CREATE’s monthly Advocacy Wrap Ups provide regular updates on our latest advocacy for improving the lives of children and young people with an out-of-home care experience.
Our Wrap Ups include:
- CREATE’s latest submissions on issues including youth justice, residential care, housing and more.
- Media releases and statements about current issues affecting children and young people in care.
- Relevant news and research in the sector so you can catch up on what has happened over the last month.
- A monthly advocacy focus. This month it’s CREATE’s Influencing Committee.
- Consultation opportunities for children and young people to ensure that their lived experiences and voices are heard in decision-making about the out-of-home care system in Australia.
April advocacy focus
Do you want to speak up and use your voice to help CREATE make the out-of-home care system better for all children and young people?
Our Influencing Committee is a great opportunity for young people with a care experience, aged 15-25 to take their passion for changing the care system to the next level! It’s also an incredible addition to your CV.
Consultation opportunities
Applications are now open for the Australian Government’s Youth Steering Committee. No prior experience required as members will get training and professional development so they feel confident and comfortable participating in meetings.
News
Ten justice reinvestment programs have secured support through the Federal Government’s First Nations justice package. This reflects a move towards investing in self-determined approaches and delivering place-based projects to improve lives, support safer communities and help to close the gap.
Latest research and reports
‘Closing the Gap’ targets are worsening, according to data from the Productivity Commission.
News
We covered a lot, including:
– caseworker support with a focus on leaving care planning
– preparing for the transition from care to adulthood
– and leaving-care supports with a focus on housing
Thank you to Minister for Territory Families, Ngaree Ah Kit, NT Children’s Commissioner, Shahleena Musk and Territory Families, Housing and Communities for this opportunity.
Read more
The Northern Territory government has announced details for the Youth Justice Review. SNAICC’s CEO Catherine Liddle will be part of a 3 member independent panel. The review process will involve consultations with communities and stakeholders. CREATE calls for the NT government to include in the review the voices of young people with lived experience.
Housing prioritised in NT and WA.
Read more
The government made a major $4 billion investment in the 10-year National Partnership for Remote Housing NT with the goal of addressing homelessness and overcrowding in the state. The Western Australian government has also announced $50 million towards community housing. These investments are promising, since housing could make a critical impact for children and young people involved in child protection. CREATE recommends allocating investment to safe and appropriate housing models for young people. These could include Youth Foyers, prioritising social housing for care leavers, and including young people’s voices in the housing reform.
Our submissions
CREATE’s Submission to the Office of the Children’s Guardian Consultation on the Code of Practice.
News
Ongoing calls for reform of the NSW Child protection system.
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The news in New South Wales continues to point to the need for urgent reform of the child protection and out-of-home care systems. Recent reports have shone the light on critical safety concerns in residential care homes. Such safety concerns reiterate the need to initiate once in a generation changes to way the child protection system operates, beginning with implementing findings from numerous reports, inquiries and reviews, including Family is Culture and ACYP’s Voices of Children and Young People in Out-of-Home Care report.
Latest research and reports
Read more
CREATE has been deeply moved by the stories and the voices of children and young people shared in the interim report. It is highly concerning that children and young people in New South Wales who have been placed in ACAs have expressed an overwhelming feeling of being uncared for, highlighting unmet needs related to safety, hygiene, access to healthy foods, engagement in education, and support to connect to family, friends and culture. CREATE views ‘Moving cage to cage’ as adding to the extensive body of evidence indicating that the child protection system in New South Wales is in need of urgent reform.
Latest research and reports
Raise the Age! Children and young people in detention have their say – OOGCYP (SA)
News
$46.3 million to support young people leaving out of home care | Western Australian Government.
Publications
Youth Disability Advocacy Network’s new online self-advocacy publication ‘Disabled Enough?’, is out now. ‘Disabled Enough?’ is an e-magazine made for young disabled people, by young disabled people, to celebrate disability culture and share self-advocacy tools.
News
The Victorian Government must fully implement all recommendations from Yoorrook for Justice.
Read more
CREATE echoes the sentiment of disappointment from Chair of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, Professor Eleanor Bourke, and Indigenous groups in Victoria, following the release of the Victorian Government’s response to Yoorrook For Justice Recommendations. We share concerns that the Victorian Government has not supported Recommendation 35 to urgently raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years without exceptions. Young people with a care experience are disproportionately in contact with the youth justice system. CREATE urges the Victorian Government to hasten efforts to raise the age. We also call for the Victorian Government to reconsider its response to Recommendation 1 and commit to transferring decision-making power, authority, control and resources to First Peoples, giving full effect to self-determination in the Victorian child protection system. This is critical to reducing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in care.
Consultation opportunities
Queensland Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy | Your say | Queensland Government.
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Thank you for reading our Advocacy Wrap Up. To provide feedback, please email marketing@create.org.au
