Report Urges Government to Help At-Risk Families
An independent report, authored by former senior public servant David Tune has proposed setting up a new NSW Family Investment Commission in an effort to target the rising flood of children in out-of-home care and achieve better outcomes for at-risk families overall. The number of children in out-of-home care has doubled in the decade to 2016, currently sitting at 18,000. Aboriginal families have been hurt the most, with 7.5 per cent in out-of-home care compared to 1 per cent of the general population.
The report criticises the current system for being “ineffective and unsustainable” and hopes to establish new local “cross-agency boards” to be set up in each district, as well as “personalised support packages” to vulnerable families and their children. Labor MP and Spokeswoman on Family and Community Services – Tania Mihailuk joined us on the show to discuss the report.
