Foster Care

Ms SANDERSON (Adelaide) (14:59): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. What is the net increase in foster carers since the minister announced the extra $9 million to recruit at least an extra 130 foster carers that was made in February 2016? So, it's the net increase.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Higher Education and Skills) (14:59): I will get the detailed figure. There was last year a piece of work done to remove foster carers who weren't actually any longer looking after children and who had no further intention of being foster carers, so there was in some figures that were reported the perception that there was an absolute reduction in foster carers. In fact, in terms of the number of households with foster care children within them, or kinship care children, that number has grown steadily.

We won't see the complete payoff of the effort to recruit more carers for some time because it is a combination of people applying, being considered and going through the registration process, but then also the training process takes some time. It will take us many months to see that payoff which is why the sooner you start, the sooner you get to where you are going. I will get the detailed answer for the member for Adelaide and for the chamber.