Frequently Asked Questions
- Is CREATE the right organisation for me to make an allegation of abuse or neglect?
- Is CREATE the right organisation to make a complaint about the care system?
- What can I do to help support Children and young people in care?
- What are the characteristics of Children and Young People in Care?
- Does CREATE provide individual support and advocacy?
- Does CREATE provide care services (e.g do we run any residential units or arrange foster care services)?
- What does “CREATE” stand for?
- What are the effects of being in care?
- What are the outcomes for Children and Young People in care?
- Why do children and young people enter care?
- How many Children and Young People are in Care?
- What is Out-of-Home Care?
Is CREATE the right organisation for me to make an allegation of abuse or neglect?
No, the relevant statutory body should be contacted.
Victoria Department of Human Services
Phone: 13 12 78
NSW Department of Community Services
Phone: 13 21 11
QLD Department of Communities (Child Safety Services)
Phone: 1800 811 810
SA Department of Families and Communities
Phone: 13 14 78
WA Department of Child Protection
Phone: 13 14 44
ACT Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services
Phone: 1300 556 729
TAS Department of Health and Human Services
Phone: 1800 688 009
NT Department of Health and Familieis
Phone: 1800 700 250
Is CREATE the right organisation to make a complaint about the care system?
No, but we can help point people in the right direction.
Back to topWhat can I do to help support Children and young people in care?
You can help by taking the time to understand that being in care is a difficult experience for most children and young people. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment and think about what you want, need and miss about being with your family.
You can help CREATE to work with and for children and young people by making a donation. Or you can support another agency providing care and support services.
You may be able to give time rather than money through volunteer work for CREATE or another non-government agency. You may be willing to commit to be a foster carer and provide a temporary or permanent home for a child or young person in care.
Back to topWhat are the characteristics of Children and Young People in Care?
The characteristics of children and young people in care are hugely varied depending on the reason for being in care, how they came into care, their age, length of time in care, the number of placements and if they have been separated from their siblings and quality of contact with parents.
Back to topDoes CREATE provide individual support and advocacy?
No. We do provide sector wide advocacy. Depending on the issue, we can refer individuals to an organisation that can help.
Back to topDoes CREATE provide care services (e.g do we run any residential units or arrange foster care services)?
No, CREATE does not provide care. We are a sector advocacy group, and work with and support young people in care to enable their voices to be heard.
Back to topWhat does “CREATE” stand for?
The word “CREATE” is not an acronym. It is the name that was created by young people in 2000. The name was chosen as it felt youthful, and represented limitless possibilities; anything can be created.
Back to topWhat are the effects of being in care?
Although placed into care through no fault of their own, many young people in care suffer deep shame, profound isolation and chronic low self-esteem. Their life outcomes can be severely limited
Back to topWhat are the outcomes for Children and Young People in care?
Australian research reveals that young people in care are amongst the most disadvantaged youth cohorts in Australia; experiencing high levels of homelessness, unemployment, educational attrition, drug and alcohol abuse, justice system involvement and early parenthood vastly disproportionate to the general youth population.
Without sufficient social and community supports their life outcomes can be compromised. A 2005 Victorian Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare research project Investing in Success: The Economics of Leaving Care revealed that of young people who had left care:
• Only 13% had completed Year 12 or its equivalent
• 42% were unemployed within 12 months of leaving care
• 10% were homeless within 12 months of leaving care
• 47% previously had involvement with the juvenile justice system or police
• 28% were already parents of young children
Research by CREATE, supported these conclusions (McDowell, J (2008) Report Card: Transitioning from Care. CREATE interviewed 164 young people, 77 of whom had left care. Many felt ill-prepared for leaving care, had received minimal support and had experienced difficulties, such as maintaining accommodation. Legislation and policy provisions in some jurisdictions did not always result in consistent practice, while some states and territories have yet to provide sufficient safeguards and supports for care leavers.
Back to topWhy do children and young people enter care?
It is important to remember that children and young people enter care through no fault of their own. Children and young people enter care because their parents are unable or unwilling to care for them. The reasons are varied and can include; accident, illness, bereavement within the family of origin or abuse (physical, emotional, sexual or neglect).
Back to topHow many Children and Young People are in Care?
As at 30 June 2008 Australia over 32,000 children and young people between birth and 18 years were on statutory care orders. Over a quarter of this number were Indigenous. The number of Children and Young people entering the care system is rising at a rate of approx. 10% per annum and has doubled in the last decade.
Back to topWhat is Out-of-Home Care?
Out-of-home care is a support system for Children and young people who have been removed from the care of their parents. Out-of-home care has a range of accommodation options for example foster care, residential care and kinship care. The responsibility for these children lies with the statutory body in each State or Territory.
Foster care is when a child is placed with an approved family, ideally located within the child’s local community.
Kinship care is provided by a person who is a relative, considered to be family or a close friend, or is a member of the child or young person’s community.
Kinship carers can assist children and young people to maintain connections with their family.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, a kinship carer may be another Indigenous person who is a member of their community, a compatible community or from the same language group.
Residential care is when a young person is placed into a living arrangement staffed by workers. Residential care can include group homes, 24-hour high security accommodation, and supported independent living.
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