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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-12-02 Daily Xml
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Safe and Well Kids Program

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:42): My question is to the Minister for Human Services regarding children of domestic violence survivors.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Ms Lee can start again, please.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: Thank you, Mr President. My question is to the Minister for Human Services regarding children of domestic violence survivors. Can the minister please outline to the council how the Marshall Liberal government is providing specialist support to help children of domestic violence survivors through the $1.5 million Safe and Well Kids program?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:42): I thank the honourable member for her question and for her interest in this area. We have indeed provided funding for the Safe and Well Kids program, which was established in recognition of the significant number of women presenting for DV support with accompanying children.

There has been a lot of discussion in coalescing the child protection and domestic and family violence services in ensuring that services are providing support to both cohorts, because often the drivers for damage to their lives is the same driver—that is, domestic and family violence. So there is ongoing discussion at many levels, both directly between service providers and also through the Women's Safety Ministers forums. Indeed, I note that there were significant items at the recent round tables organised by the commonwealth, so children are recognised as a key cohort in their own right.

With that in mind, we have developed specific services targeting children who are victims as well in recognition that 55 per cent of clients who received an individual safety support package, which is the individualised funding that we provided through the pandemic, had accompanying children, and both mothers and their children required integrated case management and therapeutic supports.

This particular service, Safe and Well Kids, is delivered by Women's Safety Services SA, the Legal Services Commission of South Australia and Relationships Australia (RASA). It delivers an integrated case management response to address the safety and wellbeing needs of children and adolescents who present with a carer or parent who requires DFV services. Children and adolescents aged nought to 14 will have access to streamlined assessment case management and therapeutic support. It also provides a legal practitioner to address any socio-legal issues associated with the needs of the child.

The outcomes we are aiming for are that mothers and carers and their children are supported to remain safely together in community and culture, children's needs are seen and prioritised, children and their parents are supported with domestic and family safety management responses, and children are assisted to overcome trauma and regulate emotions, as well as having access and support to legal advocacy. We are expecting that there will be up to 150 families who will be supported through this service.

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