Page 5923 - Week 14 - Thursday, 8 December 2011
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In March I informed the Assembly of the progress being made by the government to improve planning and supports for young people transitioning from out-of-home care, which included the new service model. The amendment bill I am tabling today incorporates the principles of this new service and has four key elements.
The first key element of the bill is transition planning. As outlined in the bill, the object of transition planning is to promote, strengthen and foster the wellbeing of young people transitioning from out-of-home care. This has already been implemented through policies and practice. In 2010-11, 28 young people transitioned from out-of-home care, 21 had leaving care plans and one young person chose not to have a plan because she was in a stable and long-term placement.
To improve outcomes for young people transitioning from out-of-home care, supports need to be tailored to the individual needs of the young people, allow for gradual and flexible transition to care and be more specialised after young people are no longer in care. A transition plan may include proposals such as accommodation, education and training, financial security, social support, life skills support and health. For a young person to successfully transition to adulthood, it is vital that their education, employment, housing and social supports are in place.
The proposed amendments clearly outline the process the director-general will follow in preparing and reviewing a transition plan. Importantly, the director-general must develop a plan in consultation with the young person. Active engagement and participation by the young person will promote ownership of the plan. Transitioning from out-of-home care includes many different options. The process will change as the young person’s circumstances change, and transition plans will be reviewed up to the age of 18 to ensure that new needs or goals are identified.
To ensure the Children and Young People Act is consistent with best practice, other jurisdictions and national frameworks, provisions in the act regarding “leaving care” have been replaced with the concept of “transition from care”. These provisions have been inserted in a new part titled “Transition to adulthood” and reflect the transition or path that all young people take as they progress through life.
The second key element of the proposed amendments is assistance up to the age of 25 for young people after leaving out-of-home care. The supports included in the bill will be voluntary and determined by the young person and their needs. The imposition of service provision after they have left care must be with their consent and agreement. These provisions do not mean that the parental responsibilities of the ACT government have been extended regarding young people who are in out-of-home care once they reach adulthood.
The focus of this support will be advice, referral and assistance to access commonwealth and ACT services, accessing their personal records when required and in a manner that assists their needs, and access to counselling as required. The bill’s provisions are an affirmative action enabling young adults who were in out-of-home care access to the same rights and responsibilities of all young adults in the ACT.
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