Victoria has joined other states and territories to demand the Turnbull Government do more to support home-based carers and improve the way they receive assistance.
Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos raised the need for better support for carers of children living in out-of-home care at a meeting of state, territory and Commonwealth ministers in Canberra today.
Victoria, Western Australia and the ACT are urging the Commonwealth to improve carers’ access to support payments and advice, and reduce red tape, which can be a barrier to quick and comprehensive support.
The submission to the Community Services Ministers’ meeting includes proposals to broaden the scope and resources of Centrelink’s Grandparent Advisory Line and review income eligibility for home-based carers seeking to access Family Tax Benefit payments.
The submission also calls for a review of Centrelink claim forms, to ensure that they are flexible enough for use by home-based carers as well as parents.
The Andrews Labor Government is also calling on the Commonwealth to enable organisations to provide greater support for professionalised models of foster care. Victoria recently commenced a new model for kinship care – to identify carers earlier, strengthen connections for Aboriginal children and deliver better, more flexible support.
The Labor Government provided $390.7 million in the Victorian Budget 2018/19 for more home-based care placements and better support for carers – including a new kinship care model.
The Labor Government is providing better practical support for home-based carers, with flexible payments for extraordinary expenses such as childcare, transport and medical needs.
Further investment is also being made in Carer KaFE, to deliver kinship and foster care training and education -- giving carers access to face-to-face training, online learning, accredited training opportunities and sponsorship for conference attendance.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos
“Every child deserves and needs a loving family – foster carers are the unsung heroes of our community, opening their hearts and homes to some of our most vulnerable children.”
“It’s time for the Commonwealth to commit to better support for home-based carers, improve access to advice and payments and reduce red tape.”
Quotes attributable to Western Australian Minister for Community Services Simone McGurk
“Foster carers are our lifelines; our most vulnerable children rely on them. Improving their access to advice and payments and reducing the red tape they all too often have to navigate through, is only fair.”
Quotes attributable to ACT Minister for Disability, Children and Youth Rachel Stephen-Smith
“Carers of children in out of home care are committed, hard working and sacrifice a lot to provide safe and loving home and there are some straight-forward things the Commonwealth can do to make life easier for them.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020