The Crisafulli Government has moved to fulfill a key election commitment to reform what it describes as a broken child safety system by launching the Professional Foster Care pilot today.
The pilot program is just one of the ways the Crisafulli Government is delivering action on Labor’s broken child safety system, which during their decade of decline, spiraled out of control with no viable plan for residential care.
The $27 million pilot program will see foster carers paid to care for some of the State’s most vulnerable children, a key election commitment made under the Safer Children, Safer Communities plan.
The Crisafulli Government’s Safer Children, Safer Communities plan is protecting Queensland’s most vulnerable children and repairing the broken system that is putting communities at risk, with further reforms including:
The development of a SecureCare facility,
- The rolling out of a dual-carer model in residential care facilities,
- Delivering a $1,500 boost for extracurricular activities for kids in foster and kinship care,
- The conversion of residential care providers from IPS to OSD arrangements
- Increasing child safety officer numbers by 20 per cent.
Professional foster carers will be sought to care for children with neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD and FASD), intellectual, sensory and psychosocial disabilities.
They will also care for children with complex needs, including trauma-related behaviours, self-harm, aggression and difficulties regulating emotions.
Minister for Child Safety Amanda Camm said the professional foster carer program was critical in protecting some of Queensland’s most vulnerable children.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive in a safe, supportive and loving environment, and that’s what this initiative will deliver for children with high needs,” Minister Camm said.
“During a decade of decline the former Labor Government failed children in their care, without a plan for the State’s most vulnerable kids and an ever-growing residential care system.
