Page 508 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 8 March 2011
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Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Women) (2.59), by leave: I present the following paper:
A Way Forward—An update on transitioning from care to independent living—Ministerial statement, 8 March 2011.
I move:
That the Assembly take note of the paper.
I would like to inform the Assembly of the progress of the work my department is undertaking to improve the planning and supports for young people who are transitioning from care to independence, an important milestone in their lives.
The ACT government is continuing to focus on improving services and outcomes for children and young people and has particular responsibility for children and young people who are in a care placement. They may be in care with a kinship or foster carer or in a residential setting.
The government is committed to providing high-quality services to this population, and my department works in partnership with our community partners, other government agencies and kinship and foster carers to plan, support and meet the needs of these vulnerable children and young people as they develop and grow.
Each year the government provides $26.8 million for children and young people who need out of home care. This includes subsidy and contingency payments to foster and kinship carers, agency fees and payments to peak support agencies such as Create and the Foster Care Association.
National research tells us that a large proportion of young people transitioning from care experience homelessness within the first year of living independently. They are more likely not to be engaged in full-time work, are less likely to attend further education and have lower incomes than their peers.
Those of us who are parents of young children know how critical family support to young people gaining their independence is. For these young people transitioning from care, often parental support may not be available; therefore, we need to consider how this gap in support for these young people is filled.
Last year, in response to national research indicating poor outcomes for many of these young people, the government commenced work on improving the way it provides service to young people in transitioning from care. We began by talking to our government and community partners about mechanisms that will ensure that this group of young people gets timely access to coordinated services that effectively support them through their transition to adulthood.
In October last year I released a discussion paper, Maximising potential: improving life transitions for young people in care. This put forward a new model of service delivery based on best practice. Focus groups were held, submissions were received and the
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