Needed reforms go slow for kids in care

SYSTEMATIC reform is needed to improve the lives and health of children in outof-home care, the Commissioner for Children and Young People says.

Commissioner Leanne McLean has released her first report on the state’s out-ofhome care system, making five recommendations for improvement.

Three of those echo calls made more than two years ago by her predecessor but still not enacted by the Government.

There are currently more than 1300 children in out-ofhome care in Tasmania and the number is increasing every year.

Ms McLean said there was a need for children to be listened to and for a better system to ensure safe and high quality care.

She also recommended better collection of data so carers knew more about the children they were looking after and more culturally sensitive treatment of Aboriginal children in care.

“We need to make sure that children and young people in out-of-home care can have a say about their care, and about what’s happening in their lives.

“We also need to make sure … that everyone involved in the care of children and young people is doing a good job.

“We need to make sure we know enough about the children and young people in outof-home care and what they need in order to have a good life.”

Labor’s child safety spokesman Josh Willie said despite many good service providers, foster carers and people in the sector, problems continued.

“We know that Will Hodgman and his government have a terrible track record when it comes to child safety,” Mr Willie said.

“The Government has confirmed it is still sending young people off to boot camp in the Northern Territory.

“We know that in 2016, the Government paid $800,000 to send only three children to the facility. This should concern every Tasmanian.

“Several submissions to the report say that there are serious barriers for children to get access to health services in the system, including mental health, in a timely manner.

“Many young people don’t have case plans, or they’re out of date, and the sharing of information between the Government and providers is inadequate.”

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said the Liberals were four years into a reform process yet it was clear little had changed since the last report.