Real carers really needed: Call for foster and kinship carers in Weipa

Wanted: Caring, compassionate people able to provide homes, love and support to vulnerable Weipa children.

The Bligh Government is urgently seeking more foster families to care for vulnerable children and young people who are unable to live at home because of abuse or neglect.

Speaking in Weipa, Child Safety Minister Margaret Keech said the call for carers was part of Queensland’s most extensive foster and kinship carer recruitment campaign.

“It’s a sad fact that there are about 40 children and young people in Weipa and surrounds who are unable to live with their families because one or both of their parents abuse or neglect them,” she said.

“However, we need more loving foster and kinship carers who can provide these young people with safe and loving homes.

“To date we have received about 180 calls from people in Far North Queensland who are interested in becoming foster carers.

“My hope is that the community will continue to rally in support of the region’s vulnerable children and young people, with many more people calling us in the coming months.

“Any amount of time a person can devote to being a foster carer will make a difference in a child’s life – whether it’s a few hours a week, a few days a month or providing full-time care.”

Mrs Keech was visiting Weipa to officially open the Bligh Government’s Weipa Shared Service Delivery Hub at 2 Commercial Avenue.

The Government has invested $730,000 in establishing the Weipa hub, which houses staff from the departments of Child Safety, Communities, Employment and Industrial Relations, Natural Resources and Water, and Corrective Services.

Tomorrow Mrs Keech will also visit Napranum, where the Government is establishing a safe house for Indigenous children.

“The Bligh Government has allocated $1.7 million in capital and $780,000 a year to establish and run a safe house in the town for Indigenous children and young people,” Mrs Keech said.

“The safe house will allow vulnerable children to remain in their community while any child protection issues are being addressed, rather than being transported to centres such as Weipa or Cairns.

“The house will be able to accommodate four to six children and will be staffed with live-in local workers, who will care for children and provide intensive support and practical advice to families.

“The initiative is about keeping children safe while ensuring they are able to maintain all-important contact with their kin, culture and community.”

Mrs Keech said the Department of Child Safety had developed a master design brief for the safe house and was currently assessing potential sites.

The funding is part of the Bligh Government’s commitment of $9.5 million in capital funding and $5 million in recurrent funding to establish and operate safe houses in Napranum, Pormpuraaw, Kowanyama, Aurukun, Doomadgee, Yarrabah and Palm Island.

In the recent 2008-09 Budget, the government announced a further $14.6 million over four years to roll out additional safe houses in eastern Cape York Peninsula, the Torres Strait, northern Cape York Peninsula and Mornington Island.

For more information on becoming a foster or kinship carer, phone the Department of Child Safety on 1300 550 877 or visit www.childsafety.qld.gov.au.

ENDS

Media contact: Jo Crompton 3224 7081