Carers call for foster focus in Greens policy

(Creative commons image by Ulrica)

In 2011 there were over 700 children on care and protection orders in the ACT, according to the Australian Institute of Health & Welfare.

The ACT Greens have released a $2.76 million policy [PDF] in an attempt to fix flaws in the foster care system, including $360,000 over four years to train 400 teachers in dealing with trauma-related behaviour.

Next ACT spoke to two foster carers and two foster agency workers to find out what the people who experience foster care first-hand think of the initiative.

“As long as the funding is distributed in the appropriate areas [where it] is needed, yes that definitely needs to happen,” said foster worker Danielle MacMahon. “Change needs to happen, and change isn’t going to happen unless there’s funding so it’s a ‘Catch-22’.”

“I think teachers are doing a fantastic job in trying to understand,” said Kylie Yager, who is a case worker at foster agency Barnardos. “And the teachers that I’ve worked with have been very open in regards to … learning more about the needs of children.”

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