Date: 23 April, 2020
VACCA welcomes the announcement by Minister for Child Protection, Luke Donnellan of $77.5 million for additional support for Victoria’s most vulnerable families and children.
Through the package kinship and foster carers will receive a one-off $600 payment for every child they care for.
The package also includes:
- Extra financial support for carers most in need.
- An increase in capacity of family services to provide outreach support to the most vulnerable families.
- Expansion of DHHS landmark Home Stretch program will be expanded to support all young people currently in care who are due to turn 18 before December this year.
- Support for residential care service providers to form mobile response teams that will bolster staff where needed and proactively respond to the needs of every young person.
- It will also help to ensure residential homes are properly cleaned to ensure the safety and hygiene standards needed during this crisis.
In light of the package announcement, the Hon Luke Donnellan said: “Every day, our foster families and kinship carers provide the most amazing support to our children and young people. Now, it’s our turn to support them.”