Yesterday (16 December 2010), was a landmark as Commonwealth, State and Territory Community and Disability Services Ministers (CDSMC) endorsed the National Standards for Out-of-Home Care. This is a major accomplishment under the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020. The Standards are a first for Australia. They will provide a national benchmark for the care of children and young people who are unable to live with their parents, no matter which State or Territory they are in.
The Standards focus on the critical areas of providing children with access to health, education and training, as well as improved planning for children’s transition from care.
In a nutshell, the new National Standards provide, inter alia, for children and young people to:
- participate in decisions that have an impact on their lives
- have an individualised plan that details their health, education and other needs
- have their physical, developmental, psychosocial and mental health needs assessed and attended to in a timely way
- be able to access and participate in education and early childhood services to maximise their educational outcomes
- be supported to be engaged in appropriate education, training and/or employment
- be supported to safely and appropriately maintain connection with family, be they birth parents, siblings or other family members
- be supported to develop their identity, safely and appropriately, through contact with their families, friends, culture, spiritual sources and communities and have their life history recorded as they grow up
- be supported to safely and appropriately identify and stay in touch, with at least one other person who cares about their future, who they can turn to for support and advice; and
- have a transition from care plan commencing at 15 years old which details support to be provided after leaving care.
In addition, carers are assessed and receive relevant ongoing training, development and support, in order to provide quality care.
The Coalition of Organisations Committed to the Safety and Wellbeing of Australia’s Children played a decisive role, working with Governments over the past 12-18 months, to develop the new Standards.
Much now rides on how well the Standards are implemented and monitored so that we see better outcomes for children and young people in the out-of-home care system and the people who care for them.
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