1. IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO CARE Presentation by Kevin Zibell, President and Sunitha Raman, Director, Strategic Projects Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, Victoria

2. presentation outline About the Centre The Sector Working Group and its work The research project and findings Implications for policy Recommendations Other work in progress in Victoria Where to from here?

3. about the centre Victoria-based peak body Mission: Leadership and excellence in child, youth and family services Incorporated in 1912 – we are 96! 95 member organisations across Victoria Advocacy; Policy and research; Strategic Projects; Learning and Development; Membership Services

4. the sector working group Release of the Forgotten Australians report by the Senate in late 2004 Convened to scope the implementation of the recommendations in Victoria Representatives are drawn from the Centre, community service organisations, the Department and care leaver groups

5. progress to date Victorian Government apology – Aug 2006 Draft apology to assist Centre members Two practice forums showcasing good practice One records forum on providing supported access to records Research project Collaborative work with Government –Development of services directory –Establishment of an appropriate memorial in Victoria Establishment of an archival project by the Alfred Felton Chair

6. the research project Absence of quantitative data about care leavers to guide policy and program development Focus on exploring life outcomes for care leavers; benchmarked against general population Collaboration with Monash University, Melbourne 77 care leavers from Victoria provided information through a survey

7. RESEARCH FINDINGS

8. demographics 53% male, 47% female respondents 52% were aged over 60; 30% were between 50-59; and 17% were between 40 - 49 61% lived in rural/regional Victoria, 25% in metropolitan areas, and 13% live outside Victoria Respondents had: –entered care over a 43 year time frame from 1929 to 1972 –Left care between 1939 and 1986

9. Classification of care experience Nearly half classified their care experience as ‘bad overall’ 17 per cent were ambivalent about how they felt Over a third described their experience as ‘good overall’

10. qualitative feedback “brutal, violent, traumatic, awful, insensitive” “treated as things not as human beings” “we had good times and bad times, hard to comment” “very good at one facility, reasonable at another and bad at another” “If they hadn’t been there, where would I have been now. No regrets whatsoever”

11. education

12. employment

13. health and disability Overall 54.5 per cent diagnosed with disability Care leavers in the >50 age range had frequent visits to the GP

14. specialist health

15. income

16. aged care concerns

17. qualitative responses “I don’t wish to be neglected or ever abused again. I’d rather die” “Any form of institutional care horrifies me” “I have already told my children if they put me in a home I will disown them” “worst nightmare, from a home to a home”

18. living arrangements Home ownership rates are significantly lower for care leavers 64 per cent overall had lived in the current address for more than 5 years A quarter live alone – highest incidence in 40-49 age group

19. relationships 75 per cent separated from siblings Majority who live alone now, were separated from siblings 69 per cent have one or more children Two-thirds consider their time in care impacted negatively on their relationship with their own children A third of these careleavers have no contact with their children. Over a quarter rely on themselves or a service provider for support

20. support services identified Counselling support (32%) Help with family information (7.8%) Financial help / Housing (5%) Education / Training (5%) Aged care (5%) Dental / Medical (4%)

21. Policy implications and recommendations

22. policy implications Health and disability Aged Care Relationships and supports Reparation and redress

23. recommendations 1.A health card system for care leavers 2.Aged care –Priority access to HACC services; –trial innovative programs in alternative settings; –aged care training needs 3.Support services for carers and families 4.Assistance to community organisations to provide supported access to personal records 5.Financial redress scheme

24. where to from here? Advocacy for support services Dialogue with aged-care services Development of guidelines for supported access to records ‘Who am I?’ project to develop contextual digital archival system Training on good record keeping in Centre’s training calendar