Some of the most vulnerable children in Western Australia will benefit from additional funding for five new residential care homes in regional WA. Three care homes will be located in the Kimberley and two in Geraldton, the National Tribune.
There are currently 22 residential group homes in WA, housing children with no other foster or family care options, many of them with complex needs. The investment will improve safety, boosting the ratio of staff to children in care.
The Department of Communities is working proactively to attract and retain residential care workers and to provide improved comprehensive training before they commence employment.
The ongoing training has been developed with residential care workers to ensure trauma-informed therapeutic care for vulnerable children.
This funding will also provide an opportunity to review the operations of the broader residential care model to better ensure positive outcomes for children in each residential home and for the safety of staff.
This will include house location and design, workforce training, consistency of standards across regional and metropolitan areas, and partnerships with the local community.
Through the 2022-23 State Budget the McGowan Government is investing an additional $114 million into the child protection system, supporting services to protect vulnerable children and their families, and steer at-risk children away from the justice system.
FULL STORY
New residential care homes in regional WA to benefit children (National Tribune)
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