Published Wednesday, 20 June, 2007 at 01:00 PM
Minister for Child Safety
The Honourable Desley Boyle
New Labrador centre boosts child protection on the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast’s newest Child Safety Service Centre at Labrador will help to keep local children safe, Child Safety Minister Desley Boyle says.
Ms Boyle officially opened the new centre today with Member for Broadwater Peta-Kaye Croft and Member for Southport Peter Lawlor, whose electorates are covered by the Labrador centre.
“Child Safety centres are the bases for our frontline staff, who work with children who have been abused and neglected,” Ms Boyle said.
“Last year on the Gold Coast, there were 1005 substantiated notifications of harm, or risk of harm to children and young people.”
Ms Boyle said that on the Gold Coast, children often came into care because at least one of their parents had a problem with drugs or alcohol or both.
“Another concern on the coast is that people from southern states are lured here by the sun, surf and sand without really thinking it through.
“They arrive with barely any money, no job lined up, no other family members for support and no idea of the cost of living and soon find themselves flat broke, sleeping in their cars with their kids suffering neglect,” Ms Boyle said.
Ms Croft said the new centre was great news for the Gold Coast.
“It will be much more convenient for children, their families and foster carers from Hope Island to Broadbeach to have Child Safety staff based at Labrador looking after them,” she said
Ms Croft said Labrador staff had previously been sharing space at the Mermaid Beach office.
“The Labrador office is in-between the Mermaid Beach centre and the new Child Safety centre being built at Nerang. It’s easy for parents and carers to access as it’s on a bus route and is close to shops and other support services,” Ms Croft said.
Mr Lawlor said the State Government had spent about $900,000 on the fit out of the Labrador centre, which is located in an existing building at 118 Brisbane Rd.
“This new centre has been designed to make children feel comfortable, with their own special play area. There’s a dedicated room for foster and kinship carers to meet among themselves, as well as general meeting rooms, off-street parking and a modern, secure reception area,” Mr Lawlor said.
“There’s no doubt Child Safety staff have a difficult job to do and I’m pleased this new centre gives them a bigger and better working area. There are 45 staff at the Labrador centre now, and it can accommodate 53, so there’s room for growth,” he said.
Member for Mudgeeraba Dianne Reilly said the opening of the Labrador office was also great for Mermaid Beach staff.
“Staff at the Mermaid Beach office no longer have to share their meeting rooms and can spread out now that the Labrador staff have their own space,” Mrs Reilly said.
“Some work will also be done to reconfigure the Mermaid Beach office and to improve security,” she said.
Ms Boyle said the works were part of a $30 million plan to improve Child Safety offices across Queensland as part of the Beattie Government’s huge investment into child protection since the new, stand-alone department was created in 2004.
She said the State Government was also funding new services on the Gold Coast to work with Child Safety to protect children.
“Earlier this year, the Abused Child Trust started working with families with babies or young children to help keep them out of the child protection system,” Ms Boyle said.
“Child Safety staff identify the families that need help with issues such as stress management, family violence and conflict, relationships, trauma, family break-ups, school problems or social problems,” she said.
“The Evolve program is also operating on the Gold Coast, bringing together all the relevant agencies to help children with complex or extreme needs, including mental health, behavioural support and educational services,” Ms Boyle said.
New service centres will open later this year at Woodridge, Caloundra and Nerang. Other centres which have been officially opened this year include Ipswich, Edmonton, Beaudesert, Atherton and Redcliffe.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 7477
20 June 2007
Ms Boyle officially opened the new centre today with Member for Broadwater Peta-Kaye Croft and Member for Southport Peter Lawlor, whose electorates are covered by the Labrador centre.
“Child Safety centres are the bases for our frontline staff, who work with children who have been abused and neglected,” Ms Boyle said.
“Last year on the Gold Coast, there were 1005 substantiated notifications of harm, or risk of harm to children and young people.”
Ms Boyle said that on the Gold Coast, children often came into care because at least one of their parents had a problem with drugs or alcohol or both.
“Another concern on the coast is that people from southern states are lured here by the sun, surf and sand without really thinking it through.
“They arrive with barely any money, no job lined up, no other family members for support and no idea of the cost of living and soon find themselves flat broke, sleeping in their cars with their kids suffering neglect,” Ms Boyle said.
Ms Croft said the new centre was great news for the Gold Coast.
“It will be much more convenient for children, their families and foster carers from Hope Island to Broadbeach to have Child Safety staff based at Labrador looking after them,” she said
Ms Croft said Labrador staff had previously been sharing space at the Mermaid Beach office.
“The Labrador office is in-between the Mermaid Beach centre and the new Child Safety centre being built at Nerang. It’s easy for parents and carers to access as it’s on a bus route and is close to shops and other support services,” Ms Croft said.
Mr Lawlor said the State Government had spent about $900,000 on the fit out of the Labrador centre, which is located in an existing building at 118 Brisbane Rd.
“This new centre has been designed to make children feel comfortable, with their own special play area. There’s a dedicated room for foster and kinship carers to meet among themselves, as well as general meeting rooms, off-street parking and a modern, secure reception area,” Mr Lawlor said.
“There’s no doubt Child Safety staff have a difficult job to do and I’m pleased this new centre gives them a bigger and better working area. There are 45 staff at the Labrador centre now, and it can accommodate 53, so there’s room for growth,” he said.
Member for Mudgeeraba Dianne Reilly said the opening of the Labrador office was also great for Mermaid Beach staff.
“Staff at the Mermaid Beach office no longer have to share their meeting rooms and can spread out now that the Labrador staff have their own space,” Mrs Reilly said.
“Some work will also be done to reconfigure the Mermaid Beach office and to improve security,” she said.
Ms Boyle said the works were part of a $30 million plan to improve Child Safety offices across Queensland as part of the Beattie Government’s huge investment into child protection since the new, stand-alone department was created in 2004.
She said the State Government was also funding new services on the Gold Coast to work with Child Safety to protect children.
“Earlier this year, the Abused Child Trust started working with families with babies or young children to help keep them out of the child protection system,” Ms Boyle said.
“Child Safety staff identify the families that need help with issues such as stress management, family violence and conflict, relationships, trauma, family break-ups, school problems or social problems,” she said.
“The Evolve program is also operating on the Gold Coast, bringing together all the relevant agencies to help children with complex or extreme needs, including mental health, behavioural support and educational services,” Ms Boyle said.
New service centres will open later this year at Woodridge, Caloundra and Nerang. Other centres which have been officially opened this year include Ipswich, Edmonton, Beaudesert, Atherton and Redcliffe.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 7477
20 June 2007