Children at risk as carers quit jobs

MORE than 1500 carers quit last financial year, putting further strain on the struggling child safety system.

Child Safety Department performance statistics released yesterday show 1509 carers left the system, a jump of more than 15 per cent on the previous year when 1300 carers left.

Opposition child safety spokeswoman Ros Bates said the high loss of carers put extra strain on the system.

“I have met with hundreds of carers and they all say the same thing,” she said.

“The reason they are leaving is the way they are treated by the department. It’s a failure of (Child Safety Minister) Shannon Fentiman and her director-general.

“They are paid the big bucks to keep these children safe and it’s just not happening.”

Almost offsetting the fall, 1470 carers entered the system, while 9406 children were living in residential or foster care.

The statistics also showed almost two-thirds of investigations did not start within recommended time frames.

However, Ms Fentiman said progress had been made to ensure the most urgent cases were started immediately.

“For the fourth consecutive quarter we are seeing more of our most urgent cases within the target time frame, with 91 per cent seen within 24 hours, up from 89 per cent last year,” she said. “We have restored frontline child safety services ... and we are making massive progress with our $200 million commitment to increase the child safety workforce.

“Our amazing child safety staff are out there saving lives every day and we are backing them with the tools and support they need to get the job done,” Ms Fentiman said.

But Ms Bates said the statistics showed the extra resources put into the system by the State Government had not achieved any improvements.