladder.

It has prompted authorities to resurrect the “emergency departments are for emergencies” television advertisements first aired in 2015.

The ads urge people to consider visiting a GP or pharmacist instead of unnecessarily clogging up an ED.

A new evaluation by SA Health found they contributed to noticeable falls in people presenting to EDs with minor problems in 2015 and 2016.

Health is one of the most overstretched government departments in SA.

Not far behind is the state’s child protection agency and, in particular, its abuse reporting hotline.

A campaign similar to that deployed for hospitals could better educate people on when to report to the hotline — the equivalent of an emergency department in some sense, given it triages cases.

It could explain to those with concerns about a child that it may be better to speak to a school counsellor or welfare organisation. Previous reports to the hotline have included a child not wearing a hat outside, or being sent to school with “just” a vegemite sandwich for lunch.

The State Government promised to run such a campaign in late 2015, but it never materialised and now it says it’s not necessary.

Instead, it will focus on better training for social workers who assess reports, and those who are legally required to report suspected abuse, such as doctors, police or nurses.

But if the Government has faith that this kind of campaign can work in health, then why not try it for child protection?