Australia's biggest survey of young people in care has revealed that growing numbers of children are being taken into government protection due to neglect and abuse.

The CREATE Report Card 2013, commissioned by the CREATE Foundation, the peak body for children in care, surveyed 1,069 participants aged eight to 11 from all states and territories except Western Australia.

The report shows 37,648 children and young people were in out-of-home care at June 30, 2011. That represented a 33 per cent increase between 2007 and 2011, a rate of increase of more than 7 per cent each year.

Report Card snapshot
37,648 children and young people in out-of-home care in 2011.
Average 6 placements each.
31 per cent attended three or more primary schools.
35 per cent had five or more caseworkers.
40 per cent didn't feel they could contact their caseworker if needed.
80 per cent happy with their current placement but not satisfied with their history.
50 per cent didn't know why they were brought into care.
36 per cent located in "split" placements - separated from siblings.
49 per cent had no contact with fathers.
33 per cent knew of any formal care plan or "leaving care" or transition plan.
Source: CREATE Report Card 2013


Report author Dr Joseph McDowell said the jump in numbers had a lot to do with a broadening of the definition of abuse and greater vigilance.

"I think the community as a whole is becoming a lot more vigilant about the problems that many families experience," he said.

"There is a lot of attention being focused on that, and certainly in some jurisdictions you find that a lot of young people who are having problems with the family are being taken into care."

CREATE's chief executive Jacqui Reed said she thought there "probably" was "an increase in abuse and neglect".

"We certainly know that drug and alcohol issues play a part in that, and we're seeing that in endemic proportions. We also see families more fragmented," she said.

Hayden Frost was raised in 39 different foster homes from the age of three.

"There was a lot of drug and alcohol abuse and lot of mental issues in my family," the 22-year-old said.

For years, he did not know why he was in care, and was not involved in any decisions about his life.

"It was just someone would come and pick me up and then we're into a new family," he recalled.

"I wouldn't know until that day where I'm woken up and told, 'Mate, it's time to pack to your bags'.

"The anger that goes through your head... the first thing you want to do is just grab something and throw it through a wall."

The report examined how the child protection system was faring from the point of view of young people living in it.

It found that while more than 80 per cent of respondents were happy in their current placement, they were not as satisfied with their placement history.

Thirty-five per cent of those surveyed had to deal with five or more caseworkers during their time in care.

Around a third went to three or more primary schools, while 40 per cent did not feel like they could contact their caseworker when they needed to.

Around half of those surveyed did not know why they were in care. Less than a third knew anything about the care plan developed for them, including a leaving care plan for what was likely to happen after they turned 18.

Aside from the issues of drugs & alcohol, my guess it comes back to the problem of they weren't really wanted to start with.
Too many men not wanting to acknowledge responsibility and too many girls willing to put themselves about.
Maybe it was ever thus.

Your society is doomed, it has no future...its end is approaching.... 8-)

corporate_whitey wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 10:02am:

Your society is doomed, it has no future...its end is approaching.... 8-)

Surely there is a MOD out there that can ban this trolling fool?

Every thread, the same crap.

Actually Corporate Whitey has extrapolated just a tad. Whitey is on one of his smashing, crashing, bashing and slashing monster mashes through this site.

Now we all have to be patient until the Stilnox kicks in. We all love Whitey and forgive him his smash em and grab em scenarios.

All part of the colourful passing parade.

Personally, even with all its faults...I think our Society is pretty damned cool.

Quote:

Personally, even with all its faults...I think our Society is pretty damned cool.

Agree.

The main thing that's wrong with it is too many people complaining that there is something wrong with it.

I don't think there is too much wrong with society ... just a few odd ones out there that give the rest a bad name ...

the article reminds me of a story my sister told me when she used to work at a youth refuge many years ago

she was working the evening shift when there was a knock on the door, she opened it to see some young kid standing there with a suitcase, and his mother standing behind him ... when asked how she could help, the mother replied something along the lines of 'ya can ave the little bugger, I'm leaving im ere  ... don't want him no more'... when informed that it wasn't a hotel and asked to explain herself, the woman explained that on that particular day her son turned 16, and since she couldn't get anymore childcare benefits she didn't want him any more ... then she turned around and left .... my sister found out later that the woman had another 2 kids that she had previously done the same thing with ....

sad, but true .... some people just shouldn't be allowed to have kids.

This nation will be judged by Jesus Christ for its injustices - I believe John Howard, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott, Peter reith, the CEOs ect will be thrown into the hottest parts of hell for their attacks on the working class, the poor and the non violent - they are damned for all eternity and I cant wait till that filth goes.... 8-)

corporate , do you have to ruin every thread with your hell and brimfire crap? it was so much nicer while you were gone ...

Do they really think they can just use power and do what they like with it to us and God is not going to strike them down fior it at the judgment.... 8-)

John Smith wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 10:37pm:

corporate , do you have to ruin every thread with your hell and brimfire crap? it was so much nicer while you were gone ...

I have something to say...its not my fault you do not like it... :-?

corporate_whitey wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 10:40pm:

John Smith wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:37pm: corporate , do you have to ruin every thread with your hell and brimfire crap? it was so much nicer while you were gone ... I have something to say...its not my fault you do not like it... :-?

you don't have to say it on what seems like every thread, every day .... try changing the record every now and then.

John Smith wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 10:42pm:

corporate_whitey wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:40pm: John Smith wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:37pm: corporate , do you have to ruin every thread with your hell and brimfire crap? it was so much nicer while you were gone ... I have something to say...its not my fault you do not like it... :-? you don't have to say it on what seems like every thread, every day .... try changing the record every now and then.

I am A Prophet of God - calling down judgment, hellfire and damnation on God hating evil atheist scum is what I do... :(

Unfortunately there has always been a lot of that in australia and while the population grows so do the number of cases proportionately.

SOB

John Smith wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 10:28pm:

I don't think there is too much wrong with society ... just a few odd ones out there that give the rest a bad name ... the article reminds me of a story my sister told me when she used to work at a youth refuge many years ago she was working the evening shift when there was a knock on the door, she opened it to see some young kid standing there with a suitcase, and his mother standing behind him ... when asked how she could help, the mother replied something along the lines of 'ya can ave the little bugger, I'm leaving im ere  ... don't want him no more'... when informed that it wasn't a hotel and asked to explain herself, the woman explained that on that particular day her son turned 16, and since she couldn't get anymore childcare benefits she didn't want him any more ... then she turned around and left .... my sister found out later that the woman had another 2 kids that she had previously done the same thing with .... sad, but true .... some people just shouldn't be allowed to have kids.

Luckily there arent a lot of ppl like that though there are a few because the age is now 8.

SOB