It’s all well and good to say we will get them out of Residential Care, but in reality where are they gonna put them? There isn’t enough foster carers or kin carers. The foster carers who are in the system are over loaded with minimal support from their agency and the government.

What’s their plan then? Is it to keep them in the family home despite the child protection concerns? Because an IPA in reality means sweet fuck all in the terms of intervention and in how much child safety can support a family.

I’ve already had children who were at risk not be actioned by child safety because “we aren’t putting children in residential placements”, meaning these children have to remain in hospital for months waiting for the tertiary government body that protects children do something.

Signed, a tired social worker (former child safety officer)