THE decision to cut foster parenting payments for adolescents will have a minute impact on Goulburn, says MP Pru Goward.
But local foster parent Lana Gardiner doesn’t agree, arguing Ms Goward is out of touch.
The claims came after the state government decided to cut entitlements for foster parents caring for children over the age of 16 by $214 a fortnight.
The department is trying to save $7 million. Mrs Gardiner has been a foster carer in the region for the past 18 years and has four children in her care.
“This is going to disadvantage these teenagers that need to come into care,” she said. “Why would carers want to take on teenagers when they can be paid a higher allowance for a new born baby?
“The Government is struggling now to get foster carers. This will make it even tougher.
“Young people should not be made to suffer over Government explosions of spending.” Ms Goward, the Community Services Minister, claimed she made the cuts to adolescent carers because she knew they would be least affected by the change.
They are able to apply for youth allowance through Centrelink or obtain jobs of their own, she said. “They now will have the direct responsibility to their foster parents to help them out.
“They are expected to help their foster parents out. It’s time foster parents sat down and had a conversation with them and taught them the responsibility.”
That idea is ludicrous though, according to Mrs Gardiner, who says the Government is living in “a dream world”.
“For carers to negotiate with some of these kids to clean their teeth and do their homework is hard enough. How are they ever going to negotiate over money?
“For most of these kids, they are going to see it as their ticket to purchase alcohol or drugs.
“Foster carers take on some of the most challenging children due to no fault of the child. They take these kids in and give them all the opportunities, knowing deep down that one day these kids can rebel back to the lifestyle they came from.” Ms Goward told the Post the cuts were a tough decision to make, but a necessity.
“When we came to office we were elected to fix up the mess that was created for us,” she said.
“There was a $1.9 billion debt in my portfolio alone.” Ms Goward said before 2006, the state government used to slash funding for foster children in an attempt to curb spending.
“It’s not a new practice by any means. But it’s something we have to go back to,” she said.
“We can’t have the Minister running to the Treasurer saying, ‘I’ve gone over budget, can you help me out?’ It just can’t happen like that.
“It’s my job to get the community services division back on their own footing.” Asked how the changes would impact on Goulburn, Ms Goward said she could not see it having a disastrous affect.
“Look, there are 1100 people affected by this all over the state,” she said.
“The number of people affected in Goulburn is going to be very slim. “It’s important for them to know that if they are adversely affected by this they can come to me and we can help them. They can come to the Goulburn (electorate) office and seek the advice they need.”
Many parents across the state are threatening to withdraw as foster parents, saying the financial pressure will be too much.
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