Legislative Council, Thursday 28 November 2024
Ms FORREST question to the MINISTER for EDUCATION and MINISTER for WOMEN and the PREVENTION OF FAMILY VIOLENCE, Ms PALMER
(1) With regard to support for and services available to children and young people who are living in relationships where they experience intimate partner violence, and noting the Government's contribution to the debate in the Legislative Council of 29 October 2024 noting Dr Carmel Hobbs's paper, Young, in Love and in Danger, apart from the presence of the partnership with Our Watch:
(a) what concrete actions are in place to address cultural norms and values that normalise and/or condone violence and abuse in Tasmania that go beyond school-based education; and
(b) does the Government have any intention of following the lead of New South Wales and implement a standalone primary prevention strategy?
(5) Having been presented with the statistics and accounts of the lived experience of those children and young people experiencing intimate partner violence, how can the Government justify not having a child and youth specific domestic, family and sexual violence support service?
(6) (a) Noting the government has invested in professional development for teachers, counsellors and youth workers, ensuring they can provide trauma-informed, culturally appropriate and effective support to those in need, does this refer to the partnership between Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP) and Australian Childhood Foundation; and
(b) if so, noting that this partnership simply provides online learning modules in trauma informed practice, there are a small number of additional workshops DECYP staff can enrol in, and that this is not available to DECYP staff outside of schools and is not about intimate partner violence, what is the Government doing to support the upskilling of a sustainable workforce with capacity to support children and young people experiencing intimate partner violence?
Ms PALMER - I also rise today with answers to question No. 22 on the notice paper. For the Council's clarification, this question had a number of questions in it.
Ms Forrest - It is No. 23, isn't it?
The SPEAKER - I think you might have had your numbers around the wrong way.
Ms PALMER - Okay, so this is No. 23. Apologies.
Do you want me to fix that and sign it?
Question No. 23, which is for the honourable member for Murchison. This question went across a number of portfolios, some of which sit outside of me as a minister, so I have answers to Question 1 which is for me as the Minister for Women and the Prevention of Family Violence. Question 2 and Question 3 sit with the minister for Housing. Question 4 sits with the Minister for Children and Youth. Question 5 and Question 6 also sit within my responsibility as the Minister for Education and then Question 7 is for the minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing.
I have the questions that are in my portfolio that I am able to answer here today and we are waiting for the answers from those other portfolio ministers to come to the House.
Now, having all of that preamble, it is quite extensive. I am more than happy to read the answers to the questions now or I can seek leave to have it tabled.
Ms PALMER (Rosevears - Minister for Education) - Mr President, I seek leave to table a document and have it incorporated in Hansard.
The tabled document can be viewed here:
QUESTION 2: Noting the comments made in the Government’s contribution during the aforementioned debate noting Dr Carmel Hobbs’ paper, Young, in Love and in Danger, what is the Government doing to increase the number of supported housing options available to children who are unaccompanied and homeless?
QUESTION 3: Noting that existing services such as the Youth to Independence homes provide options for many young people, these are not suitable for children and young people with more complex needs experiencing intimate partner violence, what is the Government doing to ensure those children are not homeless and at increased risk of being trapped by violence and abuse?
ANSWERS to questions 2 and 3 provided by - Mr ELLIS - MINISTER for HOUSING, PLANNING & CONSUMER AFFAIRS
• The Tasmanian Government is committed to ensuring that all young people in our state can grow up in a safe and supportive environment that is free from violence.
• The linkages between family violence and housing outcomes are clearly demonstrated in evidence, and this is why Tasmania’s first 20 year Housing Strategy includes a key focus on providing safe and appropriate housing and homelessness services for children and young people.
• Homes Tasmania is commencing work to investigate how a Housing First approach to address primary homelessness can be implemented in Tasmania. This approach aims to provide access to stable, long-term housing together with wraparound supports which would change the way crisis and transitional accommodation is funded and delivered into the future.
• The safety and wellbeing of children and young people in housing need has been a key priority for Homes Tasmania and housing system improvements, including:
o the introduction of a new Housing Connect Practice Framework which introduces three levels of tailored support for young people, including personalised support from a specialist youth provider;
o a Service Level Agreement between Homes Tasmania and the Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP) outlining how the two agencies work together to support young people exiting care or detention who need housing; and
o a Youth Housing and Support Services Community of Practice which meets regularly with key stakeholders, including DECYP, to continually improve services and support for young people needing housing.
• Through Homes Tasmania, the Tasmanian Government funds a range of housing options for unaccompanied children who are at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness, including:
o crisis accommodation (shelters) for children and young people aged 13 to 20;
o transitional accommodation through the Youth2Independence (Y2I) programs for young people aged 16 to 24; and
o youth at risk centres for children aged 12 to 15.
• In the past 12 months Homes Tasmania has provided an additional 72 units of supported housing for unaccompanied young people, including:
o a 23-unit youth crisis and transitional accommodation facility in Burnie;
o an 8-unit youth at risk centre in the North;
o a 26-unit Youth2Independence (Y2I) facility in Hobart; and
o 15 units of Y2I homes on three sites statewide.
• Through Homes Tasmania, the Tasmanian Government funds Youth2Independence (Y2I) to provide accommodation and support for young people to become independent by participating in education and training, offering different levels of support to match levels of capability of young people.
• The Y2I program currently provides transitional supported accommodation to 180 young people statewide through three accommodation types:
o facilities;
o cluster homes; and
o share homes.
• Although Y2I facilities and share home require young people to engage in education, employment or training, Y2I cluster homes can accommodate young people not yet ready to engage with education and other services.
• Homes Tasmania funds 20 cluster homes across 4 sites statewide, providing self-contained units with 24/7 onsite support for young people who are not yet ready to live independently.
• Homes Tasmania is delivering more supported accommodation for young people aged 16 to 24 who are at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness through the Y2I program. By June 2025 Homes Tasmania will deliver an additional 58 units of supported accommodation through the Y2I program, including:
o 5 cluster homes in Burnie;
o 4 supported share homes for young people statewide; and
o a 25 unit Y2I facility (currently under development in Burnie, due for completion in early 2025).
• Young people aged 16 and over who need access to safe accommodation, including those experiencing family or intimate partner violence can contact Housing Connect, where staff can provide tailored support to help people access safe and secure housing.
• Housing Connect staff notify the Strong Families, Safe Kids Advice and Referral Line if an unaccompanied young person under 18 contacts the service.
• Homes Tasmania also provides a portfolio of properties to enable the delivery of supported housing options managed by other Government and non-Government organisations, which includes service delivery to families including children and young people.
In addition, Homes Tasmania provides properties for Out of Home Care and Specialist Disability Accommodation as well as for the Under-16 Lighthouse Project pilot: a therapeutic residential model of care for young people aged 12 15 years old.
QUESTION 4:
a) What is the Government doing to ensure all parents have the capacity to provide safe, stable and caring homes for Tasmanian children; and
b) (i) How are new, young parents being supported; and
(ii) what additional support is available to new parents who have experienced violence and abuse as children themselves?
ANSWER: Provided by Mr JAENSCH - MINISTER for CHILDREN and YOUTH
The Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy is a whole of government strategy for 0–25-year-olds which was launched in August 2021 and aims to ensure that all Tasmanian children and young people have what they need to grow and thrive.
The Strategy provides a wholistic approach to improving wellbeing through actions across six domains of wellbeing, including the domain of ‘Loved, Safe and Valued’. All six domains of wellbeing are interconnected, and the Strategy recognises that improvements in one area of wellbeing can have positive impacts on other areas.
The first four-year action plan for the Strategy was provided with $100 million by the Tasmanian government for the implementation of 65 actions across the six domains of wellbeing. We are currently in the fourth year of the first action plan and are starting to see the positive impacts these programs are having on improving the lives of Tasmanian children, young people and their families.
The Tasmanian Government, through the Child and Youth wellbeing Strategy, across DECYP, the Department of Health and Homes Tasmania provides a range of supports to ensure children and young people are safe and well at home with their families.
The Child Safety Service is committed to keeping children and young people safe from harm and ensuring they are well cared for. Some children and young people may not be safe at home. The Child Safety Service supports parents and families to keep children and young people safe and healthy.
Its Practice Approach defines the work of Child Safety Services. This work aligns with the Department’s Strategic Plan of known, safe, well and learning. The Practice Approach reflects that positive outcomes depend upon developing genuine relationships. It supports us to uphold the rights of children and young people, ensure they have a voice in decisions that affect them and are safe from harm.
Intensive Family Engagement Service (IFES) is engaged when there are concerns about children and young people. IFES provide intensive support to families to reduce safety concerns for children, with the aim building safety and supports around them, to remain safely in their family home.
If the Child Safety Service hold concerns for the capacity of a family to keep a baby safe, they can refer them to the Bringing Baby Home program. Bringing Baby Home is a program designed to build capacity and safety in order for a parent and their baby to remain together at home. The program provides wrap around support and education to empower families with the skills they need to keep the family and baby safe. There are two streams of the program which include:
• Residential Services - an intensive 24/7 residential program where mothers move into supported accommodation for a maximum period of twelve weeks. There is currently a residential facility in the North and South, with North West parents supported in their own home; and
• Therapeutic Parenting Intervention – which provides an intensive outreach service to build parenting capability and provide confidence that a newborn will be sustainably safe in a parent’s home after birth. This service may be a pre-cursor to residential support or divert parents from requiring more intensive residential support.
Supporting Expectant and Parenting Teens (SEPT) program is delivered by the Brave Foundation and provides mentors for teenage parents who assist and advocate for young parents pre and post birth, enabling them to navigate and access appropriate services and supports. SEPT assisted over 90 teenage parents between July 2023 and June 2024.
Supported Playgroups and Baby Villages fosters connections and supports through Baby Village playgroups for parents with babies aged 0-2 years in their local community – funding of approximately $1 million over four years.
F1000D Parenting Program – this innovative program is working with parents across three regional communities (Burnie, Devonport and Smithton) to co-design parenting resources for their communities which promote the importance of the first 1,000 days on a child’s development – funding of $1.35 million over 2 years.
Child and Family Learning Centres (CFLCs) connect children from birth to five and their families with wrap around supports and access to early years programs to improve their health, wellbeing and learning outcomes. The CFLCs are in 18 communities across Tasmania.
Outreach program for CFLCs, is the provision of allied health services and supports to regional and rural families – funding of $1.3 million over four years.
The Tasmanian Government’s 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future commits $32 million to build four new CFLCs.
Kids Care Clinics – these multidisciplinary clinics provide paediatric and allied health services for vulnerable children, young people and their families within their local communities. Currently 21 clinics are operating across Tasmania with funding of $6 million over 3 years.
Launching into Learning (LiL) is a free program operating in 150 Tasmanian government schools for young children (birth – four years) and their families. LiL provides opportunities for children and their families to learn through play, songs and positive interactions together.
Learning in Families Together (LIFT) helps families engage in their children’s learning from Kindergarten to Year 2. LIFT focuses on literacy and numeracy development and oral language.
QUESTION 7: With regard to Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) services referred to in the Government's contribution in the aforementioned debate, please provide details of the current AOD services for Tasmanian youth, and what impact those services are having?
ANSWER: Provided by Mr JAENSCH - MINISTER for CHILDREN and YOUTH
Current AOD services for youth funded by the Department of Health Tasmania (DoH) include:
• The public Alcohol and Drug Service, which offers statewide, free and confidential support for adults and young people. Services provided include counselling and treatment, intake and assessment, case management and coordination of care and health promotion, information and community education.
• Pulse Youth Health Service, which provides a range of free health services and programs for young people aged 12 to 24 years including information, support, advocacy, and referral for support for health and wellbeing.
• The Link Youth Health Service, which provides free and confidential health and wellbeing services for young people aged 12 to 25 years old, including counselling and support, assessment, brief intervention and treatment, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) informed Groups Program for young people aged 17 to 25 years who are experiencing challenges related to AOD.
• Youth, Family and Community Connections, which is located in the North-West (servicing Devonport, Burnie and Smithton) and provides free and confidential services to address the needs of young people and their families whose lives are affected by AOD, including counselling and support, referrals to support services, home visits and outreach clinics, and advocacy and information.
Further, we provide funding to the Drug Education Network (DEN) who offer training and education materials to schools and school health nurses around AOD use and supports. DEN can also work with workplaces to educate and support staff, of all ages, around AOD matters.
More broadly, DoH is undertaking work to support young people experiencing AOD issues through the implementation of the Tasmanian Drug Strategy 2024- 2029 (TDS), which is reviewing services and referrals to better understand where services are needed, including consistency in models in care across sectors and youth services. The TDS include work across Government to support young people in Tasmania.
Ongoing assessment of the impact of these AOD programs is being considered in partnership with relevant service providers.
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