Media Release Thursday 19 June 2014

The ACT Labor government needs to get its act together for the sake of Canberra’s most vulnerable and deliver adequate Care and Protection Services. However the latest budget suggests the government is continuing on the same path leaving some families without the support they need, Shadow Minister for Family and Community Services Nicole Lawder said today.

“All of the information we have suggests that Care and Protection Services requires a major overhaul but the government isn’t increasing funding to the area enough to even cover CPI,” Ms Lawder said.

“Report after report has shown that Care and Protection Services are well behind in the ACT. The Report on Government Services released in January showed that funding for Care and Protection Services in the ACT was the lowest of any jurisdiction.

“The Public Advocate has released reports over numerous years detailing the failures while the Auditor-General has also reaffirmed the major issues in Care and Protection through a report released in 2013.

“The Children and Young People Death Review Committee in a report released in November last year stated 20% of children who died in the ACT from the five years from 2008 were either known to Care and Protection or their siblings were.

“This is such an important area for the government and I’m calling on the Minister to reconsider funding for vulnerable Canberrans,” Ms Lawder concluded.

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Contact: Joe Prevedello 0402768432