Palaszczuk Government restoring frontline services for child safety
Published Saturday, 24 September, 2016 at 03:39 PM
Minister for Communities, Women and Youth, Minister for Child Safety and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence
The Honourable Shannon Fentiman
The Palaszczuk Government is restoring frontline services to help keep Queensland children safe.
Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman said 47 additional frontline and frontline support staff will be in place by the end of the year.
“This is in addition to 166 more staff on the frontline than there were two years ago,” Ms Fentiman said.
“We have created 230 jobs in the non-government sector and will create an additional 400 over the next two years to give families across Queensland grassroots support.
“This is complex work and that is why as Minister I have devoted additional resources and frontline staff.
“The protection of children in Queensland should be above politics.
“It’s extremely disappointing the LNP continue to play politics when we are devoting more resources to the department and restoring frontline services.”
Ms Fentiman said the Palaszczuk Government is spending a record more than $1 billion for family and child services this financial year, $140 million more than the previous LNP Budget.
She said Queensland is investing more than ever before in early intervention services, with the support of community sector partners.
“We know providing better support for families earlier is a key factor in preventing children from coming into contact with the child safety system,” Ms Fentiman said.
“This month I announced $74 million for Intensive Family Support, which will provide families with in-home, practical and hands-on support to help families care for their kids safely at home.
“This is on top of an extra $60 million being invested in Indigenous wellbeing services.”
Ms Fentiman paid tribute to the ongoing work of Queensland’s more than 5000 foster and kinship carers, who every day open their hearts and homes to children in need.
“I want to also pay tribute to our community visitors, who in the last financial year made more than 28,000 visits to children who are in care across Queensland,” she said.
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