Page 2370 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 12 August 2014
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MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (7.48): I am reminded of the phrase from Shakespeare “She doth protest too much.” The minister was grilled on the NDIS and the minister basically had no answers. We were constantly referred to: “There are a couple of fact sheets on the website. You can go and read them.” I asked whether there was an overarching document, a guide to the introduction of NDIS in the ACT. The answer was no. There is no overarching document, the minister cannot answer questions and people are concerned about the progress.
We have all heard the constant stories from around the country. Either this morning or yesterday there was a piece on the radio where a gentleman was saying there was not enough clarity, there was not enough certainty and there certainly was not enough funding. The minister can come here and bleat all she wishes, but the reality is that she was asked, and in most cases the answers were unsatisfactory. Particularly in relation to the guiding document, she and her officials were not able to point to a single document for the overarching strategy for the delivery of these services. It is a very important sector of our community. I think that speaks volumes about the minister’s leadership.
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Minister for Planning, Minister for Community Services, Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations, Minister for Children and Young People and Minister for Ageing) (7.49): I rise this time to talk about children and young people through the Appropriation Bill. This year is very important for the ACT government’s support for children and young people as we begin to see the results of research, consultation and development come together.
Since May 2012 the ACT government has been working to develop a new out of home care strategy for children and young people in the ACT. I note Ms Lawder’s comments on budget priorities in this output class, and I would just like to advise that the ACT government has shown its commitment to assisting Canberra’s vulnerable children and young people in out of home care with additional funding of $4.1 million in 2014-15. The funding will be used to meet the additional growth in children and young people in care, enabling continuation of current out of home care programs for the 2014-15 period, and to lay important groundwork for a new out of home care system that will begin from July 2015. This funding meets a commitment in response to the Public Advocate’s reviews.
Consultation has concluded on the out of home care strategy, which will, firstly, support children to remain at home wherever possible through new placement, prevention and reunification services; secondly, improve outcomes for children and young people who cannot live with their families; and, thirdly, wherever possible, find alternative permanent families for children and young people in a timely fashion.
The funding of $4.1 million in this budget will provide for the piloting of therapeutic assessments and planning for children and young people in care. It will also provide for accreditation and monitoring programs for out of home care services. This was a commitment by this government in response to the concerns raised by the Auditor-General in 2013. It will provide training and transition support for trauma informed care systems, including the training of the care and protection service staff, out of
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