Page 1138 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 2 April 2019
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The ACT ranks at or near the very bottom of several interrelated factors. We tie with the Northern Territory for the fewest young people who report being listened to by the care and protection system. We are second last when it comes to the number of young people who report participating in formal meetings that involve them. And our kids are dead last for reporting being listened to in such meetings when they are allowed to participate.
The ACT ranks last when it comes to kids in care reporting that they are able to do the same kinds of things as their peers who are not in care. We are second lowest when it comes to young people feeling they can get permission to engage in those kinds of normal activities. Young people in this government’s care and protection system were ranked last in the nation for how they feel about their health and reported the most difficulty in accessing doctors, dentists, and counsellors. They also reported the lowest satisfaction levels with preventative health services.
The territory’s children in care came in dead last in assessing their learning at school and they reported the second highest incidence of being bullied at school. Tragically, the ACT is the only jurisdiction in Australia where not a single survey respondent reported knowing about having a transition plan in place for when they exited the care and protection system. This is a very sad outcome, caused by this disgraceful government. Unsurprisingly, in light of all of the above, the ACT was ranked dead last by children and young people in care when it came to overall satisfaction.
In her statement the minister said this government’s out of home care strategy aims to improve outcomes for children and young people by providing more flexible, child-focused services. The strategy itself states that it will require changes in practice to ensure that the voice of the child or young person is clearly heard, but the voices of our kids in care are saying that they are not okay and they are not being listened to. It is the government’s responsibility to listen to these kids, and they are failing tremendously.
I conclude by quoting Associate Professor Tim Moore, Deputy Director and Head of Practice Solutions at the Australian Centre for Child Protection, who said:
After 20 years of advocacy, it is frustrating to hear from children and young people that many are still not given opportunities to have their say or for their concerns to be taken seriously and dealt with in the ways that they would like.
The territory’s kids in care have spoken. There is simply no excuse for this territory to be ranked dead last in the nation across so many areas of its child protection system. I urge this government to hear them and take action. Associate Professor Moore further said:
Without such action our systems fail to live up to the expectations of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and to ensure that children are at the heart of the services and systems that are there to support them.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
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