The McGowan Government is set to deliver a child protection staffing boost for Carnarvon with the establishment of a new Intensive Family Support team.
The new team, comprising of 5.5 FTE positions, will deliver intensive support to local families whose children are at imminent risk of coming into the child protection system, or families who are working towards reunification.
It aims to help children remain safely at home with their parents by providing counselling and in-home supports. The additional resourcing will build on existing service provision in the region and focus on intensive, early intervention with at-risk children and families.
There will also be a new Community Youth Officer role in Carnarvon to support delivery of the new Target 120 program in the region.
Target 120 helps create safer and more connected communities by tackling factors that increase chances of offending, including substance abuse, lack of housing, domestic violence, trauma, mental health issues and poor attendance at school.
The investment forms part of the McGowan Government's $36.7 million commitment to deliver and enhance child protection services, including an additional 36 new child protection workers to bolster capacity on the frontline.
The funding, announced in the 2022-23 State Budget, was packaged as part of a $75 million boost to expand child protection supports and increase investment in early intervention programs.
The State Government's record investment in early intervention in child protection initiatives is helping to support historic reductions in the number of children in care.
As stated by Child Protection Minister Simone McGurk:
"Child protection workers perform a critical role in supporting vulnerable children and families.
"The addition of an Intensive Family Support team in Carnarvon will have a significant impact on the local community and will help keep children safe at home where they belong.
"I am proud of the work the State Government is doing to reduce the number of children in care. In the past two reporting years, we have seen the first reductions in children in care for 25 years.
"The McGowan Government is committed to addressing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in care and our focus on early intervention is helping make progress to close the gap."
