Therapeutic Residential Placement Program
In October 2020, the Department of Communities Tasmania, Children, Youth and Families undertook an Investigative Review in response to allegations for the safety and wellbeing of young people participating in the Many Colours 1 Direction Therapeutic Residential Placement Program.
The Investigative Review made four recommendations. One of the recommendations was that the former Minister for Human Services (now Minister for Children and Youth) establish an Expert Panel.
In January 2021, the Expert Panel was established and comprises of individuals who have extensive experience working with children, young people and their families. Collectively, the Panel has expertise in key areas relating to child and adolescent development, psychology research, child rights, out of home care statutory service provision, education, trauma and abuse. An Independent Chair was appointed to support the Expert Panel.
For more information, please refer to the Expert Panel’s Terms of Reference for appointments of Panel members and the Independent Chair.
On 27 July 2021, the Expert Panel provided their Final Report to the Minister for Children and Youth. The report outlines four recommendations to the Tasmanian Government. For more information, please refer to the Expert Panel’s Final Report.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The aim of this report is to provide advice and recommendations to the Minister for Children and Youth on the essential therapeutic elements required to improve the service system response for Tasmanian children and young people with highly complex needs accessing therapeutic residential care at the Many Colours One Direction program (MC1D) in the Northern Territory. In October 2020, the Department of Communities Tasmania, Children, Youth and Families undertook an Investigative Review in response to allegations questioning the safety and wellbeing of young people participating in the MC1D Therapeutic Residential Placement Program.
The Investigative Review made four recommendations, which were all accepted by the former Minister for Human Services, the Hon Roger Jaensch MP. This report constitutes the advice of an Expert Panel (the Panel), as detailed in Recommendation 4 of the Investigative Review. It should be noted that a State election and subsequent change to ministerial portfolios occurred during the Panel’s work. This report is therefore provided to the Minister for Children
and Youth, the Hon Sarah Courtney MP.
The Panel considered various documents and publications on Tasmania’s Out of Home Care (OoHC) system, including publications, information from the Child Safety Service, a cross-jurisdictional analysis, as well as information generously provided by children and young people with a care experience and staff within the Child Safety Service. Several Panel members also provided their extensive knowledge of the MC1D program.
The Panel centred its work within the public health approach to child safety and wellbeing and has made recommendations relating to the full spectrum of services supporting vulnerable children and young people in Tasmania, from prevention and early intervention, through to placement options within the OoHC system.
Recommendations have been designed to sit alongside other key reforms being progressed in Tasmania, including the Strong Families Safe Kids: Next Steps Action Plan 2021-2023 and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service reforms. The Panel has also taken account of the Premier’s Economic and Social Recovery Advisory Council’s (PESRAC) recommendations relating to the COVID-19 pandemic response in formulating these recommendations.
The Panel makes four key recommendations:
• Recommendation 1: Develop a whole-of-government approach to promote and drive systemic change;
• Recommendation 2: Develop the Tasmanian Out of Home Care system to improve its efficacy and increase and enhance placement options for children and young people;
• Recommendation 3: Transition away from the utilisation of MC1D and commit to robust, inclusive and collaborative decision making in relation to interstate residential placements of young people throughout the transition; and
• Recommendation 4: Adopt a whole-of-government focus on implementation and investment
Read the full report here.
Media release – Sarah Courtney, Minister for Children and Youth, 28 July 2021
Expert Panel report and recommendations
The Tasmanian Liberal Government’s number one priority is to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of our most vulnerable children and young people.
Today, I am releasing the advice and recommendations from the Expert Panel examining an improved system response for Tasmanian children and young people with highly complex needs.
In October 2020, the Department of Communities Tasmania undertook an Investigative Review into the safety and wellbeing of young people participating in the Many Colours 1 Direction (MC1D) Therapeutic Residential Placement Program.
The review recommended that the Department of Communities Tasmania progress work on a potential Tasmanian-based program, informed by an Expert Panel with specialist skills and experience in related fields.
I would like to thank the Expert Panel, chaired by the Commissioner for Children and Young People Leanne McLean, for its careful and detailed work.
This report represents a significant step forward in our commitment to establish programs for young people with exceptional needs here in Tasmania.
The Government has accepted in principle all recommendations made in the report, including transitioning away from the use of MC1D, which the panel acknowledges may take some time.
The Panel also acknowledges that MC1D has many strengths in education, healthy lifestyle, pro-social activities, engagement, individualised assessment, care arrangement and geographic barriers and that these should be incorporated in new programs.
The Panel’s recommendations are designed to complement the significant reforms underway in Tasmania and sit alongside the Strong Families Safe Kids Child Safety reforms and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service reforms.
The recommendations also support our ongoing commitment to work closely with Aboriginal Communities to see better outcomes and more opportunities for Tasmanian Aboriginal children, young people and their families.
The Panel has identified three areas of focus for the immediate $500,000 funding made available by the Government including:
*Adopting a therapeutic model of family-based care;
*Procuring the delivery of new programs that incorporate positive elements of MC1D and other essential evidence based principles; and
*Establishing a cross-sectoral oversight group to monitor implementation of recommendations.
I received the report yesterday and will now progress discussions with my Cabinet colleagues regarding implementation of the recommendations.
I will also ask my Department to assess the report and recommendations to provide me with detailed advice, including on the next steps to develop local placement options in Tasmania.
The report can be found at https://communities.tas.gov.au/children/oohc/therapeutic-residential-placement-program
Sarah Lovell MLC, Shadow Child Safety Minister, 28 July 2021
Courtney needs to do more than receive a report – she needs to act immediately
Immediate action – not more procrastination – is needed to implement the important recommendations of a report into Tasmanian children involved in the Many Colours 1 Direction program in the Northern Territory.
Shadow Child Safety Minister Sarah Lovell said the Liberal Government should be making the removal of the children from the program an urgent priority after receiving the report of the expert panel today.
“It’s not enough for the Minister for Children Sarah Courtney to say she’s received the report and will now discuss it with her Cabinet colleagues,” Ms Lovell said.
“It’s not enough for Sarah Courtney to be – yet again – attempting to tell Tasmanians that the health and safety of Tasmanian children is her and the government’s number one priority, given what we understand about child protection system under the Liberal Government.
“Up to 80 per cent of investigations by child protection take a month to even begin and the vast majority of investigations take three months to complete – the worst rates in the country – because the Gutwein Government has failed to adequately resource the system over several years.
“The findings of the expert panel are welcome, including that Tasmania should be moving away from the Many Colours program, but it’s incredibly disappointing that today Ms Courtney has said she will do nothing more than seek further advice from her department.
“It’s a mystery what more evidence Ms Courtney requires before she takes action.
“The fact is Ms Courtney has had several months to take action.
“That action is required immediately.”
Media release – Out Bush On Country, 29 July 2021
OutBush OnCountry is ready to go
OutBush OnCountry (OBOC) congratulates the expert panel on delivering the report to the government regarding a Tasmanian alternative to MC1D.
OBOC supports all four recommendations of the report, and is excited by the opportunity of working collaboratively with the community including Tasmanian Aboriginal Community, and government in delivering a Tasmanian based program as soon as possible.
Since October 2020 OBOC has been at the centre of a community collaboration to develop a model that provides essential support services to vulnerable young Tasmanian and their families.
The OBOC Advisory Panel is composed of over 45 individuals and organisations across all sectors, working to build an effective therapeutic solution that supports youth at risk. The proposed OBOC model meets all the recommendations of the expert panel.
OBOC urges the Tasmanian Government to come on board with the work we have already done and commit financial resources to ensure we give our at risk young people an opportunity to thrive. We know t hat getting young people out bush, and breaking the cycles of social dysfunction creates lasting change for young people.
When programs integrate, family, culture, training and education, young people can get back on their feet, and contribute meaningfully again. OBOC recognises the urgent need for a service that provides hope and support for our vulnerable young people. We are calling for swift action in prioritising funding for the roll out of this model.
