Media release – Vica Bayley MP, Greens spokesperson, 8 December 2023
New Out of Home Care Figures Appalling, Demand Action
The Greens have extracted appalling new information from the Tasmanian Government showing that outcomes in out of home care continue to deteriorate, despite the distressing evidence heard by the Commission of Inquiry and the vulnerability of children in State Care.
Responses to our questions on notice during this week’s COI hearings show that Tasmania’s child safety workforce is shrinking, with 20 fewer positions filled now than a year ago.
All up there are now 45 vacant positions in child safety in Tasmania. In other words, one in five positions in this critically important agency is unfilled.
The responses we’ve received also highlight the severe impacts on children resulting from this terrible understaffing. To ensure their safety and wellbeing, it is essential there is regular oversight and monitoring of all children in care, and individualised plans to provide appropriate support. This is not happening in Tasmania today.
The information we’ve been provided shows that for children who are supposed to be checked on by a child safety officer on a weekly basis, this is occurring less than a quarter (23%) of the time. The figures for children who are supposed to be checked on every four weeks and every six weeks aren’t much better, with these visits occurring 33% and 32% of the time respectively.
Distressingly, the government was also unable to provide any information about the length of time between these child safety officer visits, so we have no way of knowing how long children are typically going without this important oversight. Similarly, no information could be given about a number of other important issues.
These shocking staffing issues are not just impacting the ability of child safety officers to check on children in care, they’re also preventing these vulnerable young people from being supported with up to date care plans – a crucial measure to ensure their safety and wellbeing. The figures provided by the government shows less than a third of children have current care plans in place.
The figures also show that 550 children in out of home care are being managed through the government’s heavily criticised ‘teams model’. With so many children in this unacceptable situation, it is particularly alarming the government couldn’t provide figures on how many staff are actually working in these ‘case management teams’ across the north and north west of the state.
Given the devastating evidence presented through the Commission of Inquiry, the government should be taking immediate action to make children in out of home care safe. Disturbingly though it seems any real change is still years away.
Response to Questions on Notice available here.
