❓ A parliamentary question regarding the capacity of the community services sector to handle increased out-of-home care for children, costs associated with care, and staff qualifications and conditions compared to the Department for Child Protection. The Minister's response provides data on the number of children cared for by each sector and overall average costs, but does not provide a breakdown of costs by sector.
AnsweredQoN 174Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CHILD
PROTECTION — OUT-OF-HOME CARE
174. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the
Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to page 14 of the ''Out-of-Home Care Strategic
Directions in Western Australia'' discussion paper and the heading
titled ''A developing community services sector''.
(1) What
analysis has been undertaken to determine that the community services sector
can cope with an increase in capacity, and will the minister table a copy of
any research undertaken?
(2) How many
children have been cared for by community sector organisations for each of the
past three years and how many have been cared for by the department during the
same period?
(3) What has been the average yearly
cost allocated to caring for a child by —
(a) community sector organisations for
each of the past three years; and
(b) the Department for Child
Protection and Family Support for each of the past three years?
(4) Are staff
employed by community sector organisations required to have the same
educational qualification levels and offered pay and conditions equal to those
of staff employed by the department?
PROTECTION — OUT-OF-HOME CARE
174. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the
Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to page 14 of the ''Out-of-Home Care Strategic
Directions in Western Australia'' discussion paper and the heading
titled ''A developing community services sector''.
(1) What
analysis has been undertaken to determine that the community services sector
can cope with an increase in capacity, and will the minister table a copy of
any research undertaken?
(2) How many
children have been cared for by community sector organisations for each of the
past three years and how many have been cared for by the department during the
same period?
(3) What has been the average yearly
cost allocated to caring for a child by —
(a) community sector organisations for
each of the past three years; and
(b) the Department for Child
Protection and Family Support for each of the past three years?
(4) Are staff
employed by community sector organisations required to have the same
educational qualification levels and offered pay and conditions equal to those
of staff employed by the department?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of the question.
(1) The
community services sector has been working collaboratively with the Department
for Child Protection and Family Support on the strategic directions for
out-of-home care in WA. The ''Out-of-Home Care Strategic Directions in
Western Australia'' discussion paper was developed with input from a
number of community services sector organisations, in addition to being
overseen by a steering group comprising senior departmental executives, the
Foster Care Association of Western Australia, Wanslea Family Services, the
Yorganop Association, Parkerville Children and Youth Care and MercyCare. The ''Out-of-Home
Care Strategic Directions in Western Australia'' discussion paper was
open for consultation between November 2014 and February 2015. There will be
ongoing discussion with the community services sector about the future
directions of out-of-home care in WA, including any changes in how the
department may work with the sector in the future. At this stage, there have
been no final determinations on changes to the strategic directions of
out-of-home care in WA.
(2) As at 30 June
2014, 681 children were cared for by community sector organisations and 3 556
were cared for by the department. As at 30 June 2013, 650 children were cared
for by community sector organisations and 3 322 were cared for by the
department. As at 30 June 2012, 560 children were cared for by community sector
organisations and 3 220 were cared for by the department.
(3) (a)–(b)
Due to the different placement types provided by the department and the
community sector, as well as the varying needs and complexity level of
individual children in care, the department does not allocate an average annual
cost of caring for a child by placement. The overall average annual cost of a
child in the chief executive officer's care was $70 415 in 2013–14,
$70 810 in 2012–13, and $68 620 in 2011–12.
(4) The
department contracts community sector organisations to achieve outcomes for
clients—for example, children and young people receive a safe, secure
and stable placement. The CSOs determine the appropriate educational
qualification level of staff to ensure that the service is able to achieve the
contracted outcomes. The CSOs determine the pay and conditions in line with the
appropriate industrial relations awards as per the duties and responsibilities
of the staff member.
(1) The
community services sector has been working collaboratively with the Department
for Child Protection and Family Support on the strategic directions for
out-of-home care in WA. The ''Out-of-Home Care Strategic Directions in
Western Australia'' discussion paper was developed with input from a
number of community services sector organisations, in addition to being
overseen by a steering group comprising senior departmental executives, the
Foster Care Association of Western Australia, Wanslea Family Services, the
Yorganop Association, Parkerville Children and Youth Care and MercyCare. The ''Out-of-Home
Care Strategic Directions in Western Australia'' discussion paper was
open for consultation between November 2014 and February 2015. There will be
ongoing discussion with the community services sector about the future
directions of out-of-home care in WA, including any changes in how the
department may work with the sector in the future. At this stage, there have
been no final determinations on changes to the strategic directions of
out-of-home care in WA.
(2) As at 30 June
2014, 681 children were cared for by community sector organisations and 3 556
were cared for by the department. As at 30 June 2013, 650 children were cared
for by community sector organisations and 3 322 were cared for by the
department. As at 30 June 2012, 560 children were cared for by community sector
organisations and 3 220 were cared for by the department.
(3) (a)–(b)
Due to the different placement types provided by the department and the
community sector, as well as the varying needs and complexity level of
individual children in care, the department does not allocate an average annual
cost of caring for a child by placement. The overall average annual cost of a
child in the chief executive officer's care was $70 415 in 2013–14,
$70 810 in 2012–13, and $68 620 in 2011–12.
(4) The
department contracts community sector organisations to achieve outcomes for
clients—for example, children and young people receive a safe, secure
and stable placement. The CSOs determine the appropriate educational
qualification level of staff to ensure that the service is able to achieve the
contracted outcomes. The CSOs determine the pay and conditions in line with the
appropriate industrial relations awards as per the duties and responsibilities
of the staff member.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.