❓ Hon Nick Goiran questions the Minister for Child Protection regarding carer households without placements, focusing on cultural background, breaks, reasons for non-placement, and reassessment policies. The Minister's response provides limited data and outlines general procedures.
AnsweredQoN 528Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Communities—Home care services
528. Hon Nick Goiran to
the minister representing the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the
minister's correction on 26 June 2025 to his answers to questions without notice
373 and 419, in which it was revealed that the number of carer households that
did not have a placement was 1,240, with the longest amount of time without a
placement being more than 10 years.
(1) How many of these carers without a placement
have been marked as awaiting a child of defined cultural background?
(2) How many of these carers are on a
self-requested break between placements?
(3) Are there any other reasons why a carer
household would not currently have a placement?
(4) If carers have not had placements for a
lengthy time, are there policies in place that would trigger a reassessment to
ensure continued suitability for placement?
528. Hon Nick Goiran to
the minister representing the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the
minister's correction on 26 June 2025 to his answers to questions without notice
373 and 419, in which it was revealed that the number of carer households that
did not have a placement was 1,240, with the longest amount of time without a
placement being more than 10 years.
(1) How many of these carers without a placement
have been marked as awaiting a child of defined cultural background?
(2) How many of these carers are on a
self-requested break between placements?
(3) Are there any other reasons why a carer
household would not currently have a placement?
(4) If carers have not had placements for a
lengthy time, are there policies in place that would trigger a reassessment to
ensure continued suitability for placement?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following response has
been provided by the Minister for Child Protection.
The Department of
Communities advises as follows.
(1)–(4) Community carers is a new care
arrangement type that was launched in Foster and Family Carers Week. This
cohort of carers are from a specific culturally and linguistically diverse or Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander background and provide care arrangements for
children from the same or similar cultural backgrounds.
Information on self-requested
breaks is not captured in a reportable format in the child protection information
system and is contained within individual case files.
Not all carer households will
have children placed for a range of reasons, including approved carer
households that provide short break and emergency care or carer households that
may be in between care arrangements.
If a carer has not had a child
in their care for more than 12 months, they are required to undergo a
reassessment before a child may be placed with them.
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following response has
been provided by the Minister for Child Protection.
The Department of
Communities advises as follows.
(1)–(4) Community carers is a new care
arrangement type that was launched in Foster and Family Carers Week. This
cohort of carers are from a specific culturally and linguistically diverse or Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander background and provide care arrangements for
children from the same or similar cultural backgrounds.
Information on self-requested
breaks is not captured in a reportable format in the child protection information
system and is contained within individual case files.
Not all carer households will
have children placed for a range of reasons, including approved carer
households that provide short break and emergency care or carer households that
may be in between care arrangements.
If a carer has not had a child
in their care for more than 12 months, they are required to undergo a
reassessment before a child may be placed with them.
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