Published Sunday, 20 May, 2007 at 05:00 AM
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Minister for Child Safety
The Honourable Desley Boyle
BUDGET TO GIVE CHILDREN ‘ONE CHANCE AT CHILDHOOD’
The upcoming budget will include a $12 million initiative, called One Chance at Childhood, which will employ specialist staff to boost the protection of babies and toddlers in the child protection system, Premier Peter Beattie said today.
Mr Beattie said the aim was to try to ensure that all children got a stable start in life as early as possible.
“Recent scientific research has identified that chronic neglect and abuse over the early years of childhood can have permanent and debilitating long term physical and emotional effects.
(For an extreme example see the attached brain scans of two three-year-old children – one normal, the other severely neglected)
“Since the formation of the Child Safety Department, the priority has been the safety of the children.
“The message to neglectful parents must be absolutely clear.
“The government will give you intensive help but if you don’t get your act together then your children will get their chance at a happy, stable home in permanent home elsewhere.
“Too many kids wait in a kind of limbo, as the system waits for their parents to get their act together.
“We want to avoid situations where children “drift” from foster care to their parents and back to foster care.
“This funding will be for a new program that will focus on intensive family assistance for parents where young children have had to be removed,” Mr Beattie said.
The targeted program will work by funding specialist staff to intervene at three critical stages:
• When babies and toddlers enter the child protection system;
• When babies and toddlers are reunified with their parents; and
• When reunification fails and alternative homes must be found for babies and toddlers
Child Safety Minister Desley Boyle said that early childhood officers would provide specialist support on in cases involving the most vulnerable babies and toddlers.
“They will make sure parents are linked in to the right support from other government departments and non government agencies.
“And they will also advise on expectant mothers who have come to our attention because there are risks to the health of the unborn baby.
“Specialist reunification officers will focus on parents in situations where we have had to remove the baby or toddler.
“These parents will receive intensive assistance. They will be clearly told what measures must be in place before their child can be returned. This will only happen after careful assessment and planning.
“If however despite best efforts a child cannot be safely returned home then specialist permanent placement officers will step in.
“In those situations these officers will secure a permanent home for the children including long term guardianship orders or adoption.
“Nonetheless we will tread very carefully as these are important decisions.
“The aim is to put the needs of the children first and to give babies and toddlers some stability in their young lives. After all they only get one chance at childhood,” Ms Boyle said.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Mark Symons – Minister’s Office – 0419 025 326
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Possible consequences of child abuse and neglect:*
• Impaired brain development (the brain becomes “wired” to experience the world as hostile and uncaring)
• Poor physical health (weight, height and motor development fall below age-appropriate ranges)
• Poor mental and emotional health (including low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicide attempts)
• Social difficulties (mistrustful of others and less ready to learn from adults; difficulties understanding the emotions of others, regulating their own emotions, and forming relationships with peers)
• Behavioural consequences (juvenile delinquency and adult criminality, alcohol and drug abuse, abusive behaviour including abusing their own children)
*”Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect”, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Mr Beattie said the aim was to try to ensure that all children got a stable start in life as early as possible.
“Recent scientific research has identified that chronic neglect and abuse over the early years of childhood can have permanent and debilitating long term physical and emotional effects.
(For an extreme example see the attached brain scans of two three-year-old children – one normal, the other severely neglected)
“Since the formation of the Child Safety Department, the priority has been the safety of the children.
“The message to neglectful parents must be absolutely clear.
“The government will give you intensive help but if you don’t get your act together then your children will get their chance at a happy, stable home in permanent home elsewhere.
“Too many kids wait in a kind of limbo, as the system waits for their parents to get their act together.
“We want to avoid situations where children “drift” from foster care to their parents and back to foster care.
“This funding will be for a new program that will focus on intensive family assistance for parents where young children have had to be removed,” Mr Beattie said.
The targeted program will work by funding specialist staff to intervene at three critical stages:
• When babies and toddlers enter the child protection system;
• When babies and toddlers are reunified with their parents; and
• When reunification fails and alternative homes must be found for babies and toddlers
Child Safety Minister Desley Boyle said that early childhood officers would provide specialist support on in cases involving the most vulnerable babies and toddlers.
“They will make sure parents are linked in to the right support from other government departments and non government agencies.
“And they will also advise on expectant mothers who have come to our attention because there are risks to the health of the unborn baby.
“Specialist reunification officers will focus on parents in situations where we have had to remove the baby or toddler.
“These parents will receive intensive assistance. They will be clearly told what measures must be in place before their child can be returned. This will only happen after careful assessment and planning.
“If however despite best efforts a child cannot be safely returned home then specialist permanent placement officers will step in.
“In those situations these officers will secure a permanent home for the children including long term guardianship orders or adoption.
“Nonetheless we will tread very carefully as these are important decisions.
“The aim is to put the needs of the children first and to give babies and toddlers some stability in their young lives. After all they only get one chance at childhood,” Ms Boyle said.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Mark Symons – Minister’s Office – 0419 025 326
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Possible consequences of child abuse and neglect:*
• Impaired brain development (the brain becomes “wired” to experience the world as hostile and uncaring)
• Poor physical health (weight, height and motor development fall below age-appropriate ranges)
• Poor mental and emotional health (including low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicide attempts)
• Social difficulties (mistrustful of others and less ready to learn from adults; difficulties understanding the emotions of others, regulating their own emotions, and forming relationships with peers)
• Behavioural consequences (juvenile delinquency and adult criminality, alcohol and drug abuse, abusive behaviour including abusing their own children)
*”Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect”, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services