Paedophile Steven Larkins Got Welfare Agency Job Two Months before Police Checks Were Introduced, Royal Commission Told

By Jamelle Wells
ABC News
September 18, 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-18/royal-commission-day-three/4965312

Steven Larkins has been jailed after admitting child sex offences.

The royal commission into child sex abuse has heard a paedophile was employed by a welfare agency just two months before the 'working with children' check was introduced.

The commission is examining how a number of agencies responded to allegations against former scoutmaster and CEO of the Hunter Aboriginal Children's Service (HACS) Steven Larkins.

The Children's Guardian Kerryn Boland told the hearing that Larkins was employed by the children's service in May 2000, but the current 'working with children' check came into affect in July that year.

She said the children's service only relied on information Lakins supplied to assess his suitability for the job and the information may have been assessed by junior staff.

In 2003, Larkins submitted a 'working with children' application for himself and other staff but omitted certain information.

Ms Boland said he provided statutory declarations and a reference but told one DoCS officer he was not working directly with children.

She said she did not know why he had applied for the check when it was not needed.

“The only information available is his statement that he was going through and making sure that everyone had 'working with children' checks, that it was a batch lot, and he put himself in," she said.

"Apart from that I can’t provide any explanation.”

Ms Boland said he was active in DoCS and the Aboriginal community and was articulate about his work.

It has since emerged Larkins gave false information for the check and he is serving a jail sentence for that offence and possessing child porn.

He is also on a good behaviour bond for abusing two Scouts in the 1990s.

Ms Boland said improved checks on people who work with children now include sending info to Crimtrak - a national database, checking AVO history and improved information sharing between agencies.

Yesterday the inquiry heard the Scouts suspended Larkins but did not sack him to avoid bad publicity.

A former Scouts official said compensation has been paid to some child sexual abuse victims and the organisation has 'failed them'.

He said, after Larkins was suspended, rules were changed to try to protect children - but the changes were opposed by some members of the organisation.