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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-03-18 Daily Xml
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Children in Out-of-Home Care

Ms SANDERSON (Adelaide) (15:01): Yes, a supplementary: given the minister's answer, in which she mentions that, sadly, residential care and emergency care are used, and given the recent Productivity Commission report that shows that only 86.5 per cent of children in out-of-home care are in home-based care, which is 7 per cent lower than the national average and the worst of all states and territories, can the minister outline what she is doing to improve this figure?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for the Public Sector) (15:02): Certainly, although I would correct. I don't think I said 'Sadly, they are in residential care.' Sadly, it is necessary for them, in many cases, to be in that situation. Yes, as I alluded to, all too often we have found that residential care, and even emergency care, is necessary and we are over the average.

With so little time left in question time, it might be something you and I discuss more in detail in a bipartisan way, but I think that we need to operate with the NGOs to increase the number of foster care places that are available, but they need to be high-quality foster care places. We need to be assured that they are safe. We need to be assured that they are nurturing.

We know that, often for residential care, the reason that they are there is that there might be some particularly challenging behavioural issues or needs, the trauma that may be experienced by those children that makes their behaviour difficult to manage in a family setting and/or being in large sibling groups. There is a reluctance to separate sibling groups too much.

So, it's not a simple matter, it's not a magic wand, but I do take it very seriously. Pam Simmons has given some recommendations on that. I have met with her, and we are working together on ways in which we can advance that. I am happy to continue a discussion outside of this chamber with you on that.

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