House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-06-21 Daily Xml

Contents

Answers to Questions

Other Person Guardianship

176 Ms SANDERSON (Adelaide) (25 September 2015). In relation to the Other Person Guardian, can the minister outline plans, strategies and time frames for implementing the front-line expansion?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Higher Education and Skills): I have been advised:

The review of the current program is in progress. Extensive consultation has been undertaken with internal and external stakeholders to identify the main areas of improvement. Current Other Person Guardians were given the opportunity to provide feedback via a survey and their responses are being considered as part of the review process.

To promote the program, five information sessions were organised in early March for potential Other Person Guardians. An Other Person Guardianship information brochure has also been developed and made available for carers.

The development of new procedures and work instructions is in progress. Improvements in the process will include information about how carers can register their interest for OPG, time lines for each step in the process and ongoing communication with all parties involved.

Once the new model is implemented, information sessions about OPG will be periodically organised for carers and the potential for carers to apply for consideration for OPG will be part of each child's annual review.

Implementation of the revised model will be completed by the end of 2016.

Increases in OPG are expected while the new model is being development and implemented. In 2014-15, eleven (11) other person guardianship orders were granted. During the current financial year, fourteen (14) new other person guardianship orders have been granted to date.