❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding the eligibility of non-permanent residents/citizens to be foster carers and travel overseas with foster children. The government confirms eligibility for certain New Zealand citizens but doesn't readily have data on the number of non-citizen foster carers.
AnsweredQoN 3003Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to a Koori Mail article on 20 May 2020, entitled “Foster Carers blocked from taking kids OS”, which references a case in NSW where carers, who were not Australian residents, wanted to take their foster children with them to England, and I ask: (a) is it possible in Western Australia for foster carers to not be permanent residents or citizens; (b) if yes to (a), in which circumstances is this possible and why; (c) further to (b), would such carers be permitted to travel overseas with their foster children; and (d) currently, how many Western Australia foster carers are not citizens or permanent residents?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
8 September 2020
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Child Protection
Response time
9 days
(a) Yes.
(b) Given the importance of stability and continuity of care for children in the care of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Department of Communities, in addition to Australian citizens and permanent residents of Australia, New Zealand citizen holders of a Special Category Visa - subclass 444 are also eligible to apply to be a foster carer.
Temporary visa holders will not be considered for foster care.
(c) Yes.
Considerations to approving overseas travel include:
(d) The information requested is not readily available from the Department of Communities’ (Communities) child protection information system. As this information is held on individual case files, it would impose a significant administration burden on Communities to source this data.
(b) Given the importance of stability and continuity of care for children in the care of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Department of Communities, in addition to Australian citizens and permanent residents of Australia, New Zealand citizen holders of a Special Category Visa - subclass 444 are also eligible to apply to be a foster carer.
Temporary visa holders will not be considered for foster care.
(c) Yes.
Considerations to approving overseas travel include:
(d) The information requested is not readily available from the Department of Communities’ (Communities) child protection information system. As this information is held on individual case files, it would impose a significant administration burden on Communities to source this data.
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