The first of a series of round tables with carers and young people in care or with a care experience were held in Mount Gambier during the recent Country Cabinet visit.

The round tables were held by Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard and will be held regularly across regional and metropolitan South Australia.

Minister Hildyard met with foster carers about their experience of providing care for children and young people under guardianship along with young people in care about their experiences of being in care and kinship carers.

The State Government has committed funding for the Community Visitor Program for young people in residential care in addition to developing future housing, work and study pathways through a partnership with CREATE.

The government is working with the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People in supporting Aboriginal people to have a voice.

They are providing opportunities for young people in care or with a care experience to have a voice through the No Capes for Change Committee.

“We must ensure the voice of children and young people is at the core of everything we do in the child protection system and I will ensure we will be amplifying the voices of children and young people directly through increased participation, advocacy and support,” Minister Hildyard said.

The government is working collaboratively with carers to continually improve the support available, including specialist support for those caring for children with complex needs and the timely provision of information through the online carer platform.

“We value the incredibly important contribution all South Australian carers make by providing vulnerable children and young people a safe place to call home and we are actively working to improve the level of support they receive,” Minister Hildyard said.

“I thank the incredible carers who open their hearts and homes to children and young people, often over decades and to many children and young people.”