New child protection centre for Mount Isa and Gulf region officially opened
Published Thursday, 07 December, 2006 at 11:20 AM
Minister for Child Safety
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Child Safety Minister Desley Boyle today officially opened the new Mount Isa and Gulf child safety service centres, which will better protect children in the region.
“Child safety service centres are the bases for our frontline staff, our Child Safety Officers and their team leaders - who deal directly with children who have been or are at risk of being abused or neglected - along with court co-ordinators and support staff,” Ms Boyle said.
“When parents can’t - or won’t - keep their children safe, Child Safety Officers work in partnership with foster carers and the community to protect them.
“Their work is so important. After all, our children only get one chance at childhood,” she said.
Member for Mount Isa Betty Kiernan said the new office at Mount Isa House, Mary St, provided a dedicated space for the Mount Isa Child Safety Service Centre staff, who had been based with staff from the Department of Communities when the new Department of Child Safety was created in 2004.
“The office has been designed specifically for child protection work and includes a children’s play area, a dedicated foster carers’ room, family and meeting rooms, baby change facilities, off street parking and a new modern and secure reception area,” she said.
“It also provides space for the new Gulf Child Safety Services Centre, which was established in October,” Mrs Kiernan said.
Ms Boyle said: “In the past financial year the Mount Isa Child Safety Service Centre received 774 notifications of harm, or risk of harm, to children and young people in the Mount Isa and Gulf region.
“Of those notifications, there were 180 confirmed cases of harm or risk of harm.”
Presently, there are 185 children in care in the Mount Isa and Gulf region, including about 150 indigenous children. There are 55 foster carers.
“Our foster carers do a terrific job, but there is no doubt we need more of them, especially indigenous carers,” Ms Boyle said.
To become a foster carer, phone 1300 550 877.
Ms Boyle last week launched a new incentives package to attract more child protection staff to remote areas, including Mount Isa and the Gulf.
The incentives include:
• an annual bonus of $10,000 each year Child Safety Officers are based in those locations;
• an allocation of $3000 a year for each staff member will be provided to Child Safety Service Centres in the priority areas to enhance training and professional development opportunities for staff;
• rent assistance for the first three years and;
• the ability to transfer to a location of their choice after serving 18 months in a priority area.
The Mount Isa Child Safety Service Centre provides services to Mount Isa, Cloncurry, McKinley, Richmond, Boulia, Julie Creek, Camooweal and Dajarra, while the Gulf Child Safety Service Centre focuses on children in the Doomadgee, Normanton, Burketown and Mornington Island areas.
The new office is part of the new Department of Child Safety’s $30.385million plan to improve office accommodation for staff right across Queensland.
The new Department of Child Safety has 46 Child Safety Service Centres around the State.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 7477
“Child safety service centres are the bases for our frontline staff, our Child Safety Officers and their team leaders - who deal directly with children who have been or are at risk of being abused or neglected - along with court co-ordinators and support staff,” Ms Boyle said.
“When parents can’t - or won’t - keep their children safe, Child Safety Officers work in partnership with foster carers and the community to protect them.
“Their work is so important. After all, our children only get one chance at childhood,” she said.
Member for Mount Isa Betty Kiernan said the new office at Mount Isa House, Mary St, provided a dedicated space for the Mount Isa Child Safety Service Centre staff, who had been based with staff from the Department of Communities when the new Department of Child Safety was created in 2004.
“The office has been designed specifically for child protection work and includes a children’s play area, a dedicated foster carers’ room, family and meeting rooms, baby change facilities, off street parking and a new modern and secure reception area,” she said.
“It also provides space for the new Gulf Child Safety Services Centre, which was established in October,” Mrs Kiernan said.
Ms Boyle said: “In the past financial year the Mount Isa Child Safety Service Centre received 774 notifications of harm, or risk of harm, to children and young people in the Mount Isa and Gulf region.
“Of those notifications, there were 180 confirmed cases of harm or risk of harm.”
Presently, there are 185 children in care in the Mount Isa and Gulf region, including about 150 indigenous children. There are 55 foster carers.
“Our foster carers do a terrific job, but there is no doubt we need more of them, especially indigenous carers,” Ms Boyle said.
To become a foster carer, phone 1300 550 877.
Ms Boyle last week launched a new incentives package to attract more child protection staff to remote areas, including Mount Isa and the Gulf.
The incentives include:
• an annual bonus of $10,000 each year Child Safety Officers are based in those locations;
• an allocation of $3000 a year for each staff member will be provided to Child Safety Service Centres in the priority areas to enhance training and professional development opportunities for staff;
• rent assistance for the first three years and;
• the ability to transfer to a location of their choice after serving 18 months in a priority area.
The Mount Isa Child Safety Service Centre provides services to Mount Isa, Cloncurry, McKinley, Richmond, Boulia, Julie Creek, Camooweal and Dajarra, while the Gulf Child Safety Service Centre focuses on children in the Doomadgee, Normanton, Burketown and Mornington Island areas.
The new office is part of the new Department of Child Safety’s $30.385million plan to improve office accommodation for staff right across Queensland.
The new Department of Child Safety has 46 Child Safety Service Centres around the State.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 7477