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TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
We want to hear what you have to say.
Download Flyer - click
here (1MB)
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Securing the Future
- click
here Individual statements
are available at http://www.fostercare.org.au/pubs.html
Australian Foster Care Association
Priorities and Position Statements 2005
For Foster, Relative and Kinship Care Across Australia
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The back bone of alternative care options for the most
vulnerable children and young people in Australia are
the volunteer foster, relative and kin carers. These
carers volunteer their time, skills and commitment to
children and young people to care for those who are
unable to continue living in their own homes. As the
number of notifications of child abuse and neglect continue
to rise throughout the country, child protection systems
struggle more and more to provide adequate protection
and support for those most in need.
The Department for Families and Communities, in partnership
with Alternative Care Service Providers (Support Agencies)
and carers, has a legal and moral obligation to ensure
the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people
placed in alternative care. Further, when children and
young people are removed from their birth families and
placed under the care and protection of the state, they
have a right to be placed in a safe environment, which
offers a higher standard of care than the circumstances
from which they were removed.
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Centrelink Document - click
here
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AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR FOSTER
FAMILIES PRERARED BY THE AUSTRALIAN FOSTER CARE
ASSOCIATION IN CONSULTATION WITH CENTRELINK AND
THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
– SEPTEMBER 20041
Introduction:
The Family Assistance Office through outlets in
Centrelink, Medicare offices and ATO access sites,
provide access to a range of payments and services.
A range of helpful publications about payments,
including current rates, is on their websites
at www.familyassist.gov.au and www.centrelink.gov.au.
The information in this brochure is intended as
a guide only. Due to their complexity, any matters
relating to assistance in respect of children
entering or leaving care should be dealt with
by appointment with the
Family Assistance Office by phoning 136150, 8
am to 8 pm Monday-Friday. |
Health care card information available at http://www.fostercare.org.au/hcc.html
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In July 2001 the Federal Government introduced
new legislation to extend the Health Care Card
(HCC) access for foster children which enables
all children and young people in care of the State
to be eligible for a Health Care Card.
In most instances children in foster care will
initially remain listed on their birth family’s
Medicare card until new arrangements for their
own Medicare card can be made.
At times a child in foster care may present without
a Medicare card and the GP has no previous record
of this patient’s number. Under these circumstances
GPs can contact HIC hotline number on 132150 in
office hours with their provider number, the patient’s
name and date of birth to verify the patient’s
Medicare number.
For a child who has never been recorded on a
Medicare card, for example pre-adoptive babies,
Medicare has issued Family and Youth Services
(FAYS) with a number for unidentified children.
If a foster child presents after hours and the
GP cannot verify a Medicare number the foster
family can be reimbursed for the consult through
Family and Youth Services.
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The Foundation for Young Australians has today
released Profile of Young Australians –
a major web-based resource for organisations and
individuals that work with young people.
The Profile of Young Australians looks at the
lives of young people in Australia, drawing on
data gathered from a wide variety of organisations.
Key areas covered by the Profile include demographics;
family life; the financial circumstances of young
people; young people in need of protection; the
health of young people; lifestyle and health risk
behaviours; leisure time activities; young people
and the law; secondary school education; participation
in further education, training and work; and young
people and civil society.
The Foundation for Young Australians hopes that
the Profile will be a catalyst for positive change
in the areas where it is needed and will further
the case for young people to have meaningful decision
making roles and greater participation in the
areas that are important to them.
The Profile of Young Australians is available
free of charge on www.youngaustralians.org
as part of The Foundation’s commitment to
making information widely available to young people
and others with an interest in young people.
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