A South Australian Royal Commission into child protection says the problems at Families SA are “far greater” than anyone imagined.

“The problems besetting Families SA and the child protection system proved to be far greater than anyone had initially envisaged,” Royal Commissioner Margaret Nyland wrote in her 850-page report released on Monday.

“The greatest challenge was trying to find a way to fix a system in disarray.

“From the outset of this Commission it was obvious that workers undertaking the difficult business of child protection felt undervalued, under-resourced and overwhelmed by a system which lacked the capacity to respond appropriately to children in need of care and protection.

“Regrettably, there is no quick fix,” she wrote.

Premier Jay Weatherill has allocated $200 million to implement changes suggested Ms Nyland and says his government accepts “full responsibility for the failings of the state’s child protection system”.

“We failed to protect the children left in the care of Shannon McCoole,” he said.

“We failed in our responsibility to keep these and other children safe from harm.

“I am sorry for failing in this most fundamental duty to the children in our care.”

When the grandmother of Chloe Valentine, Belinda Valentine, joined David and Will on Monday’s FIVEAA breakfast show, she said she hoped the commission’s findings would trigger “fundamental change” in child protection in SA.

“What we really need is some positive, productive, long-term change for the most vulnerable kids in our state.

“Not just a new name, a new brand and business as usual,” she said.

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KEY RECOMMENDATIONS OF SA’S CHILD PROTECTION ROYAL COMMISSION

  • Commercial childcare workers to be phased out.
  • Social workers no longer allowed to close case files due to a lack of resources.
  • All child protection workers subject to a public screening register.
  • Residential care homes to house no more than four children unless siblings.
  • Children under 10 will no longer be kept in care homes unless being kept with siblings.
  • Complaints of abuse by carers to be investigated within 48 hours and finalised within six weeks in most cases.

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