Residential Care Staff

Ms HILDYARD (Reynell) (14:49): My question is to the Minister for Child Protection. When will the minister implement Nyland recommendation 150c, abolishing single worker shifts for residential care staff?

The Hon. R. SANDERSON (Adelaide—Minister for Child Protection) (14:50): I thank the member for her question. It was two recommendations: one that referred to commercial care and one that referred to residential care, and they both weren't accepted by the former Labor government. The one that was accepted was accepted way off into the future. So that is still under consideration. From meeting workers and visiting residential care facilities, which I was criticised for doing by the former shadow minister—and I must say it was something that had never been done before.

Ms Cook interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Hurtle Vale!

The Hon. R. SANDERSON: By going to residential care facilities—

Ms Cook interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hurtle Vale is called to order.

The Hon. R. SANDERSON: —where I can actually meet with the workers on the frontline who are working with our children, by working with the DCP officers and speaking to caseworkers and social workers, it has become evident to me that it is not always appropriate for children to have multiple workers. Some children need a one-on-one care situation and they are overwhelmed by multiple staff. It is not the be all and end all for all children. There are many models.

As I announced late last year in this house, this government is investing $600,000 into the Sanctuary model of therapeutic residential care, which is a new model that will be rolled out through all DCP residential care homes, which we believe will make a big difference in how children respond. We have also invested in MyPlace, and in fact I saw photos of 22 homes that have been upgraded based on what children want to make it a more homelike facility. They have the opportunity to choose paint colours and soft furnishings. There are some amazing new bedrooms, and lounge rooms, to make it a more homelike scenario for children so that they have better outcomes.

In fact, it's not how many staff you have; it's how good the staff are. We have a recruitment drive that is underway. We have recently recruited 41 new residential care staff, including 11 in Whyalla. We are continuing to improve outcomes for children in residential care.