1 AUGUST 2024
VACCA is pleased to announce its support of the Petition to Increase the Care Allowance for kinship, foster and permanent care households in Victoria.
VACCA is the peak voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Victoria. We provide over 80 programs and services including Foster Care and Kinship Care programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Victoria’s Care Allowance is currently the lowest in Australia and in this cost-of-living crisis, carers are struggling to meet the financial needs of the children in their care.
The current Care Allowance rate is affecting placement stability, carer retention and the recruitment of new carers. Victoria has one of the highest attrition rates of carers per capita.
In the Aboriginal community, kinship carers are vital to ensure ongoing connection to community and culture which is central to Aboriginal children’s safety, stability and development.
Currently, kinship carers are disproportionately impacted by the Care Allowance payment structure with 96 percent of kinship carers on the lowest level of care allowance, compared to 32 percent of foster carers. This disparity effectively works to entrench disadvantage for Aboriginal children in care.
Muriel Bamblett, VACCA CEO, said “kinship and foster carers are so important for children who can’t live at home. They provide a nurturing and safe environment to support the health and wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable children and young people. It’s fundamental that they receive the financial support in order for them to do this vital work and ensure the best outcomes for children and young people in their care. We support the Petition to Increase the Care Allowance.”
VACCA joins carer peak bodies, the Foster Care Association of Victoria and Permanent Care and Adoptive Families, along with over 2,300 signatories demanding better for children in care and the people who care for them.
Find out more and sign the petition.
Watch this video to hear directly from carers.
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FOR RELEASE –
Beth Cesarin - Senior Manager, Communications and Public Affairs
PH: 0439 117 408 E: bethc@vacca.org
Sarah Gafforini – Director, Office of the CEO VACCA
T: 0427 621 421/ E: sarahg@vacca.org
ABOUT VACCA - www.vacca.org
The Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) is Victoria’s Peak Voice for Aboriginal children. We are the leading provider of Aboriginal child and family services, and the largest provider of services for Aboriginal family violence and homelessness. We have been supporting children, young people, and families in the community for over 47 years as an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO).
Through our vision of self-determination – Live, Experience, and Be – we exist to support culturally strong, safe, and thriving Aboriginal communities. We deliver over 80 programs across Victoria including child and family services, family violence, support for stolen generations, child protection, cultural strengthening programs, mental health, financial services, justice and redress support, early years, and homelessness services.