The Bligh Government has committed close to $2.9 million over the next three years to help protect Gympie children and young people from child abuse.
Child Safety Minister Phil Reeves today announced $625,885 would be provided each year over three years for Spiritus’s Cooloola group house in Gympie to provide safe accommodation and support for young people with complex needs.
Mr Reeves said the government would also provide Spiritus with almost $1 million over three years to recruit, train and support carers to provide safe and loving homes for 65 vulnerable children and young people.
"Child protection is everyone’s business,” Mr Reeves said.
“The Government values its community partners and without organisations such as Spiritus, the task of providing a better life for our most vulnerable children and young people would be even more difficult.
“With these funds, Spiritus will provide a house with 24-hour on-site carers in Gympie for four young people aged 12-17 years with complex needs to help these young people begin to rebuild their lives.
“The funding will also allow Spiritus to boost its current cohort of about 50 carers to provide more safe places for children who cannot live at home because one or both of their parents abuse or neglect them.”
Mr Reeves said it was a sad fact that as of 30 September last year about 94 children and young people in the Gympie area could not live safely at home because at least one or both of their parents abused or neglected them.
For the year ending 30 September 2008, the Gympie Child Safety Service Centre recorded about 591 notifications of harm or risk of harm to children and young people.
Of these notifications, there were 290 substantiated cases of harm or risk of harm.
Mr Reeves said all children everywhere had basic needs for food, shelter, safety, love, education, spiritual and cultural wellbeing, belonging and opportunities.
“Children and young people in out-of-home care have not had these needs met in their family environment. Sadly, because of the neglect or abuse they have suffered, they also have additional and sometimes very complex support needs.
“We know that it takes a whole community to keep our children safe. That’s why the Bligh Government, as part of our Toward Q2 vision, has made a commitment to support safe and caring communities.
“Our ongoing initiatives to help keep children and young people safe are made possible through the Queensland Government’s $586.6 million investment in child protection in 2008-09.
“The establishment of these residential care services in Gympie will expand Queensland’s capacity and diversity to support the protective and care needs of young people at risk.”
Media contact: Minister’s office 3224 7081
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