What matters most to a child in care?

Young Queenslanders with lived experience of the state’s child protection system have told the Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) what matters most when measuring the system’s effectiveness.

QFCC Commissioner Natalie Lewis said 11 young people, with more than 100 care placements between them, identified ways the system could better evaluate whether it is working.

“The QFCC monitors the effectiveness of Queensland’s child protection system by analysing data, trends and feedback from the sector, but what’s missing are the views and perspectives of the young people who have been through the system,” Ms Lewis said.

“The QFCC has given young people an opportunity to share what does and doesn’t work, based on their own lived experiences, and what needs to change so that children in care have the same opportunities as every other child in Queensland.

“This gave us an opportunity to understand whether we are measuring what really matters to children and young people in care when we monitor the system’s effectiveness.”

Ms Lewis said the Youth Researchers’ work gave incredible insight into the needs of young people in care.

“The Youth Researchers identified five broad areas that matter to a young person in care, many of which were incredibly humbling and are things those of us without a care experience may take for granted,” Ms Lewis said.

“Things that matter most to a child or young person in care centre around their identity, stability, health and wellbeing, safety and love, and equity and fairness, which sadly, not all young people in care enjoy.

“Practical things they told us matter include having access to identifying documents—their birth certificate, photos of themselves and their family taken throughout their lives; attending the same school throughout their term of care; and access to driving lessons and obtaining a licence.

“We will now look at opportunities to work with the sector and government to use existing data to measure the things that the Youth Researchers said matter most.

“Youth Researchers will now lead consultations with other children and young people to hear directly from them what they think needs to change.

“This has been an incredible example of a youth-led initiative that will have potential to create real and lasting change for some of the state’s most vulnerable children and young people—we owe it to them to listen to what they said and act on it.”

Cairns resident and Youth Researcher James said his involvement with the project would help to improve outcomes for other young people who enter the care system.

“Most times, a young person’s voice isn’t heard when it comes to their life and future and what happens to them from the day they are put in an out-of-home situation,” James said.

“This project was a step in the right direction to helping the QFCC, organisations, carers, child safety officers, and those above them understand a young person’s needs and requirements.

“I felt my experience had some value in the report, to help other people not go through the same thing that I did.”

ENDS

For media information contact:

Kirstine O’Donnell | Queensland Family and Child Commission
Phone: 0404 971 164
Email: kirstine.odonnell@qfcc.qld.gov.au