With over 46,400 children and young people in out-of-home care in Australia in 2016, child protection truly is everyone’s business! Child Protection Week runs from 3-9 September and is a wonderful opportunity for everyone in the community to think about how we can work together to keep all children and young people safe!
CREATE have started off Child Protection Week 2017 with a bang, with a Disco Dance Party on the Gold Coast hosted by CREATE in Queensland while CREATE in Tasmania have been busy launching the Home Stretch campaign in Tasmania, with Young Consultant Sarah was interviewed by ABC Hobart about extending the leaving care age to 21.
CREATE Foundation has long been at the fore front of making sure the voices of children and young people with a care experience are heard. Here are some of the ways CREATE work to improve the lives of children and young people in out-of-home care all year round.
CREATE National Survey 2017
One way we are doing this is by conducting what could be the world’s biggest survey of children and young people with a care experience ever in the world! That’s right, the biggest survey of its kind in the history of the world. Policy and Advocacy team have been sending out 1000’s of letters to children and young people aged 8-24 years, who have been randomly selected to participate. But we need YOUR HELP to make it the biggest ever by getting involved and making history. You can find all the information you need right here.
Have Your Say in CREATE’s National Survey 2017
Transition to Independence
We are also making sure that young people who are beginning to transition from care can get their Go Your Own Way Kits right across Australia. These kits have been developed based on what young people said that they need to help them feel more confident about leaving care. The Kits include an awesome workbook with loads of information in your state or territory, a USB, and a cool carry bag as well as a Frisbee, because leaving care can also be fun. Find out more here.
Read more about the GYOW Report here
Corporate Parenting
In August, CREATE spent a large amount of time with Thomas and Cheryl-Anne who visited us from our sister organisation, Who Cares? Scotland. We had some really great discussion about how they make sure that children and young people in care in Britain are cared for by many different stakeholders; this is called Corporate Parenting. Basically, when you live with your parents, they make sure that you get everything you need and sometimes this means getting help from other people. Corporate Parenting means that when you are in care, all the government departments, like schools, public transport, police etc., all chip in and help as well, because child protection is everybody’s business!
Some departments will offer young people with a care experience a traineeship. Others with a place in their TAFE system and so on. We think this would be pretty awesome and we are exploring ways that this might work in Australia. You can find out more here.
Read more about Corporate Parenting
For more information on Child Protection Week, head to the NAPCAN website for activities and events happening in your local area, or contact your local CREATE team for events happening in your State or Territory! Make sure you follow CREATE on social media to stay up to date with all of our Child Protection Week activities.
