❓ A parliamentary question regarding concerns raised by Department for Community Development staff about understaffing, unmanageable deadlines, system overload, and children being placed in hostels instead of foster care. The Minister defends the government's record and blames previous administration.
AnsweredQoN 679Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the crisis meeting attended by more than 300 Department for Community Development staff on Wednesday, 2 November, at which the following serious concerns were raised by staff: more team leaders are urgently required; DCD staff have unmanageable deadlines - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I repeat, the staff raised the following issues: more team leaders are urgently required; DCD staff have unmanageable deadlines; the system cannot cope any more; and kids are being placed in hostels instead of foster care. What has the minister been doing for the past five years? Ms S.M. McHALE
AnswerView source ↗
I have been righting the wrongs of the Court government in this area. The selective quoting of the member for Vasse shows his lack of knowledge about managing children in care. The fact that he would quote that children are sent to hostels rather than foster care shows an absolute lack of understanding about the needs of children in care. This government conducted the Gordon inquiry; it set up the homelessness task force; and some $140 million has been put into the budget of DCD over the past four years. The department’s budget over the past four years and the next four years will total about $308 million. We have focused on children in care, we have increased the foster care subsidies and we have increased funding for the cost of children in care. There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I repeat, the staff raised the following issues: more team leaders are urgently required; DCD staff have unmanageable deadlines; the system cannot cope any more; and kids are being placed in hostels instead of foster care. What has the minister been doing for the past five years? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I have been righting the wrongs of the Court government in this area. The selective quoting of the member for Vasse shows his lack of knowledge about managing children in care. The fact that he would quote that children are sent to hostels rather than foster care shows an absolute lack of understanding about the needs of children in care. This government conducted the Gordon inquiry; it set up the homelessness task force; and some $140 million has been put into the budget of DCD over the past four years. The department’s budget over the past four years and the next four years will total about $308 million. We have focused on children in care, we have increased the foster care subsidies and we have increased funding for the cost of children in care. There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I repeat, the staff raised the following issues: more team leaders are urgently required; DCD staff have unmanageable deadlines; the system cannot cope any more; and kids are being placed in hostels instead of foster care. What has the minister been doing for the past five years? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I have been righting the wrongs of the Court government in this area. The selective quoting of the member for Vasse shows his lack of knowledge about managing children in care. The fact that he would quote that children are sent to hostels rather than foster care shows an absolute lack of understanding about the needs of children in care. This government conducted the Gordon inquiry; it set up the homelessness task force; and some $140 million has been put into the budget of DCD over the past four years. The department’s budget over the past four years and the next four years will total about $308 million. We have focused on children in care, we have increased the foster care subsidies and we have increased funding for the cost of children in care. There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I repeat, the staff raised the following issues: more team leaders are urgently required; DCD staff have unmanageable deadlines; the system cannot cope any more; and kids are being placed in hostels instead of foster care. What has the minister been doing for the past five years? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I have been righting the wrongs of the Court government in this area. The selective quoting of the member for Vasse shows his lack of knowledge about managing children in care. The fact that he would quote that children are sent to hostels rather than foster care shows an absolute lack of understanding about the needs of children in care. This government conducted the Gordon inquiry; it set up the homelessness task force; and some $140 million has been put into the budget of DCD over the past four years. The department’s budget over the past four years and the next four years will total about $308 million. We have focused on children in care, we have increased the foster care subsidies and we have increased funding for the cost of children in care. There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I have been righting the wrongs of the Court government in this area. The selective quoting of the member for Vasse shows his lack of knowledge about managing children in care. The fact that he would quote that children are sent to hostels rather than foster care shows an absolute lack of understanding about the needs of children in care. This government conducted the Gordon inquiry; it set up the homelessness task force; and some $140 million has been put into the budget of DCD over the past four years. The department’s budget over the past four years and the next four years will total about $308 million. We have focused on children in care, we have increased the foster care subsidies and we have increased funding for the cost of children in care. There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
I have been righting the wrongs of the Court government in this area. The selective quoting of the member for Vasse shows his lack of knowledge about managing children in care. The fact that he would quote that children are sent to hostels rather than foster care shows an absolute lack of understanding about the needs of children in care. This government conducted the Gordon inquiry; it set up the homelessness task force; and some $140 million has been put into the budget of DCD over the past four years. The department’s budget over the past four years and the next four years will total about $308 million. We have focused on children in care, we have increased the foster care subsidies and we have increased funding for the cost of children in care. There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I repeat, the staff raised the following issues: more team leaders are urgently required; DCD staff have unmanageable deadlines; the system cannot cope any more; and kids are being placed in hostels instead of foster care. What has the minister been doing for the past five years? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I have been righting the wrongs of the Court government in this area. The selective quoting of the member for Vasse shows his lack of knowledge about managing children in care. The fact that he would quote that children are sent to hostels rather than foster care shows an absolute lack of understanding about the needs of children in care. This government conducted the Gordon inquiry; it set up the homelessness task force; and some $140 million has been put into the budget of DCD over the past four years. The department’s budget over the past four years and the next four years will total about $308 million. We have focused on children in care, we have increased the foster care subsidies and we have increased funding for the cost of children in care. There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I repeat, the staff raised the following issues: more team leaders are urgently required; DCD staff have unmanageable deadlines; the system cannot cope any more; and kids are being placed in hostels instead of foster care. What has the minister been doing for the past five years? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I have been righting the wrongs of the Court government in this area. The selective quoting of the member for Vasse shows his lack of knowledge about managing children in care. The fact that he would quote that children are sent to hostels rather than foster care shows an absolute lack of understanding about the needs of children in care. This government conducted the Gordon inquiry; it set up the homelessness task force; and some $140 million has been put into the budget of DCD over the past four years. The department’s budget over the past four years and the next four years will total about $308 million. We have focused on children in care, we have increased the foster care subsidies and we have increased funding for the cost of children in care. There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I repeat, the staff raised the following issues: more team leaders are urgently required; DCD staff have unmanageable deadlines; the system cannot cope any more; and kids are being placed in hostels instead of foster care. What has the minister been doing for the past five years? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I have been righting the wrongs of the Court government in this area. The selective quoting of the member for Vasse shows his lack of knowledge about managing children in care. The fact that he would quote that children are sent to hostels rather than foster care shows an absolute lack of understanding about the needs of children in care. This government conducted the Gordon inquiry; it set up the homelessness task force; and some $140 million has been put into the budget of DCD over the past four years. The department’s budget over the past four years and the next four years will total about $308 million. We have focused on children in care, we have increased the foster care subsidies and we have increased funding for the cost of children in care. There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I have been righting the wrongs of the Court government in this area. The selective quoting of the member for Vasse shows his lack of knowledge about managing children in care. The fact that he would quote that children are sent to hostels rather than foster care shows an absolute lack of understanding about the needs of children in care. This government conducted the Gordon inquiry; it set up the homelessness task force; and some $140 million has been put into the budget of DCD over the past four years. The department’s budget over the past four years and the next four years will total about $308 million. We have focused on children in care, we have increased the foster care subsidies and we have increased funding for the cost of children in care. There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
I have been righting the wrongs of the Court government in this area. The selective quoting of the member for Vasse shows his lack of knowledge about managing children in care. The fact that he would quote that children are sent to hostels rather than foster care shows an absolute lack of understanding about the needs of children in care. This government conducted the Gordon inquiry; it set up the homelessness task force; and some $140 million has been put into the budget of DCD over the past four years. The department’s budget over the past four years and the next four years will total about $308 million. We have focused on children in care, we have increased the foster care subsidies and we have increased funding for the cost of children in care. There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
There is much more to be done; I have said so in this house. The Department for Community Development is a demand-driven department. More children are coming into care because of the additional work we have done through the Gordon inquiry. More children are coming into care because of the strong legislative changes the government has made in relation to domestic violence that have focused attention on the area of domestic violence and created an increase in the number of children presenting with serious issues in their family homes. I acknowledge the pressures on the department. As I said, we had a very useful meeting last week. I explained the commitment of this government, and that was acknowledged. I am grateful to the staff of the Department for Community Development for acknowledging that this government - of course, it is a Labor government - is the first to significantly increase the resources of DCD. My task is to continue to represent the issues of that department. I gave the meeting last week an assurance that the issues raised would be seriously canvassed during the budget debate. That is exactly what this government will do.
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