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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 11 Hansard (21 October) . . Page.. 3496 ..

Yet the Community Advocate says that the results of her research into the number and length of admissions and the legal status of the children in the facility were "concerning issues". The Community Advocate found that, in 1996, 20 per cent of admissions were for longer than 20 days, 9 per cent of children spent more than 60 days at Marlow and one child spent 248 days there. In 1997, 12 per cent of children spent more than 60 days at Marlow Cottage, with one child spending 112 days at Marlow. In 1998, 8 per cent of children spent more than 60 days at Marlow Cottage, with one child spending 116 days there.

Remember, this is supposed to be a transitional facility. The obvious question is: Why is this happening? It seems to be happening because for some of the children who go through Marlow there is nowhere else for them to go once they leave. The Community Advocate wrote that "representatives of Family Services noted that there was no need for such a project" and that it "would not contribute to the development of a solution to any of the current problems regarding substitute care services for children at Marlow". She went on to write:

So we have clear breaches of Family Services guidelines acknowledged by Family Services. Why are these breaches occurring? With the best will in the world, no government agency can deliver services without resources. There is clearly a resourcing issue. This Government keeps telling us to have faith, saying, "Everything will be fine. Do not worry about it. We will look at it in three years. There will be a new government in three years. This Government has to be held accountable".

The Government is taking us down this whole new path of treatment for children and young people at risk of hurting themselves or other people, without financial commitments and without indicating what impact this will have on other services provided for these children. A 12-month review of these orders needs to look at these resourcing issues and other issues. If we are to see any real commitment to monitoring and scrutiny, I am hoping to receive support from other members of this Assembly. We cannot wait for three years until the whole Act is reviewed. It must occur after 12 months. As I said, in three years we will have a new government and a new Minister. It is this Government that has enacted this new piece of legislation and a response at the crisis end of children in care. It is this Government that is telling us that there are no problems with resources in the ACT in this area. It is this Government that says, "Everyone always wants more money. Have faith in us. We will manage this well". I do not have faith in this Government in this area. The evidence has been set down by the Community Advocate.

Mr Humphries: Yes, we have noticed, Kerrie.

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