❓ Hon Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Child Protection about the number of children turned away from WA refuges and the government's plans to fund more refuges, particularly those accommodating larger families. The Minister provides data on turn-away rates and refuge vacancies, and outlines a project to improve the domestic violence service system.
AnsweredQoN 577Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CHILD
HOMELESSNESS
577. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Minister for Child Protection:
Last week was National Homeless Persons' Week, and a
snapshot earlier this year showed that 8 400 children in Western Australia are
homeless, with many of those children escaping family and domestic violence
situations.
(1) Is the
minister aware of how many children are turned away from Western Australian
refuges every night?
(2) Does the
government plan to fund any more women's refuges, particularly refuges
that take larger families?
HOMELESSNESS
577. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Minister for Child Protection:
Last week was National Homeless Persons' Week, and a
snapshot earlier this year showed that 8 400 children in Western Australia are
homeless, with many of those children escaping family and domestic violence
situations.
(1) Is the
minister aware of how many children are turned away from Western Australian
refuges every night?
(2) Does the
government plan to fund any more women's refuges, particularly refuges
that take larger families?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question.
(1) The latest
official turn-away rates from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
report titled ''People turned away from government-funded specialist
homelessness accommodation 2010‑11'', shows that on an average day
in Western Australia in 2010‑11 approximately 30 people requiring new,
immediate accommodation were turned away. Of these, 17 were adults and 13 were
accompanying children. On any given day, 13 out of 552 accompanying children—2.4
per cent—were unable to be accommodated.
On a daily basis I am provided
with the capacity available within domestic violence refuges and the
homelessness and youth accommodation services. For example, for the period
Friday, 17 August to Wednesday, 22 August the vacancies were: on Wednesday, 22 August,
for youth there were three in the metro and 11 in the country; for family and domestic
violence there were two in the metro and 35 in the country; and for adults
there was one in the metro and six in the country. On Tuesday, 21 August: for
youth there were five metro and 15 country vacancies; for family and domestic
violence there were two metro and 31 country vacancies; and for adults there
was one metro and six country vacancies. On Monday, 20 August: for youth there
were nine metro and 11 country vacancies; for family and domestic violence
there were two metro and 32 country vacancies; and for adults there was one
metro and six country vacancies. On Friday, 17 August: for youth there were six
metropolitan and 16 country vacancies; for family and domestic violence there
were three metro and 33 country vacancies; and for adults there were six metro
and eight country vacancies.
(2) The
Department for Child Protection, in partnership with the Women's
Council for Family and Domestic Violence Services (WA), is currently working on
a domestic violence service system project to develop a more integrated and
responsive service system that will cater better to larger families requiring
accommodation. The project will also consider additional refuges that may be
required in the future.
question.
(1) The latest
official turn-away rates from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
report titled ''People turned away from government-funded specialist
homelessness accommodation 2010‑11'', shows that on an average day
in Western Australia in 2010‑11 approximately 30 people requiring new,
immediate accommodation were turned away. Of these, 17 were adults and 13 were
accompanying children. On any given day, 13 out of 552 accompanying children—2.4
per cent—were unable to be accommodated.
On a daily basis I am provided
with the capacity available within domestic violence refuges and the
homelessness and youth accommodation services. For example, for the period
Friday, 17 August to Wednesday, 22 August the vacancies were: on Wednesday, 22 August,
for youth there were three in the metro and 11 in the country; for family and domestic
violence there were two in the metro and 35 in the country; and for adults
there was one in the metro and six in the country. On Tuesday, 21 August: for
youth there were five metro and 15 country vacancies; for family and domestic
violence there were two metro and 31 country vacancies; and for adults there
was one metro and six country vacancies. On Monday, 20 August: for youth there
were nine metro and 11 country vacancies; for family and domestic violence
there were two metro and 32 country vacancies; and for adults there was one
metro and six country vacancies. On Friday, 17 August: for youth there were six
metropolitan and 16 country vacancies; for family and domestic violence there
were three metro and 33 country vacancies; and for adults there were six metro
and eight country vacancies.
(2) The
Department for Child Protection, in partnership with the Women's
Council for Family and Domestic Violence Services (WA), is currently working on
a domestic violence service system project to develop a more integrated and
responsive service system that will cater better to larger families requiring
accommodation. The project will also consider additional refuges that may be
required in the future.
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