Page 1750 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 4 June 2014
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This additional investment will also allow for the piloting of therapeutic assessment and planning for children and young people in care and an accreditation and monitoring program for out-of-home care services. The government is committing to reducing the number of children in care and this budget continues our support for the most vulnerable in our community and those that care for them.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
DR BOURKE: How will this investment help foster and kinship carers in the ACT?
MS BURCH: Through this investment and the out-of-home care strategy, we will see a marked change for foster and kinship carers. This government engaged with carers throughout 2013 and this year to hear their views about out-of-home care, including through ministerial roundtables to which carers were invited.
Carers have told us they want to make a difference in a child’s life, to have greater recognition and respect, to end communication difficulties generated through our current system, to have better information about a child who is placed with them and to have improved access to both assessment and intervention services.
This investment will see training for every carer to help them understand the effects of trauma on children and young people. This initiative will see a trial of comprehensive therapeutic assessments and plans for all children. A child health passport which will accompany children and young people in care will also commence. The health passport will provide carers with important information about a child’s health needs.
The trauma recovery service for children will commence service from 1 July this year. Additional funding will support carers by working with the child, the carer and the school and other significant people in a child’s life to support their recovery.
I am sure all members are aware of the work done by our foster and kinship carers on behalf of the government and for the whole community, and I am pleased this government will continue to support them. If I may be so bold, I offer my thanks at this moment from all members in this Assembly for the work that kinship and foster carers do.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: Minister, how will this investment support young people coming into out-of-home care?
MS BURCH: I thank Ms Berry for her question. The ACT continues to see growth in the numbers of children and young people in care and, as I have mentioned, we are not alone in facing this challenge, with all states and jurisdictions looking to improve the outcomes for children and young people and reduce the number of children coming into care.
This additional funding will cater for future growth by providing stable placements and support services for these very vulnerable children. The out-of-home care strategy
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