PeakCare Queensland

Queensland Child Protection Week and National Child Protection Week is a powerful reminder of the sector's commitment to improving outcomes for children right across Australia. Over the previous two-months, leaders from Australia’s child and family peak bodies united for the Future of Foster Care Roadshow, tackling critical issues impacting their jurisdictions and the nation as a whole.   The Roadshow showcased nationwide efforts to address the foster carer shortage and reduce reliance on residential and alternative care models. It also introduced the work of the National Foster Care Sustainability Group, a dynamic collective of thought leaders advocating for federal policies to break down barriers in state and territory foster care systems.   On Thursday I look forward to continuing this important dialogue by delivering a keynote presentation and panel discussion on the future of foster care at the 7th National Child Protection Forum in Brisbane.   Discover how this initiative aims to reshape the future of foster care in Australia: https://lnkd.in/e9RUwd9R PeakCare Queensland Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services NAPCAN Amanda Camm Charis Mullen MP Dr Lisa J. Griffiths Jamie Crosby Simon Kuestenmacher Sharon Broady Melissa Gibson Anita Le Lay Jarrod Edwards Bianca Richards Luke Twyford #child #protection #safety #youth #youngpeople #kin #kinship #foster #fostercare #fostercarer #sibling #support #residentialcare #ACA #emergencycare #demographics #future #advocacy #peak

💫 Residential care providers and support services invited! 💫 We are excited to invite you to the first in a series of webinars about the transformation of Queensland's residential care landscape. Catalyst for Care is a new initiative commissioned by the Queensland Government to be delivered by PeakCare, designed to tackle current and future residential care workforce challenges in recognition of the vital role residential care plays in the out-of-home care system. This webinar will take a first look at the preliminary findings from the work currently underway. During the webinar, the Catalyst for Care team will: ⭐ Provide an overview of Catalyst for Care ⭐ Provide an update on the progress of the three key streams of work, including the Workforce Strategy, updates to Hope and Healing, and celebrating sector achievements and best practice in residential care ⭐ Present the preliminary findings of the Workforce Strategy's Insights and Opportunities Report ⭐ Outline the next steps of the program ⭐ Answer your questions in a live Q&A session Join us on Friday 25 October 10.30am to 12pm to discuss the work so far 👉 https://lnkd.in/gh2PU3HA Your participation and input is essential to shaping a workforce strategy that truly meets the needs of all involved, and so we encourage you to accept this invitation to engage with us. We request Queensland residential care providers who have recently received an invitation from us, to indicate which aspects of the program are of most interest to you, and to attend our webinar for further discussion. If you believe you should have received an invitation or would like to connect with the program team at any time, we welcome you to contact us at [email protected] Ensure you receive the latest news from PeakCare and Catalyst for Care directly by visiting our website and registering for updates 👉 https://lnkd.in/gMePb8hV We believe every young person in care deserves the best care, provided by the best workforce, no matter where they are in Queensland. We are privileged to walk alongside you on this journey towards hope. Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services PeakCare Queensland Social Vantage Advisory Tom Allsop Gavin Deeprose Andrea Lauchs Julie Ling #queensland #childprotection #sector #workforce #transformation #webinar #consultation #forum #advocacy #yourpeak #catalystforcare #ResidentialCare #ChildSafety #residentialcarereview #ResidentialCareRoadmap #TransformingCare #Strategy #Evidence #Partnership #PeakCare #Children #YoungPeople #Futures

As Queensland’s peak body for child and family services, PeakCare Queensland advocates tirelessly for the voices and expertise of children, families, and the thousands of workers and organisations who turn up each day to support them, to be listened to in shaping the future of the child and family services system.   Chronic under-investment in prevention and early intervention and a failure by government to prioritise contemporary models of care means we have a system overwhelmed with demand, and a care workforce not yet equipped or empowered to fix it.   At a time in Queensland when there are almost 2,000 children in residential care, one third of whom are under 12 years of age, and alarming reductions in the capacity of foster carers right across the state, we must reimagine the system.    Investing in the frontline workers who turn up every day for children and families in need is how we are going to make a real difference now and in the future. It is how we are going to help keep more children safe and put more Queensland families back on a pathway to prosperity.   PeakCare met yesterday with the LNP who have announced their $383 million election policy for child protection which includes:   ✅ New 24hr dual carer supervision model for Residential Care ✅ 20% boost to Child Safety officer numbers to aid early intervention ✅ New $50 million Secure Care facility for young people with mental health needs who are a danger to themselves or others ✅ New $27 million professional foster care pilot program for kids with complex needs ✅ $1,500 boost to yearly allowance for each child in out-of-home care, for education and extracurricular activities ✅ New independent complaints escalation process for complex cases to support families and carers.   We are pleased to see many of these commitments reflect what PeakCare, frontline workers, children, young people, carers and families have said is needed to create a better system. We know however, more is needed and this includes significant investment in prevention and early intervention services to prevent children and families from coming into contact with the child protection system in the first place.   PeakCare now calls on the Queensland Government to match these landmark commitments and publicly announce what they intend to do to reform Queensland’s child and family services system. PeakCare Queensland David Crisafulli MP Amanda Camm Steven Miles Charis Mullen MP #child #protection #safety #youth #family #care #foster #kinship #residentialcare #prevention #earlyintervention #commitment #advocacy #peak #queensland #election #policy #future #lnp #alp #qld

Queensland Child Protection Week has started and what better way to kick-off this incredible week than by recognising and honouring 11 outstanding individuals and organisations for their dedication to protecting children and young people in Queensland.   The 38th Queensland Child Protection Week Award Ceremony was an inspiring, humbling, and moving experience and PeakCare Queensland extends a big congratulations to all award nominees and recipients.   I encourage you to have a look at the Queensland Child Protection Week page for more details on the amazing journeys of our award recipients and for more details on the 100+ events taking place across Queensland this week.   Protecting children is everybody’s business, every conversation matters, and PeakCare is proud to walk alongside the child and family services sector as your peak body.   We look forward to seeing you at events throughout the week. The Queensland Child Protection Week Awards 2024 (pictured from left to right)   🏆 Professional (Government) Award – Tara Winsor-Banwell 🏆 Professional (NGO) Award – Australian Child Maltreatment Study Team 🏆 Media & Communications Award – Rebecca Sparrow 🏆 Volunteer Award – Phillipa Fleming (not pictured) 🏆 Regional Program Award –  Jayur House 🏆 Education Initiative Award – Julia Hayes 🏆 Youth Participation Award – yourtown 🏆 Thriving Communities Initiative Award - Brisbane Northside Elders Group 🏆 Our Children Our Future - CQID, REFOCUS and DCSSDS 🏆 Child Safe Organisation Award - Goodstart Early Learning & Thinka 🏆 Transition 2 Success Initiative Award – Dean Loram Queensland Government Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) PeakCare Queensland Charis Mullen MP Amanda Camm Kay McGrath OAM Luke Twyford Gayle Walters NAPCAN #child #protection #safety #youth #family #award #queensland #qld #everyconversationcounts #safeguarding #children #youngpeople #peak #advocacy #future

🎉 It's Queensland Child Protection Week! 🎉 PeakCare is proud to have been a key partner of Queensland Child Protection Week, acknowledging the enduring excellence of 11 individuals and organisations from Queensland's child protection sector. A special acknowledgement to #KayMcGrathOAM for hosting this special event. PeakCare offers a warm congratulations to the Award winners: 👑 Professional Government Award - Tara Winsor-Banwell 👑 Professional Non-Government Award - Australian Child Maltreatment Study Team 👑 Media & Communications Award - Rebecca Sparrow 👑 Our Children Our Future Award - CQID, REFOCUS & DCSSDS (Sunshine Coast & Central Region) 👑 Thriving Communities Initiative Award - Brisbane Northside Elders Group (auspiced by Kurbingui Youth & Family Development) 👑 Regional Program Award - Jayur House 👑 Volunteer Award - Phillipa Fleming 👑 Child Safe Organisation Award - Goodstart Early Learning & Thinka 👑 Youth Participation Award - yourtown 👑 Education Initiative Award - Julia Hayes 👑 Transition to Success Award - Dean Loram For more information on the Awards and winner programs, visit the QCPW website 👉 https://lnkd.in/gZBq9fVu 🎉 Congratulations to the Award winners for your contributions in ensuring Protecting Children is Everyone's Business 🎉 #queensland #childprotection #childsafety #children #families #communities #FirstNations #regions #community #transitiontoadulthood #education #innovation #childsafeorganisations #volunteering #fostercare #ngo #awards #recognition #celebration #deliveringexcellence #qcpw24 #protectingchildreniseveryonesbusiness #advocacy #yourpeak #peakcare

⚖ Queensland must commit to Doing Detention Differently to see genuine change ⚖ PeakCare continues to call Queensland’s political representatives to “Do Detention Differently” to ensure Queensland can deliver community safety while protecting the needs and rights of children and families. We know there are opportunities for innovative approaches – the need for community safety and child protection are not mutually exclusive. This week the Queensland Ombudsman’s "Cleveland Youth Detention Centre Inspection Report: Focus on separation due to staff shortages" report highlights dismal conditions prevalent in Townsville's Cleveland youth detention centre PeakCare is concerned about the limitation on children’s human rights using separation of young people in locked rooms for extended periods of time as a stopgap means to address significant staffing issues. We know that prolonged isolation creates an unacceptable risk of immediate and lifelong negative impacts on young people’s mental health and wellbeing International human rights require young people and adults in custody to be provided a minimum of two hours per day of time outside a locked room with access to fresh air and exercise. PeakCare strongly advocates for an extension of this minimum time for all young people as a basic human right, noting that young people with higher needs and vulnerabilities are much more likely to experience greater negative psychological impacts from prolonged isolation PeakCare acknowledges that workforce is the single most pressing challenge facing every sector in the country. The Queensland Government has undertaken an extensive recruitment drive across youth detention in the last twelve months and PeakCare is pleased to see the recent increase in staffing levels at the Cleveland youth detention centre. We also acknowledge that leading best practice models of youth detention are based on meaningful relationships between workers and young people, and must involve mentoring and scaffolding for staff wellbeing. We therefore call for recruitment efforts to focus retention and capacity building for staff for a sustainable long-term workforce, including a culturally informed training that meets the needs of CALD and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff      PeakCare’s advocacy work is evidenced based and that is why we continue to call for political parties to commit to early intervention programs, to stem the pipeline to prison and focus on building a pathway to prosperity through education, health and housing supports which will actually address the root causes of crime Access the report 👉 https://lnkd.in/g7TUDrCk To ensure you stay informed on all the latest youth justice news, check out our August eNews released today and ensure you're subscribed 👉 https://lnkd.in/gzMwuyEy PeakCare Queensland Di Farmer Steven Miles #LauraGerberMP #DavidCrisafulliMP Tom Allsop Kate Bjur #queensland #youth #justice #detention #centre #report #research #advocacy

💫 PeakCare is hiring! 💫 PeakCare is seeking a flexible full time Executive Director, Research & Advocacy to contribute to our driven team at the forefront of advocacy and policy change within the child protection sector. Are you a strategic thinker with a strong background in policy analysis, advocacy, and research within the child, youth, and family sector? Are you passionate about member engagement and have a proven track record of driving policy and legislative change? If so, we want you! Your ability to build and maintain effective partnerships, along with your commitment to cultural inclusivity and intersectionality, will be key to your success in this role. By joining us, you can make a tangible impact in the lives of children, young people, and their families while working with a committed team in a supportive environment with flexible work arrangements at a modern office near public transport. PeakCare offers great benefits including an additional 1% Superannuation, 5 weeks annual leave, and Public Benevolent Institution salary packaging benefits of $15,900. If you are ready to take on this rewarding challenge and contribute to meaningful change, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining your experience and suitability for the role. Applications close 20 September 2024. To find out more about the role and how to apply 👉 https://lnkd.in/grDZGRt9 For further information, contact PeakCare CEO Tom Allsop on 0499 014 656 or via email to [email protected] PeakCare Queensland Tom Allsop

Queensland’s only independent evaluation of warrantless police wanding trials found “wanding did not reduce the use of weapons to commit crimes, and it did not deter people from carrying weapons, even when they knew there was a risk of being wanded” (Griffith University, 2024).   Since the trials evaluation was completed in 2022 (which resulted in a 1% detection rate from more than 13,000 wanding activities), the Queensland Government has expanded the wanding trials with no further public evaluations planned until 2026.   I spoke with ABC Brisbane this morning about this week’s extraordinary expansion of police powers to undertake more warrantless searches of children and adults in a greater range of locations across Queensland.   PeakCare takes community safety very seriously and we stand with the community in condemnation of the horrific knife crimes which have understandably led to public calls for more to be done. We strongly believe the most effective way to enhance community safety is through the prevention of crime and this requires more than just additional police and new equipment.   Effective and adequately funded early intervention and prevention is far more beneficial to community safety. This includes ensuring all children have equitable access to community-led services such as 30 hours of free Kindy for all children, by upholding children’s rights, and better supporting families early when risk factors are first identified.    Given this we question how a rushed expansion of a trial program which has limited to no contemporary evidence base to validate its effectiveness will make the community safer, and not continue to create long term impacts which significantly impinge on the rights of young people and our communities.    While the expansion of wanding and electronic monitoring trials may be appealing, the community should be reminded that there is no reasonable evidence to support any further expansion of these trials. It also does not address the driving factors for why a very small number of people are carrying knives in the community.   Most of the young people who come into contact with the youth justice system are also victims themselves. Support and early intervention programs for these young people who have also been the victims of serious crime is where we will see real change in creating community safety.   Further evaluation is crucial to ensure these expanded interventions do not disproportionately target young people based on race or cultural identification and should be used to help design programs that more effectively target those most likely to engage in knife crime.    PeakCare prides itself on providing evidenced-based research to support the positions we hold, and the advocacy we undertake. We encourage the Queensland Government to also consider what the evidence says is actually needed for keeping our communities safe. PeakCare Queensland Di Farmer #crime #youth #justice #knife #safety #police  

PeakCare Queensland welcomes today’s announcement that the Queensland Government will provide an extra 140,000 free laptops to state school students and their families who experience disadvantage.   With the increasing impact of rising cost-of-living on our families, this investment will help take some of the burden off families and provides access to digital devices that support students to stay engaged in education.   This $152 million program over the next three years is in addition to the 42,000 digital devices that have been supplied to disadvantaged students since 2020.   Giving more students the ability to access these essential learning devices brings a level of digital equity to all students learning in today’s technology-driven world.   Closing the digital divide for students and giving them access to essential technology keeps them engaged in education and provides a pathway to prosperity. Steven Miles Di Farmer Queensland Department of Education #student #child #family #education #pathway #prosperity #disadvantage #technology #equity #access #learning #engagement #digital #technology #divide #peak #advocacy

On International Youth Day PeakCare acknowledges the importance of the voices of children and young people at the centre of everything we do. Our election commitments call for all political parties to pledge ongoing investment into early intervention and prevention initiatives to change the story for Queensland families and futures where it counts - in the early days, supporting all young Queenslanders to thrive by five to maximise opportunity across the lifespan. The Queensland Government's recently released 'Putting Queensland Kids First Plan' provides a positive starting template for change, with a strong focus on early interventions in health and early education, to support engagement with education and reducing pressures on families. These are the protective factors that will actually make a difference. Alongside these initiatives, we urge the Government to recognise that a dedicated and adequately funded workforce plan is essential to delivering the opportunity of a lifetime for all Queensland kids. Effective partnership is crucial for this work - your participation and input will shape Queensland's future for children, families and the workforce in a way that is designed to truly meet the needs of all involved. Join us as we embark on this transformative journey 👉 peakcare.org.au View our election commitments and policy submissions 👉 https://lnkd.in/gk3w398v Find out more about International Youth Day 👉 https://lnkd.in/eZvW93W Charis Mullen MP Steven Miles Di Farmer Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) Tom Allsop Gavin Deeprose #queensland #childprotection #catalystforcare #transformation #innovation #youngvoicesspeakloud #internationalyouthday #childsafety #childwelfare #families #communities #workforce #partnership #pathwaystoprosperity #children #youngpeople #futures #advocacy #yourpeak