Media release – Roger Jaensch, Minister for Human Services, 29 September 2020
Supporting our vulnerable young people
Protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of Tasmania’s vulnerable children and young people is an absolute priority for the Tasmanian Government.
The Many Colours One Direction (MC1D) program is a therapeutic residential placement program delivered by the Brahminy Foundation, in collaboration with the Australian Childhood Foundation.
The Australian Childhood Foundation provides both clinical oversight and on-ground support in the Northern Territory to apply an evidence-based, trauma-informed approach.
The program provides placements for Tasmanian young people who have very complex needs and where conventional care approaches are neither suitable or safe. Many of these children have experienced significant trauma in their lives and have a range of complex behavioural and emotional needs.
The Government takes the concerns of families very seriously and in 2017 the program was reviewed independently of Government, and again in December 2019 by Tasmania’s Child Advocate to ensure it is adequately meeting the needs of the young people who engage with it.
Both reviews concluded it provides a safe environment for young people and is an effective program to support those with exceptionally complex needs.
Department of Communities Tasmania staff also regularly visit young people placed at MC1D – as recently as this month – and work with the families of the young people engaged with the program.
However, in light of the concerns raised, I have asked my Department to look into those matters to ensure the program continues to operate as intended.
The Government has committed to engage and work with Aboriginal communities and organisations to scope an ‘on country’ residential program delivered in Tasmania by Aboriginal people, which may reduce the need to access placements in the future.
Anyone who has specific concerns for the welfare and safety of any Tasmanian children and young people should contact the Strong Families, Safe Kids Advice and Referral Line on 1800 000 123 so their concerns can be properly considered.
Media release – Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Leader and Children spokesperson, 29 September 2020
Gutwein Government Must Investigate Brahminy Program, Bring Tasmanian Kids Home
The Gutwein Government needs to explain why it’s sending vulnerable young Tasmanians to a controversial and isolated Northern Territory intervention program. Tasmania is the only state still funding the Brahminy program, at the cost of $5000 per child, per week.
Some of Tasmania’s most vulnerable young people have effectively been banished to the other side of the country, and legally they’re the responsibility of a lying minister and a man with a false background story. If we can’t do better by these kids, where do we stand as a State?
These are young people the Department has clearly put in the ‘too hard’ basket. Rather than deal with them in Tasmania, with the right clinical and therapeutic supports, they’re being banished to the Northern Territory – and placed in the care of someone who apparently has fabricated their background story.
This is on top of the fact that, from a statutory point of view, the person responsible for their wellbeing is Minister Jaensch, who is evidently more worried about saving his own political skin than the issues facing Tasmanians.
The Department must undertake an urgent investigation into how they could be placing vulnerable children in the care of an apparent fraudster, and bring all Tasmanian children still in the Brahminy program home.
We should have the right clinical and therapeutic supports in place for Tasmanian children in the out of home care system, so they’re close to their communities and close to their families. Instead, these children are put in the ‘too hard’ basket and banished to the Northern Territory.
It’s not good enough to have highly vulnerable, at risk kids sent to the Northern Territory – away from their families and support networks – and in the hands of an apparent fraudster. The onus is on government now to make sure every child in their care is safe and receiving proper care and support.
This is the latest in a long list of failings in care and protection of Tasmania’s most vulnerable children and young people, now being overseen by a Minister who has a problem telling the truth in Parliament. How can Tasmanians have faith in this government’s administration of the Children’s portfolio under Roger Jaensch?
