❓ Hon Sue Ellery asks the Minister for Community Services to expand the Carers Recognition Act to include the Department of Education. The Minister responds by highlighting existing initiatives supporting young carers in schools and ongoing discussions with relevant departments to potentially amend the Act.
AnsweredQoN 888Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CARERS RECOGNITION ACT
(1) Noting that it is Carers Week, will the minister commit to expand the scope of the Carers Recognition Act to include the Department of Education so as to formalise the requirements for schools to adopt a more comprehensive approach to support carers still at school? (2) If no to (1), why not, given that it was canvassed in a review of the act three years ago and remains a key objective for stakeholders? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY
(1) Noting that it is Carers Week, will the minister commit to expand the scope of the Carers Recognition Act to include the Department of Education so as to formalise the requirements for schools to adopt a more comprehensive approach to support carers still at school? (2) If no to (1), why not, given that it was canvassed in a review of the act three years ago and remains a key objective for stakeholders? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) I have been very proactive with young carers and putting a young carers’ package into schools. I think we have 42 schools signed up now for online access for children who are carers in their family, and they can get online with other child carers. We have gone into those schools very slowly to let teachers know that this is what they can do if a child is sleeping at their desk or if a child is irritable, so we are pushing on with that. We are speaking with the Department of Education and also with the Drug and Alcohol Office with a view to changing the act. As I said, I am being very proactive because I was surprised when the initial Carers Recognition Act came out that Education and Drug and Alcohol were not included. I know the reasons for that, but it is time that we included Education.
(2) If no to (1), why not, given that it was canvassed in a review of the act three years ago and remains a key objective for stakeholders? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) I have been very proactive with young carers and putting a young carers’ package into schools. I think we have 42 schools signed up now for online access for children who are carers in their family, and they can get online with other child carers. We have gone into those schools very slowly to let teachers know that this is what they can do if a child is sleeping at their desk or if a child is irritable, so we are pushing on with that. We are speaking with the Department of Education and also with the Drug and Alcohol Office with a view to changing the act. As I said, I am being very proactive because I was surprised when the initial Carers Recognition Act came out that Education and Drug and Alcohol were not included. I know the reasons for that, but it is time that we included Education.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) I have been very proactive with young carers and putting a young carers’ package into schools. I think we have 42 schools signed up now for online access for children who are carers in their family, and they can get online with other child carers. We have gone into those schools very slowly to let teachers know that this is what they can do if a child is sleeping at their desk or if a child is irritable, so we are pushing on with that. We are speaking with the Department of Education and also with the Drug and Alcohol Office with a view to changing the act. As I said, I am being very proactive because I was surprised when the initial Carers Recognition Act came out that Education and Drug and Alcohol were not included. I know the reasons for that, but it is time that we included Education.
I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) I have been very proactive with young carers and putting a young carers’ package into schools. I think we have 42 schools signed up now for online access for children who are carers in their family, and they can get online with other child carers. We have gone into those schools very slowly to let teachers know that this is what they can do if a child is sleeping at their desk or if a child is irritable, so we are pushing on with that. We are speaking with the Department of Education and also with the Drug and Alcohol Office with a view to changing the act. As I said, I am being very proactive because I was surprised when the initial Carers Recognition Act came out that Education and Drug and Alcohol were not included. I know the reasons for that, but it is time that we included Education.
(1)–(2) I have been very proactive with young carers and putting a young carers’ package into schools. I think we have 42 schools signed up now for online access for children who are carers in their family, and they can get online with other child carers. We have gone into those schools very slowly to let teachers know that this is what they can do if a child is sleeping at their desk or if a child is irritable, so we are pushing on with that. We are speaking with the Department of Education and also with the Drug and Alcohol Office with a view to changing the act. As I said, I am being very proactive because I was surprised when the initial Carers Recognition Act came out that Education and Drug and Alcohol were not included. I know the reasons for that, but it is time that we included Education.
(2) If no to (1), why not, given that it was canvassed in a review of the act three years ago and remains a key objective for stakeholders? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) I have been very proactive with young carers and putting a young carers’ package into schools. I think we have 42 schools signed up now for online access for children who are carers in their family, and they can get online with other child carers. We have gone into those schools very slowly to let teachers know that this is what they can do if a child is sleeping at their desk or if a child is irritable, so we are pushing on with that. We are speaking with the Department of Education and also with the Drug and Alcohol Office with a view to changing the act. As I said, I am being very proactive because I was surprised when the initial Carers Recognition Act came out that Education and Drug and Alcohol were not included. I know the reasons for that, but it is time that we included Education.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) I have been very proactive with young carers and putting a young carers’ package into schools. I think we have 42 schools signed up now for online access for children who are carers in their family, and they can get online with other child carers. We have gone into those schools very slowly to let teachers know that this is what they can do if a child is sleeping at their desk or if a child is irritable, so we are pushing on with that. We are speaking with the Department of Education and also with the Drug and Alcohol Office with a view to changing the act. As I said, I am being very proactive because I was surprised when the initial Carers Recognition Act came out that Education and Drug and Alcohol were not included. I know the reasons for that, but it is time that we included Education.
I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) I have been very proactive with young carers and putting a young carers’ package into schools. I think we have 42 schools signed up now for online access for children who are carers in their family, and they can get online with other child carers. We have gone into those schools very slowly to let teachers know that this is what they can do if a child is sleeping at their desk or if a child is irritable, so we are pushing on with that. We are speaking with the Department of Education and also with the Drug and Alcohol Office with a view to changing the act. As I said, I am being very proactive because I was surprised when the initial Carers Recognition Act came out that Education and Drug and Alcohol were not included. I know the reasons for that, but it is time that we included Education.
(1)–(2) I have been very proactive with young carers and putting a young carers’ package into schools. I think we have 42 schools signed up now for online access for children who are carers in their family, and they can get online with other child carers. We have gone into those schools very slowly to let teachers know that this is what they can do if a child is sleeping at their desk or if a child is irritable, so we are pushing on with that. We are speaking with the Department of Education and also with the Drug and Alcohol Office with a view to changing the act. As I said, I am being very proactive because I was surprised when the initial Carers Recognition Act came out that Education and Drug and Alcohol were not included. I know the reasons for that, but it is time that we included Education.
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