Child neglect couple jailed

A Perth couple has been sentenced to two years and eight months jail for what a judge described as the cruel physical and emotional neglect of a six-year-old boy.

The couple who can not be identified pleaded guilty to charges including depriving the boy of his liberty and neglecting him.

He was found imprisoned in a portable cot in the darkened garage of the couple's home a year ago.

He weighted only 12 kilograms and had bruising all over his body.

The husband also pleaded guilty to assaulting the boy.

He received an extra six months jail for that offence.

Both will have to serve half of their sentence before they can be considered for parole.

Parents lack life skills, means, time: Stanley

ONE in five Australian parents are poor caregivers because they don't have the means or life skills, child health expert Professor Fiona Stanley says.

she said many others could not devote enough time to their kids because of excessive job commitments.

"If we don't respond to these challenges ... we will be looking at our generation, my generation, as being the last generation that lives longer than its parents," Prof Stanley said.

"If you look at the overall trend in many problems, they are actually showing no improvement and some of them are getting dramatically worse."

Mental illness, obesity, asthma and substance abuse were the biggest health risks for Australian kids.

"Family life has changed a lot," Prof Stanley said.

"You've got more hours of work, you've got more women working, but without men, or the business world or government, actually coming forward with really good childcare.

"So who's responsible for the children when a high proportion of women are working?

"That's been very detrimental to children."

Related:

Mental illness more prevalent among youth
A new report on children's health shows that young people's mental health may not be improving, as was previously thought.

Parents warned over toddler drowning stats

The Royal Lifesaving Society says a lack of parental supervision may be to blame for the rising number of toddler drownings.

New figures released by the society estimate that drownings could rise by 20 per cent this year, resulting in 40 deaths.

Rob Bradley from Royal Life Saving Australia says that while faulty pool fences are also to blame, parents must be accountable for supervising their children.

"Parents are becoming a little complacent perhaps. They are aware of the message but they don't seem to be able to ensure that there is constant supervision of those children," he said.

"At the end of the day it is the parent's responsibility."

"For every drowning there's probably four hospitalisations and of those one to two will have permanent neurological damage."

Quote: Yes but also remember that parents can only do their best and sometimes circumstances have it that no intervention was perceived. Any person has to perceive the danger before any action can be taken. Hence public awareness is essential to be able to focus on that. So those who failed to perceive the danger ought not feel guilt.