Uniting and Wesley Mission have announced they will close their five group homes in NSW and ACT for good by June 30.
The move follows an independent review commissioned by the Uniting Church in Australia Synod of NSW and the ACT initiated by the inquest into the death of Girl X, a 15-year-old who fatally overdosed on heroin and ice in 2014 while living at a now-closed Uniting house in Sydney.
The teenager was also allegedly assaulted by two male youth workers while staying at another residential home.
Breaking the cycle of disadvantage
It’s a big decision for the Not-for-Profits – but one they say is necessary.
Around half of all children and young people in residential care end up in gaol. Another 20 per cent of people who have been in care end up having their own children put into care.
Out-of-home care has also been linked to a higher risk of poor mental and physical health and substance addiction.
Under the new model, only one child will be looked after in each location, allowing for individual support such as drug and alcohol or psychiatric counselling to be provided.
Residential care will now be provided as a last resort.
Uniting will also expand its NEWPIN (Uniting New Parent and Infant Network) program, which provides support to families with young children – and restores children in out-of-home care to their parents.
The program has a 61 per cent success rate – twice the usual rate for children in care – but is currently only available in eight locations in NSW.
Will it work? We hope so.
