State care reform Bill passes first reading

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that a Bill enabling the first stage of major reforms of state care has passed its first reading in Parliament.

The Children, Young Persons and Their Families (Advocacy, Workforce, and Age Settings) Amendment Bill represents the first raft of legislative changes as part of the radical overhaul of care and protection, and:

• Extends the age of state care and protection to a young person’s 18th birthday.
• Ensures the views of children and young people are taken into account as part of decision making at an individual level and in the development of services and policy.
• Supports the establishment of an independent youth advocacy service.
• Enables the broader range of professionals with specialist skills who will widen the expertise within the new model to perform some functions under the Act. Social workers would still be the main professionals responsible for carrying out these functions.

“We are transforming our care and protection system into a completely child-centred operating model,” says Mrs Tolley.

“It will deliver better long-term outcomes through to adulthood for vulnerable children and young people, rather than just short-term crisis management, by focusing on prevention, intensive intervention, care support services, transition support and preventing youth offending and reoffending.”

“We are absolutely committed to changing the lives of these vulnerable young people. Budget 2016 invested $347.8 million to meet cost pressures and to support the initial transformation programme so that we can have a world-class system which puts the needs of children at the very centre of everything it does.”