On 23rd July, Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman announced a new $3 million trial (over two years) to facilitate the expansion of family-based care options suitable for children with very complex needs for whom this option is assessed as preferable to residential care. “What this means is that we will continue to build the skills of carers to better enable them to support children and young people who have suffered a trauma, who have a disability or need specialised behavioural support, and to care for large sibling groups,” Ms Fentiman said.
The Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services advises that the trial will initially be conducted in the department’s South West Region and is intended to deliver suitable care arrangements for seven children at any time. The ‘specialist carers’ who are recruited to be involved in the trial will receive an additional allowance to enable them to remain at home to deliver the therapeutic interventions directly with the child or young person in their care, with support and guidance from a ‘specialist team’ employed by the agency auspiced and funded to deliver the program.
Similar to a trial announced in Victoria in October, the Queensland trial will be based on the Treatment Foster Care Oregon model In addition to the trial, the department has advised of its plans to establish a new ‘Standing Offer Arrangement’ to expand family-based care options as an alternative to residential care. Read this Fact Sheet for more information. Inquiries may be directed to the department’s Out of Home Care Reform Initiative team by email.