$39.3 million for vulnerable children and families

Victoria’s most vulnerable children will benefit from the Brumby Labor Government’s $39.3million 2008-09 State Budget package which aims to give them the support they need, Community Services Minister Lisa Neville said today.

“The Brumby Labor Government is taking action to protect the state’s most vulnerable children and to provide the support carers need to help give vulnerable children the support they need,” Ms Neville said.

“With new laws and record investment, the Brumby Labor Government is overhauling the State’s child protection and family services.

“Our Government is focused on reforming the system to provide earlier support for vulnerable children and families, while protecting children’s rights to safety, stability and healthy development – but there is always more to be done.”

Ms Neville said key initiatives in the $39.3 million child protection package were:

• $5.2 million over two years for a pilot program to provide intensive therapeutic care to significantly abused and traumatised children, by employing more staff with highly specialised qualifications at residential care facilities;
• $14.4 million over four years for a kinship support package to employ 18 new kinship care support workers to facilitate support groups for carers, run information and training sessions, and provide case management support in complex cases. Kinship care workers provide support to people who are caring for the children of relatives;
• $19.7 million over four years to help caregivers meet the expenses of children in their care, such as healthcare and education costs.

Ms Neville said the $5.2 million therapeutic care pilot program would target children and young people with extremely complex cases and needs.

“The therapeutic care pilot program will be trialled in at least 12 residential care units, increasing staffing levels to improve the level of care and engagement of young people,” she said.

She said the $14.4 million kinship support package would support 320 kinship care placements in 2008-09, of which 40 will be targeted to indigenous children. The service is planned to eventually grow to 30 workers providing services to 500 placements, of which 100 will be targeted at indigenous children.

“The growth in kinship care means more children remain connected to their families and communities, providing more continuity and stability in their lives,” Ms Neville said.

Ms Neville said providing support for foster carers and kinship carers was integral to the health of the out-of-home-care system and to the wellbeing of vulnerable children.

The additional funding for caregivers follows moves by the Brumby Labor Government to ease requirements for caregivers to seek permission before allowing children in their care to participate in school excursions or overnight sleepovers.

She said the Victorian Government had a proud record of boosting funding and delivering important reforms to child protection.

"Our Government has increased funding for the child protection system by 96 per cent since 1999,” Ms Neville said.

“We have established the Office of the Child Safety Commissioner and have introduced the ChildFIRST teams to provide specialised support to families in need.”

The Brumby Labor Government is also providing $5.2 million over four years for free kindergarten programs of up to five hours a week for three-year-old children known to child protection services.

Children and Early Childhood Development Minister Maxine Morand said providing up to five hours a week of free kindergarten for children known to child protection services would significantly improve learning, health and behaviour outcomes for those children.

“Attending a good quality kindergarten program is a vital start to a child’s learning, health and behaviour, with research showing children who attend kinder lead happier and more successful adult lives,” Ms Morand said.