Concern over the rise in Victorian kids needing foster care

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Welfare advocates fear children are becoming the silent victims of Australia's domestic violence crisis with a rise in children needing foster care. It comes after the ABC revealed Victoria is grappling with a drop in the number of foster carers, prompting an urgent call for help.

Transcript

00:00For the kids who sleep here, this is much more than a bedroom.

00:06It's safety.

00:07They just kind of relax.

00:10Jenna Davey-Burns signed up as a foster carer after working at an Aboriginal women's legal

00:15service.

00:16I saw our senior lawyer was really distressed and I asked what had happened and she said

00:20that over Christmas a number of our clients had had their children removed.

00:24And she said it wasn't their fault, they were experiencing family violence.

00:27Since 2016, Jenners welcomed dozens of children into her home, some for 18 months, others

00:33for one weekend, balancing her day job as Mayor of Kingston with respite care.

00:39You carve out the time that you have.

00:41But there aren't enough homes like Jenners.

00:43The number of active carers in Victoria has dropped 5.2% over the past five years, while

00:49the number of kids needing care went up by 7% in the latest reporting.

00:54We're seeing more children removed from home due to violence and abuse.

01:00In many cases, children are currently left to deal with the impacts of that violence

01:04alone.

01:05We know that there aren't enough resources put towards helping children recover.

01:10The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing told the ABC the state government has invested

01:15more than $70 million in this year's budget to ensure immediate support and provide emergency

01:21housing for victim survivors so they can stay with their children.

01:25But research shows that's not possible for a growing number of Victorian kids.

01:31We really need to come together to support them.

01:33Foster accreditation is open to anyone 21 and over, including singles, same-sex couples

01:39and renters.

01:40Despite its challenges, Jenners says caring enriches her life.

01:44While they're running up and down the beach, squealing with joy, those are the kind of

01:48things that make me feel like there's hope.

01:52Hope for a brighter future.

Category

Transcript

Recommended