The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's (AIHW) 2023-24 Child Protection report has revealed high numbers of Victorian foster carers continue to leave the system.
Victorian foster carer households declined by 429 households last year - a damning indictment of the Allan Labor Government's failure to support their incredible and selfless work.
The Victorian carer allowance has not had an increase since 2016 and the base carer allowance for level 1 is the lowest in Australia. The Government has also repeatedly refused to index the care allowance in line with the CPI to meet inflation and cost of living increases. In contrast the NSW government, recognising the value of foster carers increased their care allowance in this week's budget by 20 per cent.
The report also revealed only 162 households commenced foster care - 84 households less than last year, exposing the Allan Labor Government's ongoing inability to recruit foster carer households. In comparison, NSW recruited 455 new foster carer households over the same period.
The net loss of 267 Victorian foster carer households last year has a high economic cost for the State and a devastating impact on the vulnerable children who missed out on a loving foster home and were placed in residential care instead.
Residential care under this Labor Government has been the subject of investigation and ongoing monitoring by the Children and Young People's Commission, who've for years reported on the widespread sexual exploitation and abuse of children who live in these State care facilities.
Shadow Minister for Child Protection, Roma Britnell, said: "The arrogance and incompetence of the Minister for Children is staggering. Vulnerable children who should be in the loving homes of foster carers are being further traumatised in residential care because the Minister has failed to retain our amazing foster carers.
The disdain this Minister has shown our selfless foster carers is reflected in the dramatic numbers who have had to leave the system, no longer able to open their homes to vulnerable children and babies in need.
The Victorian care allowance was already the lowest in the country before NSW increased their care allowance by 20 per cent. The Minister needs to immediately address Victoria's inadequate care allowance and support our foster carers."
