Steven Larkins Lived with Teen Despite Screening, Commission Hears

By Dan Box
The Australian
September 18, 2013

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/steven-larkins-lived-with-teen-despite-screening-commission-hears/story-fngburq5-1226722026735

A PEDOPHILE was able to successfully apply for a teenage boy to live with him despite a previous screening check found that he posed a risk to children, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has heard.

Steven Larkins was employed at the time as chief executive of the Hunter Aboriginal Children's Service, with court-appointed parental responsibility for some of the most vulnerable children in NSW.

A previous Working With Children Check conducted by the state government had found Larkins posed a "medium risk" to children, the commission heard.

This 2003 finding was mistakenly sent confidentially to Larkins himself, who was subsequently able to challenge it using false claims and documents, and continue in his position.

In 2011, the commission heard, an assessment of HACS by the office of the NSW Children's Guardian, found Larkins had arranged for the 17-year-old boy to live with him.

"This stood out as a significant concern ... There was no documentation as to why the decision was made, no identification or management of the potential risks," the Children's Guardian, Kerryn Boland, said.

A caseworker with HACS at the time told the commission he had witnessed Larkins "grooming" the teenager over a number of years.

"Steven would attend (his) school appointments ... they would go 10-pin bowling together and Steven would arrange other workers to pick (the teenager) up so he could have contact with him," the caseworker said.

"(The teenager) stated that Mr Larkins was like a father figure to him, that he had been the only kind of role model in his life."

Larkins was jailed last year for indecently assaulting two other boys, as well as possession child-abuse material and fraud.

The commission's hearing continues.