In 2021, the Department for Child Protection (DCP) undertook extensive stakeholder consultation about post-care services for young people who have left care.
The consultation involved:
- Young people
- Foster and kinship carers
- Service providers
- Advocacy and Oversight bodies
- Peak bodies
- DCP staff
- Individuals from other Government departments.
The consultation process provided DCP with a great opportunity to reflect on achievements to date and deepen our understanding of the needs of care leavers, their experiences in accessing services and identify opportunities to shape services so they best meet the needs of young care leavers.
The consultation process identified a number of key high-level insights and themes, including:
- The community should have the same high expectations for young care leavers as those held for any young people transitioning to independent living and adult life.
- The fundamental needs of young care leavers in metropolitan versus country and rural and remote areas are not vastly different.
- Young care leavers need access to a service and support system that supports and encourages learning, understands mistakes will occur and helps them to understand setbacks and learning are a part of growth.
- Young people transitioning from non-family-based care tend to have more complex and acute post-care needs.
- Access to safe and suitable accommodation is a critical foundation stone for young people leaving care.
- Providing young people with practical support to build life skills and guidance that helps them draw upon natural helpers and establish trusting relationships and community connections that are not linked to a post-care service provider is a critical part of an overall post-care service response.
- Post-care services need to offer a range of ways to provide information, support and services to young care leavers. Wherever possible, services and young people should connect before they leave care. Some young people will require a pro-active, assertive approach which can be flexed up and down over time to meet their needs. Support and guidance should be available to all young care leavers, if and when they choose to engage.
- Measures of success should focus on achievement of ‘outcomes’.
- Post-care service providers must have well-established partnerships, networks and pathways into key services such as housing, physical and mental health, employment and education to support young people well.
These valuable insights informed the development of the Next Steps Pilot Service as well as the development of a new post-care service model.
Read the Post Care Services Design Consultation Report (PDF 774KB).