Health fears for WA children in care Half of WA children in state care are concerned about their health. HALF of the children in state care are concerned about their health and don't participate in regular social or recreational activities. Many of the children feel disengaged from the system meant to protect them too, telling a government survey no one had discussed their education or healthcare plans with them. Four-out-of-five kids reported attending school daily, while 73 per cent said they saw the person who cares about them most as much as they wanted. But 16 per cent told the Viewpoint survey they did not feel safe where they lived. The 2012-13 Viewpoint results come from interviews with 921 kids aged 5-17 from the Department for Child Protection. Viewpoint is used by the department as a case management tool for the state's most vulnerable kids, who can opt to fill out the computer-assisted questionnaire about their wellbeing. In the past financial year 33 per cent of kids in state care took part in the survey. Child Protection Minister Helen Morton conceded more had to be done to support children in care, including improving engagement with their case planning as well as access to recreational activities. "I am pleased to hear that despite complex and difficult situations, the majority of children who took part said they are happy at school, are able to see the person they feel cares most about what happens to them as much as they want and, most importantly, that they feel safe where they live," she said. Their courage in providing this information will enable their voices to be heard and will assist the department in improving care services into the future. Ms Morton said a third of the children aged over five in state care had taken part in the questionnaire, and the Viewpoint system was now being piloted in most other Australian states as the preferred survey method for children in care. There are nearly 4000 children under the care of the DCP. Opposition child protection spokesman Stephen Dawson was alarmed at the number of la-3%children who did not attend school or do any recreation. "The minister must treat seriously the concerns raised," he said. Just because a child is in care, it shouldn't mean that they miss out on services or activities provided to other children. Minister Morton must outline how she will urgently address these concerns so that children in care can begin to lead safe and healthy lives. The State Government came under fire this year when it was revealed WA was the only state not to participate in the annual independent children-in-care survey run by the CREATE Foundation. Mr Dawson said it was concerning that WA was not taking part in the independent and anonymous report card, and many people believed the Government was using Viewpoint instead as a way to contain criticism of DCP. "As advocates for children and young people in care, (CREATE) were well-placed to survey the views of these young people and ensure their concerns weren't watered down or sanitised," Mr Dawson said. CREATE Foundation chief executive Jacqui Reed said Ms Morton wrote to her in September to tell her DCP would not give CREATE access for the 2014 survey. Ms Reed said it was concerning that WA children and young people in care were not able to have a say about their care experience independent of the Government agency responsible for their care. She said case management data should not be substituted for external and independent review. "In light of the current Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, it's never been clearer that independent review of the experience of children and young people in care is necessary," she said. DCP's Advocate for Children in Care, Judith Garsed, said the Viewpoint system had offered many young people in care confidence and the chance to voice their experiences ``where they have been reluctant to before.