April 23, 2015
South Burnett CTC has been funded to deliver a new program in the South Burnett to help support young people leaving the child protection system.
The State Government will provide $570,000 over four years for the Next Step After Care Services program which will provide 24-hour support for young people leaving out-of-home care.
“Signing a lease, preparing for a job interview or managing your money can be daunting for anyone when they turn 18, but many people have strong family or friendship networks to help them along the way,” Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman said today.
“I want young people leaving care to have similar support.”
Ms Fentiman said young people with first-hand experience of out-of-home care had provided ideas to help develop the Next Step program.
“The result is Queensland’s first targeted service, dedicated to supporting young people up to age 21 as they move out of care and on to establishing independent lives,” Ms Fentiman said.
The Next Step program will be delivered in other parts of Queensland by either Life Without Barriers, Integrated Family and Youth Services, or Youth Empowered Towards Independence.
The initiative also includes a 24/7 State-wide information and crisis support phone line (1800 NEXT STEP) and a mobile app (“sortli”) to keep young people connected.
About 500 young people leave out-of-home care every year in Queensland and there are a further 1500 who are under 21 who have already transitioned.
Ms Fentiman said improving after-care services for young people leaving the child protection system was an issue recognised in the Carmody Report On Child Protection and was an area which deserved bipartisan support.
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Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington welcomed today’s announcement.
Mrs Frecklington said the program was developed by the former LNP Government following recommendations made by the Queensland Child Protection Commission of Inquiry which showed young people were often unaware or not involved in the planning for their transition to adulthood.
“When our government was elected in 2012, Queensland was the only State not providing dedicated support for young people after leaving out-of-home care,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“We worked closely with the CREATE Foundation and young people to plan and design a new model of aftercare support, and in the 2014-15 Budget we announced several million to implement the Transition from Care program.
“It is good to see that Labor have acknowledged this was an important initiative and will now implement it across Queensland, including funding for the South Burnett.
“Our region desperately needs this support, and I’d like to congratulate South Burnett CTC on being chosen to deliver these services locally.”
One of the programs being used as part of this initiative is the ‘sortli’ app (“sort out your life”) .
“I know that our local South Burnett Child Safety Department was heavily involved in the development of this app and I’m so glad it will be an important part of this transition from care program,” Mrs Frecklington said.
