Voices in Action is a podcast by CREATE Foundation giving a platform to children and young people in care.
In the coming weeks CREATE will be launching it’s first episode of the Voices in Action Podcast. This podcast has been created as a platform for young people to talk about a range of issues that are important to them – as we support them to connect, feel empowered, and create positive change in the care system.
In the first episode, airing on 13th July, we will be hearing from three CREATE Young Consultants with different experiences of transitioning from care to adulthood. As they revisit their experience of ‘growing up’, they identify the challenges, support and strength they found along the way. Each of the young people recount what they did on their 18th birthday, and talk through goals and aspirations for what they would like to achieve by their 21st. In talking about these experiences, the young people identify support that they found helpful and what further support they think is needed to create positive outcomes for young people transitioning from care, including the importance of having a placement supported by the care system past the age of 18.
Take a listen to the trailer below, and be sure to subscribe – Subscribe through Apple Podcasts or Spotify today.
Voices in Action – Listen Now
Behind the voices:
Interested in learning more?
The issues discussed in the Voices in Action Podcast affect young people in out-of-home-care all around Australia. While each state and territory is different, a universal theme from young people indicates that support should be extended beyond the age of 18. CREATE is calling for all states and territories to provide an option whereby the provision of care can be extended to young people until the age of 21. Click here to read our Position Paper.
Further Reading:
Supported Out-of-Home Care Placement to 21 in QLD
CREATE spoke to 42 care-experienced young people (aged 15-18) from across Queensland to hear their thoughts and views about having a supported placement up to the age of 21. The majority of young people (38/42) said that a supported placement should be available to at least 21. This report also contains quotes and insights from young people with a lived experience regarding life skills, transition support needs and much more.
CREATE recommends flexible and tailored supported placements up to 21 for young people with a care experience. This support must be provided for all young people with a care experience including young people living in residential care, semi-independent living, non-approved placements and those in the justice system.
“Eighteen is not a good age for young people with leaving school, and it is unreasonable to expect young people to find a job and live by themselves … Leaving the comfort of a household and roof over your head at 18 takes away young people’s stability when they need it most.” (Female, 17)
Please read the report ‘Supported Out-of-Home Care Placement to 21 in QLD and let us know your thoughts. To download the poster resource, click here.
Staying in Care Until 21 – South Australia Fact Sheet
Last year CREATE held a consultation with young people in South Australia about we developed the following fact sheet to summarise the key messages they had about young people receiving placement support to 21. A majority of young people felt that support past the age of 18 would be beneficial.
Out-of-Home Care in Australia (2018)
In 2018, CREATE conducted the largest ever independent survey of children and young people with a care experience, surveying 1275 children and young people about their experiences in the out-of-home care system. The results were compiled into our new report, Out-of-Home Care in Australia: Children and Young People’s Views After Five Years of National Standards.
From this report, some key findings with regards to preparing for adulthood were distilled down into this infographic.
