A 12-year-old girl has given birth in Perth, prompting questions from police and other welfare agencies.

The girl was reportedly 11 years old when she became pregnant.

A spokeswoman said police were aware of the incident, and were working closely with the families involved and the Department of Communities.

In a statement, the department said it did not comment on individual cases to protect the privacy of children and families.

“If there are concerns that a child may have been sexually abused or is likely to be sexually abused, Communities undertakes a thorough assessment of the situation,” the statement read.

“Where necessary, the matter will be referred to the WA police for further investigation and referrals to appropriate supports are provided.”

The department said a coordinated response was required from the state government and external support agencies, in both the short and long term.

According to the WA health department, in 2017, three girls aged 13 or under gave birth, with a similar figure for 2016.

In total, in 2017, 91 women aged 16 or younger gave birth and the youngest registered mother who was 12.

A dozen 12-year-old girls have given birth in WA since 1980.

The department says the teenage birth rate had dropped from 1.2% in 1980 to 0.3% in 2017.