A performance audit into the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing’s (DFFH) kinship care model has found the Department could not be assured that it provided timely, safe and stable placements for children and young people at risk.
In his report Kinship Care, Auditor-General Andrew Greaves said kinship care was the support provided by relatives, or a member of a child’s social network, when the child could not live with their parents.
“It is the fastest-growing form of out-of-home care in Victoria,” Mr Greaves said.
“Available information shows that between 2017 and 2021, the number of children and young people in kinship care grew by 33.2 per cent,” he said.
“DFFH introduced a new kinship care model in 2018 to accommodate this growth and respond to issues with the level of support kinship carers were receiving.”
Mr Greaves said his audit assessed whether the care model helped identify kinship networks in a timely manner for children and young people at risk and provided them with stable and quality placements.
“DFFH cannot be assured that it is providing timely, safe and stable placements for children and young people at risk,” the Auditor-General said.
“This is because it does not systematically monitor or report on if it is achieving the new model’s objectives,” he said.
“DFFH also does not ensure that staff and service providers complete mandatory assessments on how safe a home is, what support the carer needs and the child’s wellbeing.”
Mr Greaves said this put children in care at risk because DFFH could not confirm if they were being cared for in a safe environment.
“Kinship carers are also not receiving the support they need to provide stable homes for children and young people in their care,” he said.
Mr Greaves made 12 recommendations in total, six on identifying kinship networks early, one on completing mandatory assessments, two on support for carers, and three on monitoring and reporting on the new kinship care model.
The Auditor-General’s 71-page Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
