Page 1406 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 6 May 2015
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MR RATTENBURY: I am not privy to that information at this point. Ministers generally are not the ones who conduct the tendering process. I am happy to seek clarification on Mr Smyth’s question and provide an answer.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, when will the details be publicly available, and have all tenderers been told that their tender has been accepted?
MR RATTENBURY: I will seek advice and also provide that to the Assembly.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
Mr DOSZPOT: Minister, when will these details be publicly available?
Mr RATTENBURY: I refer to my earlier answers.
Children and young people—out of home care
DR BOURKE: My question is to the Minister for Children and Young People. Minister, following your launch of a step up for our kids, can you please inform the Assembly how the ACT government’s out of home care strategy will strengthen high risk families?
MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Dr Bourke for his question. The aim of a step up for our kids is simple—to provide vulnerable children and young people with loving, safe homes and the support to lead productive lives. We want to do this either by reuniting children and young people with their birth families or by supporting them to develop new lives in nurturing families who are not their birth families. We want the best outcomes to be realised for all children and young people.
A particular focus is on stepping up for families who are at high risk of having their children enter care or whose children have entered care. Under the strategy, we are significantly increasing the resources and services to build the capacity of high risk families to care for their children. These tailored services will support parents to provide safe, nurturing environments for their children. We are focusing on assertive engagement with families to support parents to be actively engaged with services and supports, demonstrate that they are committed to addressing issues, and be willing to provide a safe and nurturing environment for their child to return home.
Placement prevention services will provide families with intensive in-home supports, practical family supports and mentoring and coaching for parents. This will allow more children to stay at home in the course of intervention.
Reunification services will provide supports to families where their child has entered care. Parents will receive intensive in-home practical support provided by skilled paraprofessionals. The aim of this is to see more children and young people safely reunited with their families in a timely manner.
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