Published Friday, 18 May, 2007 at 01:00 PM
Minister for Child Safety
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Cairns community celebrates new child protection centre
Cairns South children will be better protected with the opening of the Edmonton Child Safety Service Centre.
Child Safety Minister Desley Boyle, who is also the Member for Cairns, officially opened the new $2.8 million centre at Ravizzia Drive today.
“This new centre will be terrific for staff, bringing them closer to the children they protect, from Woree to Fishery Falls and out to Yarrabah,” Ms Boyle said.
“The Edmonton centre has been purpose-built and it gives staff more space to meet with foster carers, community agencies and government partners,” Ms Boyle said.
“It includes a children’s playroom, a meeting room for foster carers, family meeting rooms, off-street parking and a modern and secure reception area. It is also on a bus route.”
The Edmonton Child Safety Service Centre previously shared space with Cairns staff in Lake St.
Ms Boyle praised Child Safety staff for the tough job they do, working directly with children who have been harmed or are at risk.
She said that in the past financial year, the Cairns and Edmonton Child Safety Service Centres combined recorded 1474 notifications of harm, or risk of harm, to children and young people.
“Of those notifications, there were 647 confirmed cases of harm or risk of harm,” she said.
“Edmonton staff have been doing good work, linking children and families with new services that have been rolled out recently in Cairns.
“Some children who come into care have disabilities or, because of the abuse they have suffered, may have complex behavioural problems.
“We’ve got the new Evolve Service up and running in Cairns, which brings in experts from Queensland Health, Disability Services Queensland and Education Queensland to make sure children with extreme disabilities and complex needs get the help that they need.”
Ms Boyle said Edmonton staff were also referring at-risk children and their families to the new Referral for Active Intervention program, which gives parents practical support to relieve stress, family conflict and anxiety to prevent child abuse and neglect.
That program is funded by the Department of Communities and run by the Abused Child Trust at Earlville.
Ms Boyle thanked local staff, foster carers, community agencies and government partners for working together to improve child protection.
“There is no doubt that children who have been abused or neglected have had a tough time and it’s not always easy to help them recover from that. It takes love, care and a load of patience - but it is worth it. After all, our children only get one chance at childhood.”
Ms Boyle said the new Edmonton centre employs 26 staff. It was built by Renard Developments for $1.95 million and will be leased to the Department of Child Safety, which also paid for the $853,000 fit-out.
It is part of the new Department of Child Safety’s $30.385million plan to improve office accommodation right across Queensland.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 7477
18 May 2007
Child Safety Minister Desley Boyle, who is also the Member for Cairns, officially opened the new $2.8 million centre at Ravizzia Drive today.
“This new centre will be terrific for staff, bringing them closer to the children they protect, from Woree to Fishery Falls and out to Yarrabah,” Ms Boyle said.
“The Edmonton centre has been purpose-built and it gives staff more space to meet with foster carers, community agencies and government partners,” Ms Boyle said.
“It includes a children’s playroom, a meeting room for foster carers, family meeting rooms, off-street parking and a modern and secure reception area. It is also on a bus route.”
The Edmonton Child Safety Service Centre previously shared space with Cairns staff in Lake St.
Ms Boyle praised Child Safety staff for the tough job they do, working directly with children who have been harmed or are at risk.
She said that in the past financial year, the Cairns and Edmonton Child Safety Service Centres combined recorded 1474 notifications of harm, or risk of harm, to children and young people.
“Of those notifications, there were 647 confirmed cases of harm or risk of harm,” she said.
“Edmonton staff have been doing good work, linking children and families with new services that have been rolled out recently in Cairns.
“Some children who come into care have disabilities or, because of the abuse they have suffered, may have complex behavioural problems.
“We’ve got the new Evolve Service up and running in Cairns, which brings in experts from Queensland Health, Disability Services Queensland and Education Queensland to make sure children with extreme disabilities and complex needs get the help that they need.”
Ms Boyle said Edmonton staff were also referring at-risk children and their families to the new Referral for Active Intervention program, which gives parents practical support to relieve stress, family conflict and anxiety to prevent child abuse and neglect.
That program is funded by the Department of Communities and run by the Abused Child Trust at Earlville.
Ms Boyle thanked local staff, foster carers, community agencies and government partners for working together to improve child protection.
“There is no doubt that children who have been abused or neglected have had a tough time and it’s not always easy to help them recover from that. It takes love, care and a load of patience - but it is worth it. After all, our children only get one chance at childhood.”
Ms Boyle said the new Edmonton centre employs 26 staff. It was built by Renard Developments for $1.95 million and will be leased to the Department of Child Safety, which also paid for the $853,000 fit-out.
It is part of the new Department of Child Safety’s $30.385million plan to improve office accommodation right across Queensland.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 7477
18 May 2007