People and programs working to provide children and families in Tweed with the best possible future are in focus this week, as the NSW Government shines a light on the supports available to young people and vulnerable communities during Child Protection Week.
Member for Tweed Geoff Provest MP said the NSW Government remains committed to ensuring vulnerable children get the support they need to stay safe and well.
“Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment where they are loved and supported,” Mr Provest said.
“We all have a role to play in this and we thank the families, our communities, local service providers and their staff for the tireless work they do to help put children first.”
This year’s theme for Child Protection Week is ‘every child, in every community, needs a fair go’, highlighting the importance of ensuring every young person and family has what it needs to create a safe and supportive environment to grow up in.
The NSW Government funds a range of initiatives, including programs supporting:
- children in the first years of life such as Pregnancy Family Conferencing and Aboriginal Child and Family Centres
- vulnerable families and communities, such as Targeted Earlier Intervention (TEI)
- children and families at risk of contact with the child protection system such as Family Preservation and Family Group Conferencing
- young people leaving care such as scholarships, traineeships, Ladder and Foyer and financial assistance through the Aftercare Allowance and specialist aftercare services.
- young people at risk of homelessness like Rent Choice Youth.
More than 9,256 families have been supported by Family Preservation programs since July 2020 and 813,649 people (children, young people and adults) received TEI services in 2021-22, including 11,020 families who were referred to appropriate assistance by the Family Connect and Support program.
Minister for Families and Communities and Minister for Disability Services Natasha Maclaren-Jones said government and NGOs continue to work together to provide wrap-around support for families with vulnerable children to address problems like isolation and disadvantage.
Child Protection Week runs from 4 to 10 September.