Family wellbeing services to grow jobs and help Indigenous children

Tenders open on Monday for wellbeing services to help better support and protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families.

Communities Minister Shannon Fentiman said the second stage of the state-wide rollout of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Wellbeing Services would mean new services in 15 locations throughout Queensland.

“We are investing almost $128 million over five years for the second stage of these crucial wellbeing services,” Ms Fentiman said.

“They will provide efficient and effective services to help reduce the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the child protection system.

“Community organisations will work with families in culturally appropriate ways to help them safely care for their children at home, wherever possible, with further support drawn from kin and their communities.”

More than 130 new jobs will be created in stage 2 — mostly for Indigenous workers —through these wellbeing services.

The 15 services will be established in locations across Queensland’s South East, South West, North Coast, Central, North and Far North.

“By March 2017, Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families will have access to a coordinated mix of support services across 19 locations,” Ms Fentiman said.

“The total funding of $150 million over 5 years will see the continued investment in services employing close to 135 mostly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers, in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-led services.

As part of the first stage, four centres in Roma, Mackay, South Burnett and Moreton Bay are expected to open in December.

By 2018, the 19 services will offer support to up to 6000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to help care for their children.

Tenders close on Friday October 21, 2016.

Tenders are available on the QTenders website https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/qtenders/index.do

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