CREATE Foundation report reveals experiences of young Australians leaving state care

Young people are “ageing out” of state care only to become homeless within a year, according to new research calling for support to last years longer.

Young Australians are ending up homeless when they “age out” of state care, prompting calls for more consistent support until they turn 21.

A national report by the CREATE Foundation, released Tuesday, shows 17 per cent of youths end up immediately homeless when they leave a foster family or state-run home, usually because financial support paid to their carers stops when they turn 18.

Almost a third find themselves homeless at some point in their first year out of care and only one-third say authorities had a plan in place for their exit.

The CREATE Foundation warns current systems “effectively set young people up to fail” and is urging governments around the country to “develop a national system of extended care support”.

However, chief executive Jacqui Reed told The Advertiser that South Australia was “more committed than many other states” to easing the transition.

Sonja, Nick and Brooke all grew up in the state care system. Picture: Mark Brake

In January, 2019, the SA Government began offering extended payments to foster carers or relatives who continue to care for a young person until the age of 21 – up from 18.

To be eligible the young person must live in the carer’s household full-time and not earn an income that is more than the carer payment.

However, the payment does not apply to youths living in state-run homes with paid staff.

Child Protection Minister Rachel Sanderson said supporting young people “to ensure they are set up for life once they have left care is our ongoing priority”.

Child protection minister Rachel Sanderson. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

The CREATE report, based on responses last year from 325 Australians aged 18 to 25, found

49 per cent left their carer’s household when they turned 18.
Of those, 18 per cent moved into their own house or flat, 22 per cent secured supported accommodation, 19 per cent lived with family and 17 per cent found themselves homeless.

Just 36 per cent had a formal plan for exiting care, despite a requirement that planning start at age 15.
One in five found work to support themselves but 46 per cent were totally dependent on Centrelink payments.

Almost a third continued study, including 18 per cent through TAFE and 11 per cent at university.

The rate of Year 12 completion among care leavers has risen to 57 per cent, up from 35 per cent in 2009. In SA 113 youths in care completed Year 12 in 2020.

The Advertiser spoke to young South Australians who had mixed experiences on leaving care.

Nick, 24, moved into supported accommodation with the help of disability provider CARA.

Brooke, 23, moved into public housing but said support workers did not check on her.

Sonja, 25, had to leave her foster family’s home and stay with friends and described that period as “very stressful”.

The SA Government contributes funding to the CREATE Foundation, which has gone towards training for child protection workers to better prepare young people to live independently.

Money is also available through Dame Roma Mitchell Grants to support independent living, such as buying furniture or paying for driving lessons.