Massive overhaul for residential care
A reform to residential care in NSW aims to provide intensive intervention for vulnerable children state wide, in order to help them recover from trauma.
The overhaul has a focus on evidence-based, therapeutic care and new requirements for mandatory training and qualifications for those working with children. Changes being considered include:
- Introducing a new intensive model where children will be assessed and receive health, developmental and other expert care for up to three months.
- Treatment for children as they move into either intensive foster care, homes with foster parents, return home, or therapeutic residential care.
- People working with children will be required to meet minimum standards and qualifications and be trained in trauma-informed/therapeutic care.
Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Child Protection, Professor Leah Bromfield, welcomed the reforms and the focus on therapeutic care.
“We need more evidence-informed services that are designed around the needs of children and young people, located in places that connect children to the people and services important to them, and which offer genuine therapeutic care to aid children to recover from abuse and neglect,” she said.