Beds pulled from kids at Kath French Secure Care Centre

 A service trumpeted by the Barnett Government as the "start of quality care for the state's most vulnerable young people" has had its bed numbers slashed by a third less than two years after it was launched because of budget cuts. 

A SERVICE trumpeted by the Barnett Government as the "start of quality care for the state's most vulnerable young people" has had its bed numbers slashed by a third less than two years after it was launched because of budget cuts.

The Sunday Times can reveal the razor was taken to the Kath French Secure Care Centre, a facility for children in state care who are at high risk of self-harm or a danger to those around them and need immediate assessment and support.

Bed numbers at the centre have been cut from nine to six and the number of staff from 33 to 28. And $400,000 has been ripped from the $3.6 million budget.

It comes after the Government's mid-year financial review determined that the Department of Child Protection would be "streamlining processes" at the facility to meet a 2 per cent efficiency dividend.

When Child Protection Minister Robyn McSweeney opened the Mundaring facility in May 2011 she said it was proof the Barnett Government was one that finally cared about at-risk kids.

Source: perthnow.com.au