$45 Million Boost to Protect Tasmanian Children
May 25th, 2017
Jacquie Petrusma, Minister for Human Services
Supporting the needs of our most vulnerable children and young people will always be a core priority for the Hodgman Liberal Government.
With the Budget now back in balance we are investing an extra $45 million over the next four years for Child Safety Services.
This includes an additional $27.5 million to better support families and children at risk, and to ensure the Out of Home Care (OOHC) system provides the best possible care.
This investment in Out of Home Care will ensure that when children and young people come into care their individual needs are met and supported with appropriate and tailored therapeutic supports.
A component of this additional funding will also be utilised to enable the implementation of all recommendations in the Commissioner for Children and Young People’s Children and Young People in Out of Home Care in Tasmania Report.
Funding will also be provided to the Commissioner’s office to assist with independent external oversight and monitoring of the OOHC system.
The additional investment in Out of Home Care in this years Budget, comes on top of the $20.6 million announced last year to deliver a whole of Government coordinated redesign of Tasmania’s Child Safety Services.
An additional $6.3 million is also being invested in a significant replacement of the Children and Youth Services’ ICT system, which will reduce and minimise unnecessary administrative burdens on staff giving them more time to focus on children in need.
This builds on initiatives outlined in Strong Families, Safe Kids, the whole of Government refocus of child safety services and on stronger recruitment processes that have increased and strengthened the workforce.
As well, through Strong Families, Safe Kids, a further 19 funded frontline positions will be employed in the next year.
Ensuring adequate care is provided to vulnerable children is important and that is why the Hodgman Government will continue to invest in their future.