CREATE Foundation warmly welcomes the Tasmanian Government’s release of the Tasmanian Out of Home Care Standards. All children and young people deserve the same dignity and opportunity, regardless of where they call home.
As enshrined in The United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child, these entitlements belong to every child, not excluding those with a care experience. Since 2008, CREATE’s research consultations with young people has identified the areas in which young people have poorer life outcomes and are impacted by being without support and safe housing during their care experience.
CREATE concurs with the Tasmanian Government that all of out of home care providers must uphold the rights of children, along with promoting the safety and wellbeing of the children in their care. No exceptions.
“Children and young people with a care experience are deserving of reaching their potential without limitations from their past care experience. CREATE’s mission has a clear focus to connect young people with opportunities to share their voice and participate in making positive change,” said CREATE Chief Executive Officer, Ms Jacqui Reed.
“CREATE is very encouraged to see the views of young people shared in this consultation process reflected in the new reforms, and we look forward to seeing these frameworks becoming practical tools, embedded via the legislation process.”
CREATE Young Consultant, Sarah*, had a foster care experience and recalls reading one of the new standards about the right to participate in activities, like playing sport, and says that standards like these ensure kids don’t just survive, but thrive.
“The standards are important because they mandate how young people should experience care and are a kind of standard for people working in out-of-home care to be held up to. They are also a point of reference so action can be taken if things aren’t going right.”
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.
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
* name changed to protect to person’s identity.
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.
