Tackling pressure on foster families

Growing demand on the child protection system is expected to be discussed when foster and kinship carers gather in Cairns this weekend for Queensland Foster and Kinship Care annual conference.

The conference provides an opportunity for 6000 carers statewide to come together, meet like-minded people, attend workshops, network and have fun.

Keynote speakers at the conference include Gregory Nicolau of Australian Childhood Trauma Group and Scott Dutton from Fighting Fair.

Minister for Children Leanne Linard will officially open the conference at the Pullman International Hotel on Saturday.

“We know that demand on the child protection system has increased in recent years,” she said.

“There are now … more than 10,000 children and young people living with foster and kinship carers”

Ms Linard acknowledged cost of living pressures are impacting on foster families.

In the past 10 years the total number of children admitted into out-of-home care, including residential care and foster care has increased from 8136 in 2011-12 to 9651 in 2020-21.

The state government has previously come under fire for a paltry $664.16 fortnightly carer payment per child older than 11.

Marginal increases in payments during the past 15 years have also been cited as one reason for the difficulty in attracting new foster carers.

Ms Linard said the Palaszczuk government increased carer payments by 7.9 per cent in January.

“I encourage any carers who need extra support or help, or who are having any issues at all, to reach out to their agency or child safety officer,” she said.

The conference is the first event of Foster and Kinship Carer Week.