Chloe Valentine inquest: 4yo witnessed domestic violence, lived with sex offender, but Families SA found 'no grounds for removal'

An inquest has heard Chloe Valentine was exposed to domestic violence and lived with a registered sex offender, yet Families SA found no "grounds for removal".

The four-year-old died in January 2012 and her mother Ashlee Polkinghorne and former partner, Benjamin McPartland, have been jailed for her manslaughter.

More than 20 notifications were made to government agency Families SA about Chloe's care and her mother's drug use before the girl died.

An inquest into Chloe's death has heard how the girl was present when her mother was assaulted by a former boyfriend in 2009.

The mother suffered fractures and bruising but refused to speak to police or get medical help.

The inquest heard when she regained consciousness her daughter was standing over her screaming.

It was the third time her daughter had been exposed to domestic violence, the inquest was told.

The perpetrator, who lived in the same house, was also on the sex offenders' register after having consensual sex with a 15-year-old girl.

But the inquest was told senior social worker Leanne Stewart, who handled the case at Families SA in 2009, wrote on a report: "no grounds for removal".

She said she was unsure whether a court would have granted custody to Families SA as more evidence was needed.

Families SA was 'under resourced'

Concerns were also raised about Chloe's care, including severe nappy rash from dirty nappies.

But when the Counsel Assisting the Coroner Naomi Kereru asked Ms Stewart during the inquest whether removal was needed, she replied "no".

Ms Stewart told the inquest Chloe's case was not one of the worst cases Families SA was dealing with at the time and the agency was under-resourced.

On Wednesday the coroner was told Senior Constable Adrian Cox had found Chloe with a 16-year-old boy in a park on a cold night.

The coroner was told the park was used at times by drunken youths and that Senior Constable Cox asked the teenager to take the child home.

The inquest has also heard Chloe's mother became frustrated with her support workers from Families SA who constantly asked where Chloe was.

At one stage the young mother told them she "didn't need another mother".

The inquest is due to adjourn on Friday and will have seen 19 people give evidence.

The coroner has set aside another two weeks in December to call further witnesses.