Page 134 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 13 February 2019
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Nine years later, the ACT Council of Social Service is able to state:
There are currently no accommodation services in the ACT for young people under the age of 16 who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
In fact, ACTCOSS claims that various ACT governments have recognised this problem for the past 15 years, since the 2004 breaking the cycle ACT homelessness strategy, but it has never adequately been addressed. Clearly, the time for talk is past. It is now time for action. It is for this reason that I have moved this motion calling upon the ACT government to make a formal commitment to improving services and programs for the territory’s children and young people in the middle years.
In order to make sure that we make genuine progress in this space, it is absolutely necessary that the government demonstrate this commitment by including specific provisions in the 2019-2020 budget that address important issues facing those in middle childhood. These provisions should be clearly identified as well so that there is no question that those in the middle years are receiving the attention they deserve. In the end, it will be up to those opposite to determine which recommendations from stakeholders make it into the budget.
This motion does not ask the government to circumvent the normal processes of evaluating submissions, consulting with stakeholders, seeking expert opinions and so forth. I do, however, want to take this opportunity to encourage cabinet to give due consideration to some of the recommendations that have been submitted.
First, researchers such as the ANU’s Sharon Bessell and Jan Mason of Western Sydney University have recommended that measures and indicators of social inclusion, social capital, and community strength and support should explicitly include data relating to children in middle childhood. This is because, as Families ACT have noted:
In the ACT, as in much of Australia, there is a critical gap in research data to enable parents, teachers, doctors, community workers, policy makers and the wider community to understand and support the unique needs of 8-12 year olds.
As I recently argued in supporting a motion relating to data tracking for children and young people exposed to domestic and family violence, the beginning of all good policy is good data. I therefore commend to this government Families ACT’s recommendation to support the collection of longitudinal data on the wellbeing of middle years children in the ACT by expanding upon the ACT’s existing schools-based data collection. Families ACT have identified this as one of two most critical areas to support middle years.
I likewise commend to this government the Youth Coalition’s recommendation for a homelessness service modelled for children aged eight to 15 in the ACT. As noted earlier, there are currently no accommodation services in the territory available to support those under age 16 who are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, unaccompanied homelessness.
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