On Friday, 5th April, a group of young people were centrestage throughout the Queensland Youth Housing Coalition’s Platform 1225 Forum as they focused their conversations on social inclusion and human rights for young people. On Tuesday, 9th April, another group of young people gave their perspectives on recent research into the views of children and young people in out of home care in Australia as panellists at the Queensland briefing of the CREATE Foundation’s national survey report. Across both groups of young people one key message was central in their feedback: young people don’t feel heard and often when they do speak out, they don’t feel that what they say is paid attention to. Nor do they feel that speaking out makes any difference.
Across both groups of young people one key message was central in their feedback: young people don’t feel heard and often when they do speak out, they don’t feel that what they say is paid attention to. Nor do they feel that speaking out makes any difference.
Through the CREATE Foundation’s survey findings it was noted that young people aren’t attending the meetings where they could speak out, most of all because they don’t feel heard and also because they don’t feel that what they say will be taken on board. Young people at Platform 1225 spoke to their experiences of social exclusion and the impact that being excluded from family, education, training and other opportunities, especially whilst being homeless had on any aspirations for their future, in particular, finishing their education and finding work. One young person spoke of how difficult it was to find work with limited education, whilst living in a youth shelter and having no work experience. It was also noted that often these opportunities come from “who you know and not what you know” and as such, it is difficult to find an inroad when you don’t know anyone who will give you that first opportunity to have a go. They noted often family friends do that and when you’re estranged from your family, those other relationships such as family friends are fractured also.
Young people also spoke of doing training or certificates because they couldn’t find work. Whilst for one young person that led to significant angst and then an accidental journey to University; other young people they felt they were doing certificate after certificate and couldn’t find work in any area with the ‘right’ certificate. They stated it would be much more powerful if the employers would either train on the job or if the job and the certificate went hand in hand – otherwise “doing certificate after certificate and not finding work was soul destroying”. “There has been quite a divide in the last few decades – my mother had on the job training to get the qualifications we now have to do prior to getting a job. Employers would train their staff for what is needed. A Tafe qualification may not fit the job I get – employers should invest in their employees – then reap rewards for their investments. They should invest time and money and then they’d get loyalty from staff.”
Young people spoke to the abject difficulty they faced in their hope and dreams for secure housing. Having short term or transitional placements that were meant to be home but were only home for a short period of time led to constant stress about how long they could stay where they were, what would happen next and where they would go. “Everything is transitional. That’s stressful.” Young people need safe housing and they need to be supported through heir trauma and difficulties so that they can stay in their homes. They also need longevity in their tenures: “Once you get into the housing and you’re there for 3 months you start panicking about where you’re going to go next. A lot of us who are homelessness but moving all the time because of 12 months transitions is difficult.”
Another young person spoke of trying to figure out the system and when you could speak and when you needed to stay quiet to make sure you could stay where you were: “It seemed so easy to get kicked out, even if you didn’t know why.”
Another young person noted that they were in residential care from the age of 16 and their transition from care process had started. “I was pretty passionate about my transition out of care – I wanted out. However, the complexities of the lists for Department of Housing accommodation seemed endless. It seemed that being accepted into the Department of Housing was never going to happen. In the meantime, homelessness shelters were the only option and they broke down.”
When asked what they would say to their younger selves, the young people responding stated that they would have learned to speak up more. “I let things happen and didn’t realise I had any control over my own life”.
“Young people do have some control; Human rights are important and we do have control and access to resources available. There are not enough resources to teach kids that this shouldn’t be happening.”
“Don’t overthink it – I ‘ve overanalysed everything. So many steps with over analysis. I would say – just calm – focus on your rights and mental health more. I was really depressed. Horrible self-confidence issues and I didn’t think these problems were going to solve themselves. More ways to see a Psychologist are needed.”
“Be persistent would definitely be my advice.”
“I came from a history of family abuse and I’ve ended up in residential care. Without support and trust you can’t grow and develop” Some of the young people spoke of coming from families where domestic violene ended heir capaicity to stay at home. They then spoke of the stigma of being out of home and living in youth shelters, couch surfing or being on the streets. One young person said: “Without stable and affordable housing people who have come from the system can end up back in it. Then those who have moved on with their lives could end up back in the system and even lose their degree and end up with a HECS debt if they need to drop out or withdraw from study. Accommodation and stability are essential whilst studying.
Another young person spoke of barriers faced by LGBTIQ young people. This conversation included the complexities of identity and belonging to various communities that may be inclusive or exclusive. Another stated: “We shouldn’t change for society – society should change for us. We should not change the LGBTIQ community but change the community we live in.”
Young people spoke to the lack of access they had to school, especially given that they moved around from place to place regularly. “I didn’t attend school much cos I was moved around a lot – having tutors later in life would have helped –we need more support around attending school.”
Young people also spoke of the low expectations of children who were marginalised. “I wanted to go to University but the job centre wanted me to work in a factory.” Young people noted that there are so many stereotypes and much stigma about being a young person without a family to live with when looking or work or a career.
Young people also noted the additional complexity of culture and being a young person of culture in a system that doesn’t see their culture or work to accommodate their needs relevant to culture.
Navigating this system was near impossible according to the young people speaking. IF they had a worker to assist, that helped, but many noted that the system was hard for their workers to figure out so there was little opportunity for young people to understand it.
In 2018, CREATE conducted the largest ever independent survey of children and young people with a care experience, surveying 1275 children and young people with a care experience about their experiences in the out-of-home care system. The results were compiled into the report, Out-of-Home Care in Australia: Children and Young People’s Views After 5 Years of National Standards.
When reflecting on the findings of the CREATE Foundation’s national survey, many positives were noted. Of particular note were the number of young people who felt safe and secure in their placements, with many young people noting contact with a significant family member as well as having a significant adult in their lives. Of concern were the issues of planning for young people in care. Young people didn’t appear to know about the plans that are in place. Only 44% knew about a case plan and had been involved in the process. Of particular concern was the figure that only 17% of young people knew they had a cultural support plan. Furthermore, young people aren’t given much of a say in terms of where they live.
Several young people spoke to their impressions of the research, most noting they’d been in out of home care for a significant period of their lives.
When asked what surprised them most about the report, young people noted that there were not as many children and young people who responded to the survey as they expected given the large numbers of children and young people in care. The diference beween the CREATE results and government results were also noted to be a surprise. The number of children and young people who felt safe and secure in placement and aware of the charger of rights was a surprise to another.
Another young person noted that it was good to have a bit of a record and point to something and that it was good to see foster carers and young people being heard at a national level.
“The way data was displayed offered a good visual representation. It highlights the ways the department has improved and avenues for further improvement.”
Young people were disheartened by the fact that there was very little said about children from a different cultural background. “Overall this is an area that needs much more work. Numbers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) kids involved are low.”
“Over 80% of clients didn’t have a cultural support plan. My foster mum tracked down my Indigenous family” said one young person. Another said “We can lose sight that connection and identity and culture are interconnected and important for mental health issues that can be created by lack of connection. Cultural identity and knowing where you’re from is a big part of who you are.”
The high number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in care was noted with one young person saying “I haven’t seen the department work with families. There is so much going on. They can see families as a lost cause and take the kids. There’s intergenerational trauma. Role modelling is needed. There needs to be a focus on relationships with parents. We can’t just remove a child from home and say you’ll be better. Being removed from your family is the worst feeling.”
“Child Protection did a lot to connect me to where I was born but didn’t do a lot to ask me where or how I identify. They had a cultural plan but it wasn’t my cultural plan. My culture is not what you think my culture is but what I say it is.”
The need to really listen was further stressed. The system is really confusing. Much more support is needed for case workers so there can be more focus on the person and less on paperwork.
“The percentage of children and young people separated from siblings was 36% and almost half never saw their fathers. 31% were removed from placement when they didn’t want to leave.”
“Young people really need to have a say in where they live” said another young person. Placement stability needs to include stability of Child Safety Officers (CSOs) and Community Visitors (CVs). Another young person spoke of kids in placement coming and going and how hard it was to build relationships with children in your own home when they would come and go so quickly.
Transition from care was highlighted by young people as an area that needs more work. In particular, having a safe place to live when turning 18.
The importance of communication and a willingness to treat everyone with respect was highlighted. “If young people say what they want and they are old enough to articulate, listen. Be transparent, communicate and listen”
Read the full CREATE report or find out more information about Platform 1225.