Page 884 - Week 03 - Thursday, 7 April 2022
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We have increased the stability of children and young people in care, placed a greater emphasis on the remarkable work of carers and helped many young people transition to adulthood.
Notable results have been the increase in families accessing intensive family support services and a decrease in the number of children and young people entering out of home care. Working from a robust evidence base, we also know that the age profile of children and young people entering and living in out of home care has changed, with fewer young people under the age of five entering care and more children and young people in out of home care who are over 10 years old. The behavioural complexity and support needs of children and young people living in out of home care have increased.
Our next stage of reform effort is outlined in a new strategy “next steps for our kids 2022-2030” which is currently being finalised. Our ambitious agenda also builds on an evolving evidence base and on what we have heard from our own community about what works in supporting children, young people and families with complex lives. It recognises the significant challenge of reform in child and youth protection and seeks to engage everyone who has a role to play in keeping children, young people and their families safe and supported. It recognises that success will require doing things differently, both in policy and practice.
The ACT government is pleased to have delivered funding for the Safe and Connected Youth program. This program was developed, and is being delivered, in partnership with the community sector to support children and young people aged eight-to-15 years who are at risk of homelessness due to family conflict. The evaluation of the pilot program showed significant improvements in the outcomes for young people and their families supported by this service. We have allocated $7 million over the next four years to deliver wraparound services, including therapeutic respite accommodation, early preservation outreach services, mediation and casework, and post-exit outreach. The connection of therapeutic services with respite accommodation offers a safe space for young people to rebuild their relationships with their family.
It is of significant concern that the ACT continues to see unacceptable over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in out of home care. In 2017, the ACT government commissioned a wholly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led review to look at the experiences of First Nations families in the ACT child and youth protection system.
The final report of Our Booris, Our Way was completed in 2019. While work is underway to implement the 28 recommendations and eight sub-recommendations, there is much more to do. We are continuing to implement the agreed recommendations from the Our Booris, Our Way report. This includes improving accessible and appropriate early support programs for drug and alcohol rehabilitation, family violence, mental health and trauma, as well as delivering funding for a temporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families advocate while we establish a permanent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s commissioner. When in place, the commissioner will advise the government on a
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