Providing Permanency for Children in Out of Home Care Continues to be a focus for the NSW Government

Providing Permanency for Children in Out of Home Care Continues to be a focus for the NSW Government  

Adopt Change welcomes the NSW Government pledged of $9.4 million to continue the work of the Adoption Taskforce  

Australia, 18th June 2019: as part of NSW Budget announcement the Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services, Gareth Ward pledged  $9.4 million to continue the work of the Adoption Taskforce. 

 “NSW continues to lead the way when it comes to adoption and guardianship and the investment in this Budget will make sure we continue to deliver great outcomes,”  Mr Ward said.  

Adopt Change welcomes the Government’s commitment to providing a safe,  nurturing and permanent home for children across the state and its ongoing commitment to adoption and guardianship.  

CEO of Adopt Change, Renee Carter said, “We look forward to continuing to work with Government on key initiatives that work towards more children experiencing stability through permanent options. Every child has the right to grow up in a safe and stable home environment, and we will work tirelessly to ensure this becomes a  reality.”

The impact of impermanency on children who have experienced trauma is well documented, with children and young people experiencing outcomes such as homelessness, poor educational results and high interactions with the justice system.  

Over 35%* of children from out of home care system become homeless when leaving the care system at age 18. Adopt Change welcomes the State Government commitment to halve homelessness by 2025, with a $1 billion commitment to  assertive outreach and early intervention, as well as social and affordable housing programs.  

“With children in the out of home care system currently experiencing as many as 70 moves from home to home, or to residential placements, we welcome the commitment to early intervention programs that look at the core drivers behind homelessness. This may help to reduce the over representation of children from the out of home care system becoming homeless,” said Carter.

There were several other key budgetary measures that will work towards improving the lives of children and carers across the state; 

• Continuation of $220 million in outcomes contracts, supporting programs which enable at risk children to have safe and stable homes.
• $30 million to support the health and wellbeing of children with complex needs in out of home care
• Provide $16.8 million to support the delivery of child protection services through the continuation of funding for 45 Child Protection Helpline workers and for 66 case support workers.
• Partnering with Foodbank delivering $8 million in funding over the next four years to provide breakfast at an additional 500 schools across the state.
• $40 million injection to expand the popular Active Kids program to include two $100 vouchers per child from 1 July to further increase involvement in sport.

* McDowall, J. (2009). Report Card 2009: Transitioning from Care: Tracking Progress. Sydney: CREATE Foundation.

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For all media enquiries and interviews with Adopt Change CEO Renée Carter, please contact:  

Michelle Stacpoole
Communications Manager  
0414 398 114  
media@adoptchange.org.au  

Website: www.adoptchange.org.au  
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About Adopt Change  
Adopt Change believes every child has the right to grow up in a safe, nurturing and stable family home, and that all families need the appropriate supports for children to thrive.  

Adopt Change works to provide supports for children and families to thrive; raise awareness of the importance of meeting these rights for children; encourage reform and empower Australians to work towards all children having positive life outcomes. We support capacity building of families to ensure that vulnerable children are able to remain within their family of origin where possible. When that is not possible or safe, we advocate for other stable options. 

We recognise the impacts of impermanency and trauma and we work to support families through workshops and online resources; research; pre- and post-adoptive supports; trauma informed supports; information and community events; as well as working with governments, departments and the sector to address issues surrounding permanency for children.  

Adopt Change also operates the program My Forever Family NSW to recruit, train, support and advocate for foster carers, kinship carers, guardians and adoptive parents for children in out of home care.  

National Adoption Awareness Month (NAAM) in Australia is coordinated by Adopt Change to promote reform of adoption laws and practices to facilitate a community where a child’s right to permanency is prioritised. NAA was founded by Deborra-lee Furness in 2008. 

Adopt Change Programs 
My Forever Family 
My Forever Family supports children and young people by recruiting and training their carers, with the goal of improving experiences and outcomes for families. We are funded by the NSW Government and operated by Adopt Change, in collaboration with Professor Paul Chandler, Early Start (University of Wollongong) and Continuum Consulting.  

We are the first point of contact for potential carers and guardians, providing them with information about fostering, permanent care and adoption. Partnering with the Department of Family and Community Services, and with accredited foster care and adoption agencies throughout NSW, we work to ensure that there is a pool of quality carers available across the state.  

About Renée Carter  
Renée Carter is the CEO of Australian not-for-profit Adopt Change, which also operates the program My Forever Family NSW. She is a member of the Institute Advisory Group for the Independent Research Centre Institute of Open Adoption Studies (The University of Sydney); and Vice Chair of the Committee for Adoption and Permanent Care NSW.  

Renée has a strong background in communications and executive management, along with board level experience in the corporate and not-for-profit sectors and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD). Her experience includes three years as Chair of charity Child Abuse Prevention Service (CAPS), an organisation focused on early intervention, education and support of families and communities.  

Renée is passionate about influencing policy and practice to deliver timely and effective outcomes for children, by garnering community, sector and government support.