Following multiple Royal Commissions and inquiries, CREATE is calling for a clear demonstration of focus on implementation of recommendations from previous reports.
It is vital to remain committed to keeping children safe – and to this point, CREATE applauds Minister Hildyard’s appointment of Kate Alexander as the independent reviewer in charge of scrutinising the government’s progress implementing recommendations of previous child protection inquests.
There is little evidence of past Royal Commission recommendations being implemented and “InDaily” news reported that the South Australian government failed to implement the recommendations following both the previous inquiries initiated by the State’s Ombudsman and Royal Commissioner Margaret Nyland.1
What South Australian children in care need now is a pro-active government that monitor’s the progress of acting on the previous process recommendations.
CREATE Foundation is the national consumer body representing the voices of children and young people with an out-of-home care experience (including kinship care, foster care and residential care). CREATE develops policy and research to report on and advocate for a better care system.
CREATE Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Ms Jacqui Reed, says the current situation in SA is incredibly distressing and highlights the need for more resources for an incredibly overwhelmed system.
“The current trend across all jurisdictions is to tie-up resources by conducting more inquiries, more reforms, and reviews, meanwhile those in care remain at risk,” said Ms Jacqui Reed.
“CREATE is calling for South Australia to take a forward focus and galvanise the effort to implement recommendations, make them adequately resourced and effectively monitored to, in turn, keep children safe and on a path to reach their potential.”
“Ultimately it is the children and young people who are the ones with the most to lose and they are amongst the most vulnerable groups in South Australia,” added Ms Reed.
For more information please visit the CREATE website at www.create.org.au
For further comment from CREATE’s Chief Executive, Ms Jacqui Reed, and/or a young person with care experience contact Leigh White, CREATE Communications Advisor, via (m) 0431 932 122 or leigh.white@create.org.au
Sources:
1 – Review to probe ‘ignored’ SA child protection recommendations (1/6/22) https://indaily.com.au/news/2022/06/01/review-to-probe-ignored-sa-child-protection-recommendations/
Key statistics on the care sector in Australia:
- 46,212 children and young people were reported in 2020-21 as living in out-of-home care across Australia (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare, 2022).
- Young people in out-of-home care are 16 times more likely to be under a youth justice order than the general population.
- 30% of young people experience homelessness within the first year of leaving care. (McDowall, 2020).
- 38% of young people have been involved with the justice system.
- 30% of young people who have left care or preparing to leave care are unemployed.
- 36% children and young people in care do not live with any of their siblings.
- 35% of young people in care have five or more caseworkers during their time in care.
- 67% of young people in care over the age of 15 are not aware of having a leaving care plan.
McDowall, J. J. (2018). Out-of-home care in Australia: Children and young people’s views after five years of National Standards. CREATE Foundation.
McDowall, J. J. (2020). Transitioning to adulthood from out-of-home care: Independence or interdependence? CREATE Foundation.
